Ghulam M. Dastgeer
We Thought We Were All Afghans!
20.03.2018
By Ghulam M. Dastgeer MD, FRCS (retired)
In this paper I would like to clarify to the World, to the people of Afghanistan, and Afghanistanies that, without any doubt, AFGHAN means PASHTOUN. The nationality of those born in Afghanistan is Afghanistani, until Khorassani replaces it.
In the country’s Constitution1; Article one, section four, writes: “the Nation of Afghanistan are those who have citizenship of Afghanistan”; it should have been “those born in Afghanistan”. Right now, hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis are given the “citizenship” of Afghanistan who are not a part of the “Nation”. Also, in this section is mentioned that “the Nation of Afghanistan is composed of Pashtun, Tadjik, Hazara, Uzbek…..”. First it means these different tribes are Afghanistani, second, the name of tribes should have been started alphabetically, not on the bases of dictating the wish of Pashtuns. They argue this is based on majority but there is no majority in Afghanistan, also there is no real UN supervised head count of population. As far as Pashtuns are in power they will post pond this head count or wait until Pakistan sends more Kochies to increase the number of Pashtuns and help them win another round of rigged election. It continues to read in this section of constitution: “For each individual of Afghan Nation the word of Afghan has been applied”; this could be interpreted “By force”. “The Word” if not “the word of Allah” would not be acceptable.
What I would like to present in following lines be based on Pashtu Literature. The content should not be interpreted as disrespect to my good Pashtun brothers, sisters or the Pashtu Language nor as divide and rule. I am saying, because I know my community, and there is a presence of a bunch of arrogant troublemakers among Pashtuns; if you are not a part of their uncivilized circle they are treating you worse than an animal; calling you names and bad mouthing. The information in this text is based on comments, poems of Afghans (Pashtuns), statesman, politicians, historians and other Afghanstani authors;
I am saying what is supposed to be said
weather it angers you or educate you.
Unexpectedly, few days back I was exposed to a video on Facebook. I wish I were not! It was disheartening to hear from a Pashtun known as General Takat to insult and call Non- Pashtuns, Bastard or Haramzadeh! He continued saying: they should leave this country as they are strangers, and we are going to make this country Pashtunistan. It was at that moment that I decided that “I am not an Afghan (Pashtun) but Afghanistani, even better Khorassani”.
My late mother was from “Tarin” tribe. Tarin2 is the father of Awdel (Durani tribe). Her Sofi forefather, Sher Mohammad was brought from Kandahar to Kabul by Timor Shah3 in 1774, when he changed capital of country from Kandahar to Kabul. Sofi Sher Mohammad, settled around “Ashuqan wa Harefan” area. He established his Sofi practice that continues to date surviving all turmoil in Kabul.
When in 1967, I was academic member of Nangerhar University Medical School Department of Surgery I translated the Professor Robert Shah’s lecture notes in Thoracic Surgery titled: “De Sadri Narogheo Mukhtasara Jarahi4” meaning “A Short Surgery for Chest Disease” from English to Pashtu, the other official language in country. It was in hard cover and for the use of medical students; the first ever Pashtu medical book in Afghanistan. It was followed by editing a medical text book in Pashtu by Dr. Joseph Mamlan, Dr. Ahmad Sami Ahmadzai, Dr. Nasir Shinwari, Dr. Sharifullah Naeman, and Dr. Shah Wali Arakozi.
My mother’s advice, as she whispered to my ears was: “be on the Side of Rights”. I started to search for the truth and to show that “One could not cover the sun with two fingers”.
When we were students in Habibia High School in Kabul. We, classmates decided to call ourselves “Afghan” in place of Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazara and Uzbeks etc. In 1989 I founded “Afghan Physicians Association in America (APAIA) aka (AMPAA)”. It showed my democratic view toward Pashtu and Pashtuns, but It was the inhuman, uncivilized, un- Islamic insult of General Takat, Ismail Youn and their Gang verbal abuse, calling Non- Pashtuns Bastards (Haramis = illegitimate) made me decided to side with Truth.
