Afghan Musicians Defy Taliban Music Ban, Keep Traditions Alive in Secret

In Kabul, Afghanistan, the sounds of music that once filled the streets are now confined to hidden spaces. Since the Taliban seized power in 2021 and officially banned playing or listening to music in 2022, only religious vocal chanting is permitted.

Taliban authorities, through the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, have stated that music is forbidden in Islam and often leads to vices. Ministry spokesperson Saif ul Islam Khyber emphasized that no one is permitted to listen to or record music. This directive has led many musicians and performers to flee the country or hide their instruments, fearing confiscation and destruction.

The neighborhood of Kucha-e-Kharabat, once a vibrant music district in Kabul's old city, now sees its shops selling everyday goods instead of the traditional instruments that defined the area. Musicians who once made a comfortable living have lost their livelihoods overnight.

Despite the risks, some musicians continue to play in secret. A rubab player, who taught music and owned an instrument shop, now hides his instruments and works as a manual laborer. He lost his livelihood, and he believes the closure of his family's music business contributed to his father's death. He is determined to pass on his musical heritage, however, planning to teach his eldest son.

"As long as I am alive, I will continue to play," he said. "Perhaps I will do so in secret, but I will not allow (the rubab) to be silent. This is our culture, the traditions of Afghanistan which must not be silent; they must be revived and I will fight for that."

A singer, who once performed at concerts and celebrations, now operates a small business after two years of unemployment. He has hidden his rubab, harmonium, flute, tabla, and keyboard. He described the feeling of covering his instruments as being "buried alive."

"For now, music may not be performed openly, but no one can ever erase it from our hearts," the singer stated. "Whether in secret or in our dreams, we will continue to sing and play our music."

Both musicians spoke anonymously, fearing arrest. Underground performances that continued after the ban are now too dangerous. The singer has not performed at secret gatherings for four years due to the high risk of imprisonment. The rubab player recounted a raid on a secret gathering that led to arrests, from which he narrowly escaped. He has not performed secretly since.

These artists see music as intrinsically linked to Afghan culture and identity, believing it cannot be truly silenced. "No one can ever truly separate music from Afghan society," the singer said. "They are as inseparable as the fingernail from the flesh."