Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), on Friday during a one-day educational seminar addressed the Kabul officials and said: “When responsibilities are fulfilled with obedience and in accordance with the principles of Sharia, God will always support you, and you will never be defeated.”

In a statement, Deputy Spokesman for the Islamic Emirate Hamdullah Fitrat said that Akhundzada stated: “Do not fear any kind of hardship in the path of God. Make no exceptions in applying Sharia to anyone, because God’s satisfaction lies in the implementation of Sharia. Avoid arrogance, pride, self-importance, division, and distrust among each other. Do not be negligent, for negligence is not an acceptable excuse.'”

The leader of the Islamic Emirate added: “Do not occupy yourselves with futile and purposeless activities. Do not fall for the enemy’s propaganda, as the enemy seeks to sow division among you through its messaging. You fought the enemy in jihad for twenty years; now you must resist its propaganda as well.”

Akhundzada stressed: “For hundreds of years, scholars and righteous people have been kept away from public worship and politics, and the world has continually tried to sideline them. The Islamic system, jihad, Sharia, and the laws of God had remained only in books and stories. But contrary to expectations, and by the grace of God Almighty, politics in Afghanistan is now in the hands of scholars and virtuous people. God has now placed us in a test that Muslims were deprived of for centuries. We are now facing it—so we must be extremely vigilant.”

Hibatullah Akhundzada added: “Give thanks to God and serve the people. The people have served you in the past, supported you in word and deed, and made sacrifices. Now they look to you. The time has come to serve them well, to be kind to them, to respect them, and to rule among them with justice. Now is the time to show mercy to the oppressed and to be firm with the oppressor.”