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Supreme Leader of Afghanistan

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Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
  • د افغانستان د اسلامي امارت مشر (Pashto)
    Də Afġānistān Islāmī Imārat Damshīr
  • رهبر امارت اسلامی افغانستان (Dari)
    Rahbar-e Imārat-i Islāmī-yi Afghānistān
Flag of Afghanistan
since 15 August 2021
In exile from 25 May 2016
Leadership of the Islamic Emirate
Style
TypeSupreme leader
StatusHead of state
Member ofLeadership Council
SeatKandahar
AppointerLeadership Council
Term lengthLife tenure
PrecursorPresident of Afghanistan
Inaugural holderMullah Omar
Formation4 April 1996 (1996-04-04) (in exile)
DeputyDeputy Leader
Salary؋228,750 monthly
Politics of Afghanistan
Constitution
Government
Judiciary
Law enforcement
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations
flag Afghanistan portal

The supreme leader of Afghanistan[2] (Pashto: د افغانستان مشر, romanized: Də Afġānistān Damshīr, Dari: رهبر افغانستان, romanized: Rahbar-e Afghānistān), officially the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan[3][4][note 1][note 2] and also referred to by his religious title Amir al-Mu'minin (lit. 'Commander of the Faithful'), is the ruler, head of state, and highest religious authority of Afghanistan, as well as the leader of the Taliban.[10][11] He has unlimited authority, though in practice he shares some power with the consultative Leadership Council, whose members he appoints.

The current supreme leader is Hibatullah Akhundzada, who assumed office in exile on 25 May 2016, upon being chosen by the Leadership Council, and came to power on 15 August 2021 with the Taliban's victory over Western-backed forces in the 2001–2021 war. Since coming to power, Akhundzada has issued numerous decrees that have profoundly reshaped government and daily life in Afghanistan by implementing his strict interpretation of the Hanafi school of Sharia law.

The supreme leader appoints and directs the prime minister and other members of the Cabinet, as well as judges and provincial and local leaders. He oversees their work together with the Leadership Council.

History

The office was established by Mullah Mohammed Omar, who founded both the Taliban and the original Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in the 1990s. On 4 April 1996, in Kandahar, followers of Omar bestowed upon him the title Amir al-Mu'minin (أمير المؤمنين), meaning "Commander of the Faithful", as Omar had donned a cloak taken from its shrine in the city, asserted to be that of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[12][13]

The Taliban views the Quran as its constitution. However, it approved a dastur, a document akin to a basic law, in 1998, which proclaimed Omar supreme leader but did not outline a succession process. In 1996 interview, Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil stated that the Amir al-Mu'minin is "only for Afghanistan", rather than a caliph claiming leadership of all Muslims worldwide.[14][15]

Following the September 11 attacks and the United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Omar was deposed and the office of the leader was replaced by a presidency.[16] Nevertheless, all subsequent leaders of the Taliban have borne the title of Commander of the Faithful.[17]

Following its offensive in 2021, the Taliban recaptured Kabul after the United States withdrew its forces on 15 August of that year and became Afghanistan's new de facto government again.[18][19][20]

The supreme leader receives the highest government salary in the reinstated Islamic Emirate, at 228,750 Afghan afghanis monthly.[21]

Selection

The supreme leader is appointed by the Leadership Council.[22]

Powers and duties

Under Omar, the leader held absolute power, and the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia was entirely his decision.

It is unclear what exactly the current role of the Emir is, but under the 1998 draft constitution of the first Islamic Emirate, the Leader of the Faithful would appoint justices of the Supreme Court.[23]

Under the current government however, the Emir has final authority on political appointments, as well as political, religious, and military affairs. The Emir carries out much of his work through the Rabbari Shura, or the Leadership Council (which he chairs[24]), based in Kandahar, which oversees the work of the Cabinet, and appointment of individuals to key posts within the cabinet.[25]

However, in a report from Al Jazeera, the Cabinet has no authority, with all decisions being made confidentiality by Akhundzada and the Leadership Council.[26]