It is unfortunate, that this insult is getting deeper and uglier; those Pashtuns claiming to be poet, writer and scholar send video messages through Facebook bad mouthing Tajiks, cursing them, use abusing streetwise language attacking their mothers and wives, asking them to leave country, even proposed to pay for their travel expenses to Tajikistan.
When Pashtun administrations are with American bosses, they lie, bad mouthing, and inject their bad feelings about Non- Pashtuns specifically Tajiks, Punjsheri, and Jamhiat-i- Islami Party members to them (I am not member of this party or any other). Karzai insulted the Northern Alliance to Robert M. Gate, former Secretary of Defense5, and now Ashraf Ghani to current Ambassador of USA in Afghanistan John R. Bass.
Fazel Ahmad Afghan6 brother of Noor Ahmad Noor former Afghanistan Ambassador to USA, and my dear classmate, responded to my article on Afghan means Pashtun, and I am Afghanistani in an assay and wrote: Afghanistani is an Iranian word, and “Late Ustad Qasim the famous Royal musician of early 19th century (13th in Afghan Calendar) called himself, “Qasim Afghan”. I wrote to him the following: there were reasons for what he had said; there were no Takat, Youn, Misdaq, Lallay, and Shohrat Nangialy to call him bastard. It was a time that all people of Afghanistan were in anti- Brits mode, when he sang that song it was in a Royal gathering which a British envoy had been visiting Afghanistan, so he reminded them:
If you don’t know, “Afghani Worrier power”, in me
When you come to the battle field, then you know me
And when he said “Afghan” he did not mean belonging to Pashtun tribe but to all people of Afghanistan. Also, to read from a person who has written a 747 pages book entitled, “Conspiracies and Atrocities in Afghanistan from 1700 – 2014” that “Afghanistani” is an Iranian word is a conspiracy on its own and reduces the value of his work on the book.
Starting with Loghat Namai Dehkhoda7 I found for the word “Afghan”, two explaination in Persian. “1- Afghan, means: to shout, wailing, to cry, groan, uproar (as close as possible from Farsi to English). These words were used by several poets in their famous poems; like Nasir Khosraou, Khaqani, And Hafez. 2- The name of people in Afghainstan who speaks Pashtu, a branch of Farsi Language”.
It is unfortunate that Western writers even own pro- pashtun writers don’t look to the real meaning of the word. This shows, that “word” always interpreted differently.
Prof. Hamid Hadi8 writes: The British North West Frontier Governor of 1947 just before Partition of India: “Sir Olaf Caroe, makes a distinction between the Afghans and the Pashtuns on the basis of the hills men and plainsmen. He thought those living in the fertile plain of Kandahar, Herat, Kabul and Peshawar should be called Afghans and those living in the hills Pashtun or Pathans”. Thus, Sir Olaf, as an experienced British statesman, recognized that not all Pashtuns are Afghans, nor did he say all people of Afghanistan are Afghan. He left a “Brit present” for us to fight over!
Professor emeritus Hadi9 has shown “The root and Family Trees of Pashtuns, The Bani Israel Theory”. It appears the Qais (the Hebro man) had four sons, namely: Sarban (salabun), Bitani, Ghurghasht, and Karlan. Sarban had two sons; Sharkhbun (the father of Pashtuns in Western Afghanistan) and Kharshbun (the father of Pashtuns in Eastern Afghanistan). Tarins are children of Sharkhbun. Abdalis are Tarin’s off springs. Sadozais. Alekozais, Barakzais and Achakzais are all Tarins. Abdul Hai Habibi10 also saying the same but with one change; in place of Qais (Hebro) he is written Kais (Pashtun).
