With the fall of the Taliban regime Sufis are once again free to worship

(13 Dec 2006) SHOTLIST
Kabul, Afghanistan - November 2006
1. Various of Abdul Mukhtar with his friends walking to a Sufi mosque in Shor bazar (Kabul)
2. Wide of mosque sign 'Palawan Khanaqa Mosque'
3. Various of men performing Wudhu (washing of the face and hands) before they enter the mosque
4. Close of large pot boiling tea
5. Wide of men preparing tea
6. Tracking shot of man entering mosque with tea
7. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdul Mukhtar,School student:
''With worshipping here we feel that we get closer to Almighty Allah.''
8. Close up of hands praying with a muslim prayer beads
9. Various of men listening to Friday morning prayer
10. Wide of man entering Sufi mosque
11. Wide tilt from young boy praying to wide of mosque interior
12. Close up Sufi worshippers praying and chanting
13. Wide pan of Sufi worshippers praying and chanting
14. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdul Mukhtar, School student:
''When ever I come here for worshipping I feel very relaxed and very happy inside my heart. I worship with others who come here regularly. ''
15. Wide pan of mosque with Sufi worshipers praying
16. Various of men and children singing and praying
17. SOUNDBITE(Farsi) Abdul Mukhtar, School student:
"For me Friday is the best day for worshipping, and I prefer to be here. There are some other youths who go out for picnic on this day. ''
18. Mid of man praying in mosque doorway
19. Various of sufi worshippers praying and singing
20. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Mohammad Ehsan Saiqal, Religious Sufi cleric, Islamic subjects teacher in Habibia High school:
'' I think its good, they should come here and pray for themselves, but in the end it is their own decisions. ''
21. Various of Sufi worshippers praying and dancing
22. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Mohammad Ehsan Saiqal, Religious Sufi cleric, Islamic subjects teacher in Habibia High school:
''It is just another way of worshiping, but in basics we all follow one Islamic Sharia, which is the same for all. ''
23. Various of Sufi worshipers dancing in and praying
24. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Mohammad Ehsan Saiqal, Religious Sufi cleric, Islamic subjects teacher in Habibia High school:
''This way of worshipping it is the question of love and affection and all the followers of this way have one goal, which is the happiness of Almighty Allah. ''
25. Various of Sufi worshippers, men and children dancing at Friday morning worship
26. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Mohammad Ehsan Saiqal, Religious Sufi cleric, Islamic subjects teacher in Habibia High school:
''Sufi people have still lots of problems. The government is not helping this community, we don't have books, and proper schools that can teach in a correct way our philosophy. And we have a lot of social problems as well''
27. Various of men preparing tea and distributing tea at Friday morning worship
28. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Mohammad Ehsan Saiqal, Religious Sufi cleric, Islamic subjects teacher in Habibia High school:
"That time (Taliban regime) is not comparable with now we had huge problems then, but now we can freely have our gatherings whenever we want there is peace and we are happy.''
29. Various of men leaving the Mosque
LEADIN
Under the Taliban regime, Sufi communities in Afghanistan suffered considerable persecution.
The law stated that no Afghan man or woman was permitted to recite, listen to or sing sufi music, or adore any Sufi saints.
But with the fall of the Taliban regime, Sufis are once again free to worship.
STORYLINE
Friday prayer with the Sufi Naqshbandiya community in Kabul.
Abdul Mukhtar, a college student, likes to spend his Friday's at his local mosque.

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