Fourteenth Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, Leader of Jamiat-e-Islami

Kokcha News Agency – Today marks the fourteenth anniversary of the martyrdom of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, known as the “Wise Elder,” who was a prominent leader of Jamiat-e-Islami and the former President of Afghanistan. We begin by honoring his memory and praying for his eternal peace in the heavens.

Professor Rabbani was renowned for his wisdom and tolerance—two principles that are desperately needed in today’s Afghanistan. He was the first influential political leader to propose the idea of a National Covenant and negotiations to strengthen the foundations of the nation-state in 2004. However, this proposal faced opposition from the politically short-sighted factions within Afghanistan.

Following his martyrdom, Jamiat-e-Islami experienced internal discord and has since struggled to unite its senior members under a cohesive structure or to deliver a message that resonates with the new generation and addresses contemporary demands.

The assassination of Professor Rabbani was not a minor event, given his significant political influence in Afghanistan, his crucial role in the peace process for the country, the region, and the West.

In the aftermath of his martyrdom, the influential and senior members of Jamiat-e-Islami, in an emotionally charged environment, decided to appoint his eldest son, Salahuddin Rabbani, as the interim leader of the party for a short period. At the time, reaching a consensus on appointing anyone else was extremely difficult.

The interim leader of Jamiat-e-Islami was tasked with several critical missions. First, he was to investigate the conspiracy behind the assassination of Professor Rabbani. The assassination involved a meeting arranged for Rabbani, during which the visitor carried highly sensitive explosive materials, typically only accessible to governments. To this day, the identity of the visitor, the message they carried, who facilitated the meeting, and the operational methods of the assassins remain unknown.

The second mission of Salahuddin Rabbani was to reach an understanding with President Hamid Karzai to define Jamiat-e-Islami’s role within the government apparatus and to prevent the party from further disintegration due to individual and independent negotiations by various Jamiat figures with the presidential palace.

The third and most important historical responsibility of Salahuddin Rabbani was to convene a general assembly (party congress) of Jamiat-e-Islami to elect a new leader. This crucial task remains unfulfilled to this day.

Since Jamiat-e-Islami failed to thoroughly investigate the martyrdom of its leader, provide a unified report to the nation, conduct clear and coherent negotiations with the government, and elect a new leader based on the consensus of its senior and veteran members, the party has been mired in leadership struggles and internal conflicts that continue to this day, fourteen years after Professor Rabbani’s martyrdom.

Jamiat-e-Islami, once a powerful jihadist party after the fall of Dr. Najibullah’s government, a coalition-building force during the first resistance, and a formidable network after the fall of the first Taliban regime, has now fragmented at various levels.

While there is no doubt about the grand and glorious history of this party, the fundamental question remains: Can anyone rebuild a new structure from the ruins of Jamiat-e-Islami and establish a stable, vertically organized system? This seems highly unlikely.

Nevertheless, the memory of the martyred professor, Burhanuddin Rabbani, remains cherished. His title, the “Wise Elder,” is a testament to his character and legacy.