Senior Taliban official: disobeying Hibatullah's orders is disobeying God

The Taliban’s Minister of Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadim, has declared that disobedience to the orders of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group's leader, is equivalent to defying God.

Speaking on Saturday, January 6, at a graduation ceremony for Islamic school students in the Loya Jirga Hall, Nadim emphasized that “no one has the right to disobey the commands of the Emir of Muslims.”

Nadim, a close ally of Hibatullah, has been a key figure in enforcing the Taliban’s hardline policies. Over three years ago, girls’ schools were shut down under Hibatullah’s orders. In late 2022, he further banned women from attending universities and working in non-governmental organizations.

Despite widespread backlash to these restrictions, Nadim intensified the stance earlier this year by forbidding even discussions about women’s education “until further notice.”

These remarks highlight the Taliban’s continued use of religious authority to justify strict governance and suppress dissent.