What are the beliefs of the Taliban?

Answer 1

The Taliban was a Fundamentalist Islamic Regime.

The Taliban is a specific political Islamist Party/Militant Organization. The Taliban has certain political aims: the control of Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan. The Taliban also were able to hold national control in Afghanistan and ruled it according to some of the most barbaric interpretations of Shari'a Law. This includes repression of minorities such as the Shiite Persians and Hazaras, the banning of all but Islamic banking, the use of physical mutilations and amputations as punishment, the banning of "blasphemy" towards Islam, the execution of homosexuals and apostates, and the destruction of non-Islamic cultural icons like the Bamyan Buddhas.

As a result of their national bent, the Taliban spread out through national channels such as police and justice departments. The Taliban, consequently, has very limited aims that came in direct contravention of American interests only in 2001 when the United States invaded Afghanistan. The Taliban, while supporting Al-Qaeda, were not (prior to 2001) interested in the latter's goal of attacking and Islamicizing the West. They are still opposed to exerting resources to achieve these goals, but do focus their efforts on removing the Northern Alliance government of Afghanistan and leading that country again.

Answer 2

Al- Qaeda is a terrorism network of Islamic extremists who follow many teachings of Sayidd Qutb, an Islamic thinker and author. Qutb's ideas make it a religious obligation to kill other Muslims who they say say are apostate and include even leaders of Muslim countries who have not enforced Sharia law.

Al-Qaeda seek to "restore Islam to true Islamic states" and get rid of any outside non-Muslim influences.