Afghanistan's Taliban-run Ministry of Hajj and Endowments has issued a new set of guidelines targeting how weddings and engagements should be celebrated, branding several long-standing customs as "sinful" and against Islamic law. The 10-page document, titled Avoiding Sinful Acts and Customs Against Islamic Law in Weddings and Other Celebrations, was released on July 23. It doesn't just offer advice — it directly instructs preachers on what to cover in their Friday sermons, effectively turning the guidelines into a nationwide messaging campaign. Among the practices condemned in the document are engagement rings, fireworks, bridal makeup, and the use of perfume by women. It also takes aim at revealing or tight-fitting clothing for women, along with music and mixed dancing at wedding functions — customs that have long been part of Afghan wedding culture. The ministry defended the move by pointing to what it described as a departure from religious values. The document states that many modern celebrations, including weddings and homecoming events after Hajj and Umrah, have drifted from proper Islamic teachings and picked up "undesirable customs and vices" along the way. This isn't an entirely new direction for the Taliban. The guidelines appear to build on a 2025 ban on "undesirable customs" issued by Taliban leader Maulvi Hibatullah Akhundzada — but this latest document significantly widens the net, covering far more aspects of wedding celebrations than before. Observers say the timing and scope of the order reflect a broader pattern. Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, restrictions on public and social life — particularly those affecting women — have steadily expanded, from the 2024 morality law to now this latest intervention into personal and family celebrations. For many Afghan families, weddings have traditionally been one of the few occasions for open celebration and colour. With this new rulebook, even that space now falls under tighter scrutiny.