For Afghans Eid is an occasion for joy at a time when there are marks of sufferings over the decades. Traditionally Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by the followers of Islam across the World as a, "festival of the breaking of the fast."
Eid is a festival of reunion when people exchange gifts and visit with friends and family. Eid prayers are also an occasion of thanksgiving.
Eid in the past was marked by a series of bombings and terrorist assaults by the Taliban who are now in power and the security situation has drastically, improved with only the Islamic State of Khorasan or the ISK having some traction in various pockets and is still capable of destroying the Eid peace.
This security has come at a heavy cost given the humanitarian distress that has been caused to the people at large as the Afghan defacto administration has refused to engage with the international community and has remained doggedly resistant to any attempts are reviewing the strict norms of its following of own interpretation of the sharia despite many modern Islamic Scholars and Organization of Islamic Cooperation indicating otherwise.
This was evident in the Eid Message of Mullah Haibatullah the Supreme Authority of the Taliban who stays ensconced in the lairs religious obscurantism in Kandahar in the South – separated from the administrators in Kabul.
Eid Message
In his Eid message Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate Mullah Haibatullah which was delivered through the Taliban spokesperson in Kabul, he reiterated sustained commitment to the sharia and significance of Vice and Virtue-
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers itself responsible for the welfare of its people and ensures their rights under the Sharia law, it does this for the pleasure of the Almighty Allah and fulfilling its Sharia obligations, in order that everyone should be sure that their Sharia rights will be given, following this great purpose, the courts have been established both in the centre and provinces to help the oppressed, prevent oppression and to ensure justice, therefore, citizens should cooperate with the courts in ensuring justice and avoid recommendations, fake and fraudulent claims," the messag said.
“The Vice and Virtue as our highest duty is under implementation, everyone should fully cooperate with the concerned ministry helping its employees in commanding good and preventing inappropriate acts, Mullah Haibatullah’s Message said.
Importantly he said “If someone wants to advise the leader, he advises him secretly, because secret advice is useful, do not give open advice, because open advice has negative effect instead of positive”.
Later in a direct speech at the Kandahar Grand Mosque for the Eid al-Fitr prayer, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada asked other countries not to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. "We pledged to Allah that no infidel laws would be allowed to take root in Afghanistan. We will definitely refrain from taking any action that endangers, undermines Islam or is against Islamic principles,” Akhundzada said.
"My order is valid when it is in accordance with Sharia. If it was against Sharia, no one should obey it. If it is not against Sharia, then it is not obedience to the Amir, but obedience to Allah,” Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada said at the Kandahar Grand Mosque which in fact is an invitation to clerics on the ground to interpret the situation as per their own inclination and could lead to anarchy.
Clearly there is no change to the approach adopted so far of curtailing rights of women and their role in public life.
Political Resistance to the Taliban
The political and military resistance to the Taliban within Afghanistan over the past two years or so has been limited.
The traditional opposition to the Taliban – the Jamiat-e-Islami Party leaders who have represented mainly the Tajiks and is the largest political party in the country during the time of the Republic was divided as the leaders found themselves on a limb pushed out of the country in the wake of an existential threat. Thus, the political forces were weak and it appears that Eid may have galvanised them to unity.
At the same time with the Taliban rejecting dialogue with other political elements the traction that they will achieve will be dependent on the support of the US.
Military Resistance
On the military front, National Resistance Front (NRF) and Afghanistan Liberation Front (AFF) have emerged as recognisable voices but they lack the muscle at present to be effectively provide resistance to the Taliban.
However the NRF and the AFF), in their Eid messages have announced mobilization of resistance to the Taliban and enhancing military operations in 2023. NRF said, "Lobbying for the Taliban is a futile task and against the interests of the people of Afghanistan.” According to NRF, "The path to freedom and the return of peace to Afghanistan will come from standing up, fighting and sacrificing, not from engaging [and] dealings with the Taliban," as per Afghan International.
International and Regional Community
The international and the regional community is divided between the need to provide humanitarian support to the millions of Afghans who need food fuel and habitat.
On the other hand extremist conservative ideology of the Taliban which has prevented women from participating in all types of public activity including education for the senior girls indicates that their commitment to universal human rights is limited.
Under these circumstances recognition of the Taliban administration it's unlikely which will only add to the level of angst with the de facto authorities who are in power in Kabul.