The Taliban have issued a stern warning to Afghans who dared to don 'un-Islamic' Peaky Blinders attire. Four young men, in their early twenties, were summoned to the Taliban government's department of vice and virtue in Herat city, Afghanistan, for their bold fashion choices. The friends, from the town of Jibrail in Herat province, were accused of promoting foreign culture and imitating British film actors, their clothing deemed to be in conflict with Afghan and Islamic values. The costumes, inspired by the TV series Peaky Blinders, set in England after World War One, were deemed to go against Afghan culture and tradition. The men, who have since been released, posed in flat caps and three-piece suits, a style that has gained admiration from locals and positive reactions. However, the Taliban's 'morality police' had other ideas, deeming the clothing as 'un-Islamic' and ordering the men to undergo a 'rehabilitation programme'. The spokesman for the Taliban government's provincial department of Vice and Virtue, Saiful Islam Khyber, emphasized the importance of adhering to religious and cultural values, especially in matters of clothing. He stated that the men's actions were an imitation of actors from a British movie, and that their society is Muslim, and should follow the righteous religious predecessors in good and lawful matters. The men, despite being released, expressed their innocence and regret for any offense caused, promising to refrain from such actions in the future. This incident highlights the tension between personal expression and the strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law imposed by the Taliban regime.