Khoshal Khatak11 confirm this genealogy:
Pashtun in lineage is Salabuni
Or is Ghurghasht or Bitani
They are Ghilja from daughter of Bitani
But from sarabon they are Karlani
The other day, I wanted to know about “Democratis”, the ancient Greek author of Golden Sentences. In one part, I read that he was living at the same time as Prophet Dawūd (King David) of Israel. My curiosity led me to find out more about Dawūd The Prophet, I came to an interesting story12 (II Samuel 11): “Restless one night, David is pacing the roof of his palace from where he has a view of the homes and gardens in the city below. And there he spies a beautiful woman bathing. She is the wife of one of his generals, Uriah, the Hittite who is away at war. David sends for “Bathsheba” and spends the night with her. When she becomes pregnant, he commands that Uriah be placed on the front lines, where he dies in battle. David then marries Bathsheba……later she become Solomon’s mother”
Uriah! reminded me of an Afghan (Pashtun) tribe called Uriakhil (Oraikhil اوریاخیل13) related to Ghiljai the tribe of Ashraf Ghani the president of Afghanistan. Also, we have an American professional basketball player for Fuerza Regia of the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional in Mexico called Alex Oriakhi14.
There is an Uriakhil areas in Paghman, Maidan-Wardak, Zurmat, Parwan, and Laghman. 1n 1360/ 1982 statitics, there were 12188 of Uriakhil people living around Mehterlam city13. In Addition, on Thursday February 22, 2018, there was a conference titled: “Conference on the Pashtuns; the ten(th) tribe found in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India”, arranged by Pashtun Time in Jerusalem, and a video by Black Triangle; they formally announced that Afghans (Pashtuns) were the lost tribe. They appeared very happy that what their Bible said 2700 year ago become a reality. Jews are coming back from exile from North, from South, from East and from West, all were saying to a camera that sister and brothers of Pashtun we are glad we found you. This conversation and presentation was trough Facebook. To date (3/6/18) we have not heard or seen reaction from Afghanistan Government.
Prof. Hadi15 writes about a 19th century missionary called Theodore Pennell who lived among Afghan (Pashtuns) for twenty years. Pennell writes:” the Afghans character is a strange medley of contradictions, qualities in which courage blend with stealth, the basest treachery with the most touching fidelity, intense religious fanaticism with an avarice which will even induce him to play false to his faith”. Prof. Hadi continues writing: “Pennell, who lived among frontier Pashtun tribes, observed and faultlessly described their Cods of behavior. In South Waziristan, fanatic mullahs, the precursors to the Taliban, sent the madrassa students to Afghanistan to commit crimes against humanity. Their loyalty to faith is so treacherous that religious can be used against friends in a heartbeat…..”
Taliban the murderer of poor people of Afghanistan are all Pashtuns; as Angela Merkel the Chancellor of Germany put it, 95% of suicidal attacks in Afghanistan caused by one group! (Talibs, Pashtuns).
“Pashtu Qamous”, By Abdullah Afghani Newis, a publication of department of words in Pushto Tolana (Pashto Association), the original First volume was printed by government press in 1330/1952, it was Pashtu- Farsi When Sidiqullah Rishteen was the Pashtu- Tolana General Director. Second volume, called “Afghan Qamus” was Farsi-Pashto when Gul Pacha Ulfat was the president of Pashtu- Tolana, and published in 1336/1958. It is worth mentioning that this second volume did not start with , الف"Alef” but with letter “, خKheh” i.e., continuation of first volume, which was from letter ”Alef” to letter “, جJeem”.
It seems that at this time, Pashto- tolana wanted to popularize the word “Afghan” in place of Pashtu. Also, they noticed that there are not many Pushto words worthy of a Qamous (Dictionary) so they went for farsi to pashtu to be able to invent pashtu words, which still going on. The point to make is this that Afghani Newis was once a Pashtu Newis.
