Our Daily Nightmares: Personal Essay on Everyday Life in Afghanistan

Hasht-e Subh published a first-person essay titled "Our Daily Nightmares," recounting the author's experience of waking to a heavy silence at 10 a.m. Despite needing to attend a job interview, the author dresses in all-black clothing described as an Islamic hijab, feeling like mourning attire. Stepping outside, the streets appear barren: trees are withered despite the season, irrigation ditches are dry, and gardens lack flowers, evoking a sense of lifelessness and colorlessness.

Attempting to take a taxi, the author is refused service for not wearing a prayer shawl (chador namaz). Walking instead, the author encounters an elderly carpenter weeping over his broken winter chairs, which he calls "haram." The narrative reflects on concepts of mahram relationships within families, questioning prohibitions on siblings or spouses sharing seats.

The account escalates as a man in white clothing, with a harsh face, approaches shouting insults and wielding a whip. He strikes the author repeatedly, accusing her of corrupting the city due to improper hijab, causing intense pain and disorientation. While fallen, the author witnesses a robber drawing a gun on a young man, shooting him to empty his pockets, then fleeing in a vehicle.

The essay contrasts the enforcement of dress codes with unchecked crime, sarcastically noting societal priorities: women's attire threatens faith and order, while theft and murder are downplayed amid widespread unemployment.