List of leaders

Further information: List of heads of state of Afghanistan § Non-monarchs
Status
  Denotes Acting Leader
No. Name
(Birth–death) 		Additional position(s) held Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Amir al-Mu'minin
Mullah
Mohammed Omar
(died 2013) 		– 4 April 1996 (1996-04-04)
Head of state of Afghanistan
from 27 September 1996 (1996-09-27) 		23 April 2013 (2013-04-23)  #
Head of state of Afghanistan
until 13 November 2001 (2001-11-13) 		17 years, 19 days
Head of state of Afghanistan
for 5 years, 47 days 		[12][27][28]
2 Amir al-Mu'minin
Mullah
Akhtar Mansour
(1960s–2016) 		First Deputy Leader (2010–2015) 23 April 2013 (2013-04-23)[note 3] 29 July 2015 (2015-07-29) 3 years, 28 days [29][30][31]
– 29 July 2015 (2015-07-29) 21 May 2016 (2016-05-21) X
3 Amir al-Mu'minin Sheikh al-Hadith
Mullah
Mawlawi
Hibatullah Akhundzada 		First Deputy Leader (2015–2016) and
Chief Justice (2001–2016) 		21 May 2016 (2016-05-21) 25 May 2016 (2016-05-25) 8 years, 151 days
Head of state of Afghanistan
for 3 years, 65 days 		[32][33][11]
– 25 May 2016 (2016-05-25)
Head of state of Afghanistan
since 15 August 2021 (2021-08-15) 		Incumbent

Timeline

Hibatullah AkhundzadaAkhtar MansourMullah Omar

Deputy Leader

Deputy Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
  • د افغانستان د اسلامي امارت مرستیال (Pashto)
  • معاون امارت اسلامی افغانستان (Dari)
Flag of Afghanistan
Haqqani
Yaqoob
Baradar
Incumbents
Leadership of the Islamic Emirate
StatusDeputy head of state
Member ofLeadership Council[34]
Reports toSupreme Leader[35]
AppointerSupreme Leader
Term lengthAt the pleasure of the supreme leader
PrecursorVice President of Afghanistan
Inaugural holderMohammad Rabbani[36]
Formation4 April 1996 (1996-04-04) (in exile)
SuccessionActing (in order of deputy rank) in the case of death or incapacitation of the leader[29][37]