Dr. Basir Kamjo16 writes: Abu Al- Raihan Biruni (973- 1048CE) in his book of “Tahqiq Ma lilhind” which means “Research about Hind” that was translated by Zakakhaw in 1910 in pages 21,109 and 208 mentioned the following: “Afghan Tribes in west of India, in the Eastern hills of Solaiman Mountains (located in today Pakistan), Living homelessly (Kochi)”. Kamjo continues writing: “based on historian Sultan Mohammad Barakzai (Sultani History Book) information; explained in “Afghanistan in Last Five Centuries” in Persian by Mir Mohammad Siddiq Farhang the following is written: Afghans for the first time was allowed by Moheen-uddin- Shahrukh Timori (1404- 1447 CE) in the middle of 15th century to come down from hills of Soliman koh (mountain), and settled around city of Peshawar western Hindustan”. Later they moved to Khorasan, today Afghanistan.
Ba Yazid Roshan (926- 085 H) was introduced in the history of Pashtu literature prepared for 11th and 12th grade students in Afghanistan. In his biography it is mentioned that for Four generations his family was the Leader of Afghans i.e, the Leaders of Pashtuns.
Rahman BaBa the famous Pashtun poets writes17:
If the country of Afghan become scented
Make verses of my poem the girls ringlet
Here Afghan means Pashtun as in the next verse he is talking about Khorassan not Afghanistan18:
Dropped hair on her face, printed in my heart
To Khorasan and Hindostan I should retire, must
Khoshal Khatak19 another great Pashtun poet, worrier, writes:
All world is full of ignorants
But what you see more, is Afghan
One by one, intelligentsia present in every place
But the majority are present in the country of Khorassan
Shohrat Nangialai, in page 25 of his booklet titled “de Dozakho Pa Lambo Kishi Sozidaly Jannat” meaning “In the Fires of Hell Heaven become scorched”, and sub title (in Pashtu): “in Kabul and Peshawar, Afghans are the same” and writes: Torkhum, is the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. On both sides, there is one people, one nation, one language, one culture and the children of one father (Qais)….one time, Afghans (Pashtuns/Pathans) were saying that this border line is artificial…i.e., this line does not exist anymore and the Taliban can freely come and go and he cites the following from Khoshal Khatak:
All Pashtuns from Kandahar to Atak
Open or hidden, Sense of honor, is at work
Thus, Nangialai as Khatak recognize the land of Pashtuns from Kandahar to Atak, and accept Pakistani Pathans, as British named them, his brother and show his distance from Afghanistan. This is the reason that he, and his gang, do not like the name of Afghanistan and want to change it to Pashtunistani. In other words: “doday zema Khrai aow Taow Taow the Salahkhani kawi” meaning “we feed you, but you praise the slaughterhouse”.
Gul Pacha Ulfat, in the “de Ulfat Marghalarai” or “pearls of Ulfat” a collection of his poems in Pashtu writes:
Ignorance, despise, contempt, and Pashtun is
House destroyed, work irregular and out of order, is
The following sestet is also from “pearls of Ulfat”:
Lord, you made tribes for human
You made tribes, branches, places and nation
In the name of Turk, Arab, Afghan made masses
From birds in air you made a variety of flocks
Because no way pigeons to mix with Cranes
Nightingales will not fly with Ravens
Ulfat, in this poem, he is interpreted the Ayets Number 13, from Sorat Alhujarat, and Part 26 of Quran- Al Majid meaning20: “{O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations, tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa (the pious). Verily, Allah is All-Knowing. Well-Acquainted (with all things)}”. Quran thought us…You may know one another. Unfortunately, Ulfat went further saying pigeons cannot mix with cranes, and nightingales will not fly with Raven. My interpretation from this Ulfat poem is that; “O my tribe you cannot mix with others i.e., Non- Pashtuns”.
Martyred Musa Shafiq a Pashtun Scholar, statesman and poet writes21:
You are saying you are Afghan!
Good! who’s path you are following?
