Mohsen Qara’ati in the picture frame


The Afghan Taliban was formed in 1994 by men who had graduated from, or at least attended, madrasas. They called themselves taliban, the plural of talib, or “students”. Many of the leaders of the Taliban were titled Mullah, although not all had completed their madrasa education.Someone who goes on to complete postgraduate religious education receives the higher title of Mawlawi.