Pashtunwali

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Pashtunwali (Pashto: پښتونوالی‎ पश्तूनवाली ), also referred to as Pakhtunwali (पख्तूनवाली ) or Afghaniyat (अफगानियत ), is the traditional lifestyle and code of honor followed by the Pashtun people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is often interpreted by scholars as the way of the Pashtuns or the code of life. This cultural framework encompasses various principles and customs that guide social interactions, conflict resolution, and community relations among Pashtuns.

Pashtunwali is predominantly practiced in areas where Pashtuns are the majority, particularly in the Pashtun-dominated regions. Its origins can be traced back to ancient pre-Islamic times, reflecting a rich heritage that has been preserved through generations. Core tenets of Pashtunwali include hospitality (melmastia), asylum (nanawatai), and justice (badal), which emphasise loyalty, respect, and the protection of one’s community and family.

Overview[edit]

The native Pashtun tribes, often characterised as fiercely independent, have lived in the Pashtunistan region (encompassing eastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan) since at least the 1st millennium BC. Throughout this time, much of their mountainous territory has largely remained beyond the control of external governments. The Pashtun resistance to outside authority, combined with the challenging terrain they inhabit, is sometimes thought to contribute to the enduring adherence to the code of life known as Pashtunwali.

The principles of Pashtunwali are recognised and practiced in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as among some Pashtun communities worldwide. Additionally, some non-Pashtun Afghans and others have adopted aspects of its ideology or practices for their own purposes. In contrast, many urbanised Pashtuns may disregard the traditional rules of Pashtunwali. This code, which is passed down through generations, governs both individual and collective behavior among Pashtuns. By being practiced by the majority, Pashtunwali plays a significant role in promoting Pashtunisation, reinforcing cultural identity and unity within the community.

Ideal Pukhtun behaviour approximates the features of Pukhtunwali, the code of the Pukhtuns, which includes the following traditional features: courage (tora), revenge (badal), hospitality (melmestia), generosity to a defeated...[1]

— Maliha Zulfacar, 1999
The Pashtun tribes are always engaged in private or public war. Every man is a warrior, a politician and a theologian. Every large house is a real feudal fortress. ... Every family cultivates its vendetta; every clan, its feud. ... Nothing is ever forgotten and very few debts are left unpaid.
Winston Churchill (My Early Life, Chapter 11: "The Mahmund Valley")

Pashtun Institutions[edit]

Pashtuns are organised into tribal or extended family groups, typically led by a Malik, who is a wealthy and influential leader within the group. Disputes that arise within clans are traditionally resolved through a jirga, which is a tribal assembly that involves all adult males of the community.

Throughout history, during times of foreign invasion, Pashtuns have demonstrated a capacity for unity, often rallying under religious leaders, such as Saidullah Baba during the Siege of Malakand. They have also come together under female leaders, exemplified by figures like Malalai of Maiwand, who played a pivotal role in the Battle of Maiwand. This tradition of leadership and collective action highlights the resilience and solidarity of Pashtun communities in the face of external threats.

Main principles[edit]

From left to right: Jamaluddin Badar, Nuristan governor, Fazlullah Wahidi, Kunar governor, Gul Agha Sherzai, Nangarhar governor, and Lutfullah Mashal, Laghman governor, listen to speakers talk about peace, prosperity and the rehabilitation of Afghanistan during the first regional Jirga in 2009.

Although not exclusive, the following thirteen principles form the major components of Pashtunwali.

The three primary[2] principles:

  1. Hospitality (Pashto: مېلمستيا‎, romanized: melmastyā́) – Showing hospitality and respect to all visitors, regardless of race, religion, nationality or wealth, without any expectation of repayment. Pashtuns will go to great lengths to show their hospitality.[3][4][5]
  2. Asylum (Pashto: ننواتې‎, romanized: nənawā́te) – Protection given to a fugitive from his enemies, at all costs. Even those running from the law must be given refuge until the situation can be clarified.[3] Nənawā́te can also be used when the vanquished party in a dispute pleads for forgiveness in the house of the victors, a form of chivalrous surrender. In a notable example, US Navy officer Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of a US Navy SEAL team ambushed by Taliban fighters, was aided by members of the Pashtun Sabray tribe. The tribal chief Mohammed Gulab gave the soldier refuge in his village, fending off attacking tribes until he was returned to nearby US forces.[6][7]
  3. Justice and revenge (Pashto: نياو او بدل‎, romanized: nyāw aw badál) – To seek justice or take revenge against a wrongdoer. No time limit restricts the revenge period. Even a mere taunt (Pashto: پېغور‎, romanized: peghor) may count as a mortal insult.[3] Monetary compensation can be an alternative to badal, for example to expiate murder.