If you don’t go to the path of Pashtuns
It is obvious! your heart is desolate
What he was saying it is clear, Afghan should be Pashtun and follow the Pashtun way of life; Pashtunism or Pashtunkhwa Path. I was not expecting such a point of view from an ex-Prime minister, and a man I had respect for; when I heard he was murdered I was saddened and cried beyond my control. Well, it is difficult to know people from their appearance and even more difficult to know what is in their desolate heart.
“Afghani Kultury Tolana” meaning “Afghans Cultural Association” located in the State of California, United States of America. Their name is Afghan but the group is composed of all Pashtuns. To them Afghan means Pashtun.
Abdul Hai Habibi writes22: In the books of Vedic civilization the name of major Afghani tribes like Paktika (Pashtun) and Alina (North Laghman and Nuristan) were present 1400 years ago. On the other hand, in 1838 Lord Aukland in a communication with Shah Shojah mention Khorassan Not Afghanistan as the country. General William Elphinstone, also mentioned Khorassan not Afghanistan. Those who wants the original name of Khorassan for Afghanistan, are accused of disunity and division among people of a country, not knowing, that they are in right path and have reason to believe that the country for long was recognized as Khorassan but not Afghanistan; those who ignore this fact have desolate heart.
Therefore, based on above evidences I summarize:
1- Now it is proven and accepted by Jews that Pashtuns are their brothers and sisters, they are pleased to find their lost tribe. Those who tell non- Pashtuns to go back to where they come from should rethink their own origin: Therefore, based on the above information Pashtuns are not the natives of the land.
2- Afghan equals nothing but PASHTUN, and non- Pashtuns have the right not to accept, their way of life and the word of AFGHAN in the ID Card. After all this is a “word”; it can be accepted, thrown out, or ignored. It is meaningless, to have “Islamic Republic of Afghanistan” in the ID card, and write again, Afghan.
In addition to the above evidences there is our beloved Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) saying (Bukhari, Muslim)23: “those who accepts someone else father as own, and knows it, he has acted infidelity. The individual who call himself part of a tribe that is not his; must prepare himself for hell fire. The person, call someone infidel or tell him you are enemy of God, and he is not, it will return to the person who has said this”.
Unfortunately, our Pashtun (Afghan) brothers and sisters instead of reading and understanding the importance of these reality that are already accepted by their leaders, they start attacking with foul verbal abuses the families of non- Pashtuns, specially Tajiks and Punjsheries. By doing so they are denying, what their leaders believed. It is worth knowing that the people of Punjsher Province are accepting the ID card imprinted with Afghan word.
Afghan is not any more a word to be proud of; nowadays, to the world Afghan means: the most corrupt people, the suicide attacks killing hundreds of innocent people, the explosions on the sides of the road, the thieves, the opium growers, the kidnappers, the pedophile, the child worker, the women beater, selling their wives in Shinwar (Tolo News 3/2/18),the Talib, the ISIS, and in America the Zazai and Mateen.
In conclusion, I am hoping my dear Afghan (Pashtun) brothers and sisters accept the truth. Instead of ignoring their leaders, they should ask Takat, Youn and the rest of their gang to calm down, be civilized, and stop bad mouthing, non- Pashtuns. Unite the people of Afghanistan, do not fuel the fire of animosity because it is good for you, for people, and for the region but not for our common enemy, Pakistan.
I was in the middle of wrapping up when I received the following information from a friend:
The second sitting of Kabul Peace Process with Taliban started on February 28, 2018. In this conference 25 countries and international organizations were in attendance. It appears that Asharaf Ghani has told the conference that he wants to change the Law, so he can free the taliban prisoners from Kabul Jails, recognize them as legitimate political party, give them a passport to freely travel wherever they wish, access to media, and provide them with places to live in Afghanistan.
