Islam influences almost all factors of afghan life and
is a basic foundation of society. Even the smallest towns have mosques and
farmers in their fields stop for prayer wherever they may be standing.
Historically Islam has helped unify Afghanistan and the afghans. Roughly 85% of
the country is sunni, the remainder is Shiite. (5) To tolerance between the two
groups and other religious, including Hindus and Jews, was the pre1979 norm.
While heavily influenced by Islam, the state remained separated from religion.
(6) The initial step towards more radial forms of
Islam began in the 1970s when afghan student
returning fro Egypt formed an
Afghan branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. A much greater influence, however was
the growth of radical Mujahedeen groups based in Pakistan during the war
against the soviets of which the seven major Mujahedeen groups, Haq favoured
those with more radical leanings, particularly the Hizb-1-Islamoi of Hekmatyar,
the Jamaat-e-Islami under Rabani, and the faction under Abdul Rasul sayyaf (who
was also backed by soud Arabia). More moderate elements received less money and
arms or were forced to merged with the better supported groups.
Following an Afghan wartime tradition, Mullahs stepped
forward to become military commanders during the war against the solviets.
Almost certainly, the length and intensity of the war, coupled with the
destruction of the Afghan state, increased the role of Mullahs in society. At
the same time, as the war against the soviet ceased to exist, as a result,
Madressas in Pakistan began to provide religion based education to regugees.
This combination of factors-the Pakistan support for
Mujahedeen factions, the displacement of large numbers of refugees who were
then educated in Madrasses (and also lost ties with their tribes and
communities), and the concept of “ Jihad” against an etheistic superpower was a step towards radical Islam
gaining influence in Afghanistan. The next major impetus was the rise of the
Taliban. The ideology$ the philosophy of the Taliban.