The other main principles:

  1. Bravery (Pashto: توره‎, romanized: túra). A Pashtun must defend his land, property, and family from intruders, killing them if provoked.[3]
  2. Loyalty (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.).[8] A Pashtun must be loyal to family, friends and tribe members.[citation needed]
  3. Kindness (Pashto: ښېګړه‎, romanized: x̌egřh). Pashtuns should act for the welfare of others.[8]
  4. Arbitration (Pashto: جرګه‎, romanized: jergá). Disputes are to be resolved through the Jirga.[8]
  5. Faith (Pashto: ګروه‎, romanized: groh) Trust in Allah.[3] The notion of trusting in the Creator generally equates to Islamic monotheism (tawhid).
  6. Respect (Pashto: پت‎, romanized: pat) and pride (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.). A Pashtun man's pride must be respected, and he must respect himself and others, especially strangers. Respect begins at home, among family members and relatives. A man without respect is unworthy of being a Pashtun.[3] In the poetry of Khushal Khattak, “The loss of life and wealth should not matter, what matters is pat."[9]
  7. Female honour (Pashto: ناموس‎, romanized: nāmús). A Pashtun must defend the honor of women at all costs and must protect them from all harm and disrespect.[10]
  8. Honour (Pashto: ننګ‎, romanized: nang). A Pashtun must defend the weak around him.[11]
  9. Manhood or chivalry (Pashto: مېړانه‎, romanized: meṛā́na).[12] A Pashtun must demonstrate courage. A turban is considered a symbol of chivalry.[citation needed]
  10. Country (Pashto: هېواد‎, romanized: hewā́d). A Pashtun is obliged to protect the land of the Pashtuns and the traditional customs.[13]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Zulfacar, Maliha (1998). Afghan Immigrants in the USA and Germany: A Comparative Analysis of the Use of Ethnic Social Capital. Kulturelle Identitat und politische Selbstbestimmung in der Weltgesellschaft. LIT Verlag. p. 33. ISBN 9783825836504.
  2. ↑ Amato, Jonathan N. (May 2012). Tribes, Pashtunwali and How They Impact Reconciliation and Reintegration Efforts in Afghanistan (PDF). BiblioBazaar. ISBN 978-1-248-98954-8. The three primary pillars of Pashtunwali are badal, or revenge, melamstia, or hospitality, and nanawatia, or refuge.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Banting
  4. ↑ Schultheis, Rob (2008). Hunting Bin Laden: How Al-Qaeda Is Winning the War on Terror. New York: Skyhorse. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-60239-244-1.
  5. ↑ Hussain, Rizwan (2005). Pakistan and the Emergence of Islamic Militancy in Afghanistan. Aldershot: Ashgate. p. 221. ISBN 0-7546-4434-0.
  6. ↑ Patrick, Robinson (2015). The Lion of Sabray: The Afghan Warrior Who Defied the Taliban and Saved the Life of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5011-1798-5.
  7. ↑ Yousafzai, Sami; Moreau, Ron. "The Afghan Village That Saved Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell". Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Junaid, Muhammad (March–June 2011). "Poetics of Identity: On Entrepreneurial Selves of Afghan Migrants in Pakistan". Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry. 9 (1–2): 44 – via Research Gate.
  9. ↑ Junaid, Muhammad (March–June 2011). "Poetics of Identity: On Entrepreneurial Selves of Afghan Migrants in Pakistan". Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry. 9 (1–2): 45 – via Research Gate.
  10. ↑ Yousafzai, McCormick, Malala, Patrick (2014-08-19). I am Malala. ISBN 9781780622170.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Yousafzai, Malala (2014-11-13). I am Malala. ISBN 9781474600293.
  12. ↑ Naz, Arab; Khan, Waseem; Daraz, Umar; Hussain, Mohammad; Chaudhry, Hafeez-ur-Rehamn (12 June 2012). "International Journal of Sociology and Anthropology". SSRN 2083022. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Cathell

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

hi:पश्तूनवाली

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