Afghan FM Muttaqi gets ‘Sanad’ at Deoband
In a move laden with religious and diplomatic symbolism, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Maulana Amir Khan Muttaqi visited the historic Darul Uloom Deoband seminary on Saturday, becoming the first senior Taliban official to receive a formal Hadith teaching certificate, known as a Sanad, from the institution since the group’s return to power in 2021.
The visit, part of Muttaqi’s six-day trip to India, underscores the Taliban government’s efforts to re-engage with New Delhi through religious, educational, and diplomatic channels after years of strained relations.
Muttaqi, who arrived in Deoband from Delhi early Saturday morning, was accorded a ceremonial welcome by the seminary’s rector, Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, and a delegation of 15 senior Islamic scholars. Students and faculty lined the campus pathways, showering flower petals as the Afghan minister entered the premises, with many eager to capture moments with his delegation.
Inside the seminary’s central library, Muttaqi participated in a traditional scholarly session, called Darsul Hathith under Maulana Nomani’s guidance. He was subsequently granted formal permission to teach Hadith—a rare honour—earning him the right to append “Qasemi” to his name, now formally styled as Maulana Amir Khan Muttaqi Qasmi. The Sanad not only recognises his scholarly credentials but also reaffirms his intellectual lineage to the Deobandi tradition, which has deeply influenced Afghan religious thought.
Breaking with longstanding tradition, Darul Uloom Deoband suspended all academic activities on Saturday to welcome Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, a move alumni say has no known precedent, as the seminary has never before halted classes for the visit of any VIP.
Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani described the visit as a homecoming of sorts, noting that Muttaqi was reconnecting with his “alma mater” before engaging in broader discussions with Indian religious and political leaders.
Addressing those gathered, Muttaqi expressed heartfelt gratitude for the reception and voiced optimism about bilateral ties. “I am thankful for such a grand welcome and the affection shown by the people here,” he said. “I hope that India-Afghanistan ties advance further. We will be sending new diplomats, and I hope you will visit Kabul as well. From the way I was received in Delhi, I believe such visits may become frequent in the near future.”
Darul Uloom Deoband, founded in 1866, holds profound ideological significance for the Taliban. Though many Taliban leaders were educated at Darul Uloom Haqqania in Pakistan—a seminary modelled on Deoband—the visit by Muttaqi marks a notable outreach to the original seat of Deobandi learning in India.
The event was conducted under tight security, with coordination between national and state agencies, reflecting the sensitivity of high-level Taliban engagement on Indian soil.
Observers interpret the visit as a strategic gesture by the Taliban to legitimise its rule through religious endorsement while simultaneously exploring avenues for pragmatic diplomacy with India—a nation that has so far withheld formal recognition of the Taliban government but maintains humanitarian and cultural links with Afghanistan.
Source: Times of India, NDTV, Darul Uloom Deoband