The Taliban’s raid on, siege of and entry into the Khatam al-Nabieen Seminary in Kabul, along with the reported detention of teachers and students, has heightened concerns over the future of Shiite religious and academic activities in Afghanistan. Afghan cultural activist Hossein-Ali Esmaeili said a land ownership dispute could not explain the full dimensions of the case, describing the action as having religious implications and warning of possible consequences for other Shiite institutions.
According to IRAF, the Khatam al-Nabieen Seminary in Kabul has faced restrictions from the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice in recent months. The latest development, involving the entry of Taliban forces into the institution and the detention of 28 people, has drawn reactions from Afghanistan’s Shiite community.
Although the Taliban have cited a dispute over land ownership and whether the property is public or private, critics argue that the case goes beyond a legal disagreement and could affect the future of Shiite religious and academic institutions in Afghanistan.
In an interview with IRAF, Esmaeili discussed the incident, the Taliban’s treatment of people at the seminary, its implications for the Shiite community and its potential impact on relations between the Taliban and Shiite Afghans.
Ownership Dispute or Something More?
Asked why Taliban forces entered the Khatam al-Nabieen Seminary, Esmaeili said: “This issue dates back to about two months ago. At that time, parts of the Khatam al-Nabieen Seminary, particularly the classrooms, were closed; however, areas such as the dormitories and the seminary courtyard remained available to the students.”
He added: “Consultations were also held on this matter, and documents were presented showing that the seminary was privately owned, belonged to the late Ayatollah Mohseni, and had been built using public donations.”
The cultural activist continued: “These documents were presented to Taliban officials, including the Minister of Justice, but they initially said they were not convinced. Later, they accepted this issue to some extent.”
Referring to Khatam al-Nabieen University and Tamaddon Television, Esmaeili said: “Regarding Khatam al-Nabieen University, the Taliban had announced that they would accept private ownership, but would themselves take responsibility for appointing the university’s administrators; a matter the university’s owners did not accept.”
He said: “However, regarding the Khatam al-Nabieen Seminary, it appears that the issue is not merely ownership and has religious dimensions. It appears that there is a kind of hostility or competition with Shiite Islam, and that various pretexts are being used to try to shut down these institutions.”
Reports of Violence and 28 Detentions
Regarding reports that 28 people, including teachers and seminary officials, had been detained, Esmaeili said: “I do not have direct and precise information about the current situation of those detained, and more information is needed to make a more accurate assessment.”
On the treatment of people at the seminary, he said: “According to the information we have received, the initial treatment was harsh and involved beatings.”
The cultural activist added: “The Taliban forces acted violently when they first entered the seminary, and even cases of insults have been reported; however, after entering the seminary, their treatment apparently became milder.”
Asked whether the treatment could send a message to other Shiite institutions, he said: “The issue is clear; the Taliban are in conflict with Shiite Muslims.”
He stressed: “If the Shiite community is not united in the face of such incidents, this action could become the beginning of a broader trend.”
Warning Over the Future of Shiite Religious and Academic Institutions
Esmaeili added: “If a seminary such as Khatam al-Nabieen is closed, mosques, husseiniyas, smaller seminaries and Shiite academic gatherings may also face restrictions or closure in the future. Therefore, Shiite Muslims must be united on such issues and must not allow the closure of an academic and religious institution to become part of a broader trend.”
Regarding the Taliban’s actions and their claim to uphold the rule of law, he said: “Such actions are certainly incompatible with the rule of law and the principles of governance. No government can disregard the law and act solely through force, coercion and according to its own wishes. If a decision is to be made about a property or institution, it must be based on the law and legal procedures.”
Asked whether the Khatam al-Nabieen case should be viewed as an isolated incident or part of a broader effort to restrict Shiite religious and cultural institutions, he said: “The Taliban have justifications for their actions, and they had previously announced that the land belonging to the seminary was state-owned and used this issue as the basis for their action.”
The Issue Is Not Just One Seminary
Esmaeili continued: “In my view, the issue goes beyond ownership. Behind the scenes, there is concern that there is no willingness for Shiite religious and academic institutions to grow and continue their activities.”
On the consequences of closing or taking over the Khatam al-Nabieen Seminary for the future of Shiite religious and academic activities, he said: “The consequences are very serious. If such an institution is closed, other Shiite academic and religious institutions may face the same fate in the future.”
The Afghan cultural activist added: “The issue is not just one seminary, but could affect the future of the religious, educational and academic activities of Afghanistan’s Shiite community.”
Regarding the Shiite community’s response if the detentions continued and the Taliban insisted on evacuating the seminary, Esmaeili said: “Since last night, marches and protests have taken place in various areas in response to this issue, and people have chanted slogans protesting this action. These protests are continuing, and it appears that if the situation persists, people will continue their protests.”
Growing Distance Between the Taliban and the Shiite Community
Asked about the impact of the incident on relations between the Taliban and the Shiite community and on the government’s domestic legitimacy, Esmaeili said: “Such actions will certainly have negative consequences.”
He added: “These actions could widen the distance between the Taliban and the Shiite community and negatively affect the community’s view of the government’s performance.”
The cultural activist concluded: “Now we must wait and see what decision the Taliban will make and what response they will give to the people and the community.”
Esmaeili said: “This issue has become very sensitive and acute, and the people have also shown sensitivity to it. The passage of time will show what decision the Taliban will make and, ultimately, what response they will give to the community.”
The Khatam al-Nabieen Seminary is one of Afghanistan’s important Shiite academic and religious institutions in Kabul and has carried out educational and religious activities in recent years. The institution has faced restrictions from the Taliban in recent months, while disputes over land ownership and the administration of some affiliated institutions have also been raised.
The entry of Taliban forces into the seminary, reports of treatment of people inside and the detention of 28 people have once again raised questions about the status of Shiite religious and educational institutions in Afghanistan. The Taliban, meanwhile, have cited ownership and the state-owned status of the land as among the grounds for their actions.
Critics argue, however, that the manner in which the institution has been treated could have consequences far beyond a property dispute, affecting the future of Shiite academic, religious and cultural activities in Afghanistan and the community’s relationship with the Taliban authorities.
