| Hans-Günter Meyer-Thompson | International
Afghanistan. Popular Afghan Pastime Goes Up In Smoke As Taliban Bans Hookahs
Afghanistan. Popular Afghan Pastime Goes Up In Smoke As Taliban Bans Hookahs
Young men inhaling fruit-flavored tobacco from hookahs had become a common site in Afghanistan in recent years.
But the Taliban recently issued a fatwa, or Islamic decree, banning the popular pastime. The militant Islamist group considers hookahs, also known as shisha, as an intoxicant, which is banned under Islam.
The ban on hookahs was announced in the western province of Herat earlier this month. It is unclear if the fatwa extends to the entire country. (Gandhara, RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, Tschechien, 25.10.2022)