At a time that the Trump Administration wants to defeat the talib, daish and other terrorist organizations, the President of Afghanistan who receives billions of dollars of US tax payer money, Ashraf Ghani, wants to give them a passport for travelling wherever they wish to terrorize people with suicide volunteers. Already their sleepers are planted all over the country waiting to be woken up by ISI bells. The representative of countries who attended this conference should be ashamed of themselves that they sat down and listened to this nonsense. It will be even worse, if they support the most corrupt government of Afghanistan lead by Ashraf Ghani, Hanif Atmar, Stanakzai and Gulbuddin. Isn’t this talk like offering the country to the terrorists on a silver plate?
Atmar, in a TV interview that its video was made available to the social media he has said: Pakistan (putting right hand on his right eye) is my one eye, and Afghanistan (putting left hand on his left eye) the other eye.
White House, FBI, CIA; these people, based on their inability protecting people from suicide attacks, in my opinion, looks like ISI officers in Afghanistan! as far as they are in power you will not achieve your goals; please do not spend my tax money on these traitors. A few weeks back Zalmai Khalilzad was in Afghanistan and I am hoping he was not part of this tragedy.
Finally, on March third, 2018, someone by the name of “Aref Afghan” in Facebook (originate in Canada) wrote a peace under the title of “De Pashtun Islamic History”. He claims that Solomon had a son called “Afghan” and as Solomon knew the language of “Ajinna” he ordered them to teach their language to his son “Afghan” that is the Pashtu language. Also, Aref Khan writes the “Albania Awghan” whom became Afghan, later from “Arginia” moved to India……????
Solomon, based on Bible (1 King 11:43) had one son by the name of “Rehoboam” and two daughters (1 King 4:11,14). So, this claim of Afghan as son of Solomon is false. The language of Pashtu is not the language of Ajinna, that is false too. Until nearly 600 years ago Pashtu was only a spoken language. Ba Yazid Roshan added about thirteen letters to Farsi letters and created a Pashto alphabet then he started writing in Pashtu. I think this was the reason that Dehkhoda called Pashtu language as a branch of Farsi or Persian language. Also, I was not able to find information about city of Arginia. I will leave the judgment to you.
References:
1- Constitution of Afghanistan, Judicial Reference Set Jan 2008 Ed: 3-4
2- Abdul Hai Habibi, short history of Afghanistan (in Farsi), 1377; Page 359, Peshawar.
3- Mir Ghulam Mohammad Ghobar, 1359;Vol-I; Page 374,2nd print.
4- Dastgeer G.M., De Sadri Naroghio Mukhtasara Jarahi (in Pashtu), 1967, Franklin Press
5- Robert M. Gate, DUTY, Memoirs of a secretary at war, 2015;212, Vintage Books
6- Eng. Fazel Ahmad Afghan, Afghan German Online 10/16/ 2015
7- Dehkhoda, Loghatnamai Farsi, Page 3087 – 88, Vol-II, 1377, Tehran
8- Hamid Hadi, Afghanistan Experiences, 2016, Vol-II: 38
9- Ibid, Vol-I: 364
10- Habibi: page 369- 370
11- Khoshal Khatak,Armaghani Khatak Vol-II, Rubâiyât , page 315,Univ.Bokk Agency, Peshawar
12- Crash Course in Jewish History # 18/internet
13- اوریاخیل Uriakhil (Oriakhil). Wikipedia
14- Alex Oriakhi/ Wikipedia
15- Hamid Hadi, Vol-II; 45
16- Bashir Kamjo, Histiry of Afghan (in Farsi) Khorasazameen, January 2018.
17- Rahman Baba, Univ Book Agency Peshawar, Page 47
18- Ibid, page 156
19- Khatak, ارمغان ختک Vol-IV, Page726
20- The Noble Qur’ân in English, Medina, K.S.A, page 703,
21- Mohammad Musa Shafiq, Da Pa Yad de Mohabat Sara Wakhla, Page 160, Peshawar.
22- Habibi, Page, 8
23- Al adab al mufrad, translated by Abdul Ali Noor Ahrary, page 299 # 433
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