The deputy leader of Afghanistan, officially the deputy leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Pashto: د افغانستان د اسلامي امارت مرستیال,[38][romanization needed] Dari: معاون امارت اسلامی افغانستان[39][romanization needed]), is the deputy emir of the Taliban, tasked with assisting the leader with his duties.[40][35] All three leaders of the Taliban have had deputies, with the number of deputies fluctuating between one and three.[41] Akhundzada has three deputies: Sirajuddin Haqqani, Mullah Yaqoob, and Abdul Ghani Baradar. Haqqani was first appointed as a deputy leader by Akhtar Mansour in 2015, and was retained by Akhundzada. Upon assuming office in 2016, Akhundzada appointed Yaqoob, a son of Mullah Omar, as a second deputy. Akhundzada appointed Baradar as a third deputy in 2019.[42]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Pashto: د افغانستان د اسلامي امارت مشر, romanized: Də Afġānistān Islāmī Imārat Damshīr,[5][6] Dari: رهبر امارت اسلامی افغانستان, romanized: Rahbar-e Imārat-i Islāmī-yi Afghānistān[7][8]
  2. ^ also simply leader[9]
  3. ^ Mullah Omar's death was concealed from the public and most of the Taliban. The same day news of Omar's death became public, Mansour was elected leader.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Acting Minister of Education Meets Esteemed Amir-ul-Momineen". Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – Voice of Jihad. Kandahar. 8 February 2022. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Afghan supreme leader orders full implementation of sharia law". Agence France-Presse. Kabul. The Guardian. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Message of Amir-ul-Mumineen Sheikh-ul-Hadith Hibatullah Akhundzadah, the Supreme Leader of IEA on the Arrival of Eid-ul-Fitr – Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  4. ^ "IEA leader gives order to round up Kabul beggars, provide them with jobs | Ariana News". www.ariananews.af. 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  5. ^ "Hibatullah Akhundzada reiterates his commitment to amnesty". The Killid Group (in Pashto). 30 December 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  6. ^ "IEA's supreme leader calls on officials to adhere to amnesty orders". Ariana News (in Pashto). 30 December 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  7. ^ "IEA takes massive anti-drug step, bans poppy cultivation". Ariana News (in Dari). 3 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Taliban leadership council meets". The Killid Group (in Dari). 1 September 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  9. ^
  10. ^ Ramachandran, Sudha (10 September 2021). "What Role Will the Taliban's 'Supreme Leader' Play in the New Government?". The Diplomat. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  11. ^ a b Faulkner, Charlie (3 September 2021). "Spiritual leader is Afghanistan's head of state — with bomb suspect set to be PM". The Times. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  12. ^ a b Weiner, Tim (7 September 2001). "Man in the News; Seizing the Prophet's Mantle: Muhammad Omar". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  13. ^ "Kandahar residents feel betrayed". www.sfgate.com. 19 December 2001. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
  14. ^ Osman, Borhan; Gopal, Anand (July 2016). "Taliban Views on a Future State" (PDF). Center on International Cooperation. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  15. ^ Ahmad, Javid (26 January 2022). "The Taliban's religious roadmap for Afghanistan". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Karzai declared elected president". news.bbc.co.uk. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
  17. ^ "Statement by the Leadership Council of Islamic Emirate regarding the martyrdom of Amir ul Mumineen Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour and the election of the new leader". jihadology.net. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
  18. ^ Mistlin, Alex; Sullivan, Helen; Harding, Luke; Harding, Luke; Borger, Julian; Mason, Rowena (15 August 2021). "Afghanistan: Kabul to shift power to 'transitional administration' after Taliban enter city – live updates". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Afghanistan: Heavy fighting ongoing on the outskirts of Kabul as of early Aug. 15; a total blackout reported in the city". Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Taliban officials: there will be no transitional government in Afghanistan". Reuters. 15 August 2021. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  21. ^ Hakimi, Amina (5 December 2021). "Senior Officials' Salaries Reduced: MoF". TOLOnews. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  22. ^ Burke, Jason (17 August 2021). "The Taliban leaders in line to become de facto rulers of Afghanistan". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Beyond Republic or Emirate: Afghan Constitutional System at Crossroads". www.iconnectblog.com. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
  24. ^ "Three-day meeting of the Leadership Council of Islamic Emirate headed by esteemed Amir-ul-mumineen held in Kandahar". Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  25. ^ "What Role Will the Taliban's 'Supreme Leader' Play in the New Government?". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  26. ^ Latifi, Ali M. "Taliban divisions deepen as hardliners seek spoils of war". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  27. ^ "Afghanistan: Who's who in the Taliban leadership". BBC News. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  28. ^ CNN Umair (29 July 2015). "Mullah Omar: Life chapter of Taliban's supreme leader comes to end". ireport.cnn.com. Faisalabad, Pakistan: CNN. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2021. {{cite news}}: |author1= has generic name (help)
  29. ^ a b Goldstein, Joseph (4 October 2015). "Taliban's New Leader Strengthens His Hold With Intrigue and Battlefield Victory". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  30. ^ "Taliban sources - Afghan Taliban appoint Mansour as leader". Reuters. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  31. ^ "Taliban resignation points to extent of internal divisions in leadership crisis". Agence France-Presse. Kabul. The Guardian. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  32. ^ "Afghan Taliban announce successor to Mullah Mansour". BBC News. 25 May 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  33. ^ Mellen, Ruby (3 September 2021). "The Taliban has decided on its government. Here's who could lead the organization". The Washington Post. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  34. ^ Jones, Seth G. (December 2020). "Afghanistan's Future Emirate? The Taliban and the Struggle for Afghanistan". CTC Sentinel. 13 (11). Combating Terrorism Center. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  35. ^ a b Sayed, Abdul (8 September 2021). "Analysis: How Are the Taliban Organized?". Voice of America. Retrieved 19 April 2022. This leadership structure remains in place, with Shaikh Hibatullah Akhundzada serving as supreme leader, aided by the three deputies
  36. ^ Elias, Barbara. "The Taliban Biography – Documents on the Structure and Leadership of the Taliban 1996-2002" (PDF). National Security Archive. George Washington University. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  37. ^ O'Donnell, Lynne; Khan, Mirwais (29 May 2020). "Taliban Leadership in Disarray on Verge of Peace Talks". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  38. ^ Mujahid, Zabiullah [@Zabehulah_M33] (24 February 2019). د اسلامي امارت مرستیال او د سیاسي دفتر مشر محترم ملاعبدالغني برادر پخیر سره دوحې ته ورسید [The Deputy Leader of the Islamic Emirate and Head of the Political Office, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Pakhir arrived in Doha.] (Tweet) (in Pashto). Retrieved 22 April 2022 – via Twitter.
  39. ^ Shaheen, Suhail [@suhailshaheen1] (20 May 2020). معاون امارت اسلامی محترم ملا برادر اخند و هیئت همراهش با داکتر زلمی خلیلزاد و هیئت همراهش چند نشست پی هم نمود [The Deputy Leader of the Islamic Emirate, Mullah Baradar Akhund, and his accompanying delegation met several times with Dr. Zalmai Khalilzad and his accompanying delegation.] (Tweet) (in Dari). Retrieved 22 April 2022 – via Twitter.
  40. ^ Seldin, Jeff (20 March 2022). "How Afghanistan's Militant Groups Are Evolving Under Taliban Rule". Voice of America. Retrieved 22 April 2022. Haqqani has a $10 million bounty on his head from the U.S. government and works as a deputy emir of the Taliban
  41. ^ Ruttig, Thomas (March 2021). "Have the Taliban Changed?". CTC Sentinel. 14 (3). Combating Terrorism Center. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  42. ^ Sayed, Abdul (8 September 2021). "Analysis: How Are the Taliban Organized?". Voice of America. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
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