Pashtunwali or Pakhtunwali

Home About  My Grandfather History of pathan Pashtunwali Contact Blog Guest Book galleria Family Tree



Pashtunwali or Pakhtunwali is a concept of living or philosophy for the Pashtun people and is regarded as an honour code and a non-written law for the people.Though Pashtunwali dates back to the pre-Islamic era of Bactria, its practice by the pashtuns does not necessarily contravene Islamic principles.It is practiced by Pashtuns in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and by members of the Pashtun diaspora around the world.

Overview

Pashtunwali is an ancient "code of honor" that belongs to Pashtuns of Afghanistan and Pakistan, including the Pashtun communities around the world. It is a set of rules guiding both individual and communal conduct. Pashtunwali is socially practiced by the majority.Pashtuns embrace an ancient traditional, spiritual, and communal identity tied to a set of moral codes and rules of behavior, as well as to a linear record of history spanning over five thousand years.Flexible and dynamic, containing modern and ancient principles, Pashtunwali promotes self-respect, independence, justice, hospitality, love, forgiveness, revenge and tolerance toward all (especially to strangers or guests). All these codes of conduct are helpful in maintaining social and moral checks and balances within Pashtun Society. Aside from its tenets that are rooted in Islam,it is considered a personal responsibility of every Pashtun to discover and rediscover Pashtunwali's essence and meaning.

The code of Pashtunwali

Pashtunwali is an unwritten law and ideology of the Pashtun society inherited from their forefathers. It is a dominant force of Pashtun culture and identity. Pashtunwali is conservative, oligarchic, centuries old but still a young phenomenon in the Pashtun culture and socio-economic structure.It has been able to maintain a powerful dialectical balance of the Pashtun society. Pashtunwali, a complement of the Pashtun society, has undergone various legal, political, economic and cultural changes for its perfection and reform. It has developed into an accepted constitution.

Pashtunwali consists of qualifications such as
Khpelwaki (self authority)Nang (Honour)
Sialy (Equality)Ghairat (Pride)
Jirga (Assembly)Oogha Warkawel (giving a lift to persons in need)
Mishertob (Elders)Pannah Warkawel (offering asylum)
Ezaat (Respect of all people)Ashar (shared co-operative work)
Roogha (reconciliation or compromise)Zhamena (commitment)
Badal (revenge)Melayter (patrons)
Barabari (equivalence)Chegha (call for action)
Teega/Nerkh (Law)Soolah (truce)
Aziz/Azizwale (clan, clanship)Panah (protection) and others
Terbor/Terborwali (cousin and tribal rivalries) 

Pashtunwali is an oligarchic structure emphasizing of Jirga, Sialy and Barabary. It is a defensive system in terms of Jirga, Chegha and Arbakai (system of village militias). It is a legal system in terms of Jirga, Teega/Nerkh, Pannah and Roogha. This system has managed all social and internal affairs of the Pashtun/Pakhtun society before and after Islam. It has created small and large local governments in Central and South Asia.Pashtunwali is based on the collective wisdom of its people. It does not spring from one authority, temporal or divine, and is, therefore, open to debate and re-interpretation according to the needs of the society and the changing times. Although it is rigid in constitution because of historical reasons, in its social philosophy, Pashtunwali is cosmopolitan, egalitarian and oligarchic. Hence, it has been able to absorb waves of outsiders in Pashtun society.Pashtunwali embodies all the principles of a self-sufficient social group. Its two principles of Siali (Competition) and Mailmastia (Hospitality) embody two social principles that ensure a society’s progress through competition; and survival through co-operation. The elements of conflict and co-operation are evenly balanced in the make-up of Pashtunwali. Concepts like Nang (honour), Siali (competition) and Badal (retribution) are open to interpretation as the social needs and the collective perception of the group change with regard to objective realities in the space-time continuum.

The codes

  • Faith - trust in God (known as "Allah" in Arabic and "Khudai" in Pashto). The notion of trusting in the one creator generally comports to Islamic idea of belief in only one god.
  • Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds - A Pashtun must always strive towards thinking good thoughts, speaking good words and doing good deeds.
  • Behaviour - Pashtuns must behave respectfully towards all creations including people, animals and the environment around them. Pollution of the environment and/or its destruction is against the Pashtunwali.
  • Unity - above the languages they speak, above the blood they keep, above the amount of money they make, Pashtunwali unites the Pashtuns as one people across the world. Where there is true unity, every effort to disunite them will only serve to strengthen the unity they have. What happens to one - happens to all.
  • Equality - Every man is equal. It is this concept which has necessitated the development amongst Pashtuns of a Jirga system, whereby decision making takes place with the participation of all members of the Pashtun society. Every man wants a say in his future and he will fight for his right to have his opinions heard. All people must therefore deal with each other, with the proper civility or respect and no one may impose their will on to another.
  • Freedom and independence - the belief that freedom in physical, mental, religious, spiritual, political and economic realms is for all to pursue, male and female, so long as it is done without bringing harm to others. The free have nothing to gain of freedom without discipline.
  • Proselytizing (convert someone to another religion or opinion)- No individual has the right to place demand upon others who are not their children regarding what to believe.
  • Hospitality and sanctuary - Being hospitable to all mankind, especially to guests, even the most hostile of enemies may (if asked for) be provided sanctuary, asylum or protection as well as food and other aid.
  • Justice and forgiveness - If one intentionally wrongs another, the victim has the right, even an obligation, to avenge this injustice in equal proportion. If one has intentionally wronged you, and you did not seek justice nor did the wrongdoer ask you for his/her forgiveness, then a debt, is owed to you by him/her, which can only be fulfilled once justice (through an act of revenge or the decision of the Jirga council) has been provided to recompense the wrong done.
  • Brotherhood and trust - the belief that fellow Pashtun brothers or sisters should be trusted and assisted to the greatest extent possible.
  • Honour - Pashtuns must maintain their independence and human dignity. Honour has great importance in Pushtun society and most other edicts and codes of life are aimed towards the preservation of one's honour or pride.
  • Self respect - Individuals must respect themselves and others in order to be able to do so, especially those they do not know. Respect begins at home, among family members and relatives.
  • Compassion and cooperation - The poor, the weak, and the challenged must be supported. Inclusion must be preferred to exclusion. To defend against tyranny, fascism and overzealous groups and to work smart first and then hard.
  • Family - The family must be glorified under a sacred conviction of responsibility and duty with respect for wives, daughters, elders, parents, sons, and husbands.
  • We are one family - Fellow Pashtun must be cared for. There may be hundreds of tribes, but they have one destiny in union with each other.
  • Knowledge - Pashtuns seek objective knowledge in life, art, science, and culture, which are considered fruits granted by God.
  • Pashtun history - Great value is placed in Pashtun history, with all its depth and pluralism, tragedies and victories. It teaches Pashtuns "to keep the mind open, to continue the search for the truth, much of which has vanished under history itself".
  • Fight evil - Evil is at constant war with good. Evil must be fought and good must prevail over evil. It is a Pashtun's duty to fight evil when he/she comes face to face with it.
  • Honesty and Promise - A pashtun is known for keeping their promises and being honest at all situations and times. A true Pashtun will never break their promise.
  • Hospitality- Pashtuns treat all guests and people who enter their houses with great respect and always go by one saying.

"Mailma de khudai milgareh deh" (A guest is God's friend...)

                            So making guests happy  is making God happy.