Culture of Afghanistan

Afghanistan is an intensely Muslim country. The Shrine of Hazrat Ali in Mazar-e-Sharif is one of the most important shrines and it is holy to both Sunni and Shiite Muslims. The country is 85% Sunni and the Hazaras of central Afghanistan form the bulk of the Shiites, and as such have strong links to Iran. The country has historically been a great centre of Sufism.

In 1959, Afghan leadership stopped enforcing the seclusion and veiling of women, something that the Holy Quran is often interpreted to require. However, the Taliban brought back the burka with a vengeance. Afghan women were flogged or otherwise punished for refusing to wear the shuttlecock-shaped accouterment, or for being on the street without the company of a male relative, or for painting their nails. Women could only attend single-sex hospitals (of which there were few) and were not allowed to seek employment or education.

Afghanistan’s Islamic heritage is also the basis of its famous hospitality: if you - male or female, Muslim or not - are invited into a home, expect to be treated with a respect not often understood in the West. Though a family may clearly be putting themselves under financial strain to provide a meal for you (the honoured guest), refusing the invitation or offering to bring food would be a grave insult. A gift of fruit, flowers or something small from home would be appreciated, however.

Afghanistan’s geographical position - for centuries crisscrossed by armies, empires and trade routes - combined with its varied geological terrain have given rise to the great diversity of foods, arts, languages and traditions that make up this country’s cultural heritage. Unfortunately, many of the country’s artistic treasures have been surreptitiously sold on the global market, while 2001 saw the destruction of the Great Buddhas in Bamiyan by the Taliban. The Afghan people have, in some ways, sacrificed such luxuries in order to survive. However, no country with as rich and plentiful a heritage as Afghanistan could forget this source of strength and expression. If and when this country is blessed with a little peace, expect to be dazzled by its contributions to the world’s culture once again.