History of the Pashtun people
Sher Khan Sur’s capture of Rohtasgarh fort in 1539 A.D. Ascribed to the artists La’l, Dhanu and Khem Karan, leaf from the ‘third’ Akbarnama, Mughal India, circa 1595-1600 A.D. This skillfully designed painting illustrates part of the Sher Khan Afghan’s campaign against the Sultan of Bengal and against Humayun when he attempted to interfere. Sher … Read more
Karrani Sultanate, which comprised of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand at its peak, was founded by Taj Khan Karrani. The latter was succeeded by his brother Suleiman Karrani. Both were previously high-ranking nobles of Sher Shah Sur and Islam Shah Sur. Karranis (the proper word is Karlanri (کرلاڼي) in Pashto) are a group of Pashtun tribes … Read more
According to the Persian inscription on the site, South or Humayun gate of Purana Qila in Delhi was completed in the year 950 Hijri (1543) during the reign of Sher Shah Sur by the order of Ghazi Khan Lohani (Pashtun). Translation of the partially faded inscription: (1) ” The gate of the peaceful valley was completed … Read more
Shaikh Jamaluddin Kasi was a 16th century Pashtun saint of Chishti order. He enjoyed considerable respect from his own Kasi tribe as well as other Pashtun tribes. In his early life he held a high post in the government under Sher Shah Sur (c.1486-1545). After the downfall of the Pashtuns in India and restoration of … Read more
According to Akhbar al-Akhyar, a Pashtun by name of Khwaja Hasan (1206–1290 A.D) was a famous disciple of Shaikh Baha-uddin Zakariya of Multan. Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya is reported to have praised him for his piety. The author of Akhbar al-akhyar, Shaikh Abdul Haq Muhadith of Delhi, was born in 1551 AD during the reign of … Read more
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was a contemporary of Bahlul Lodi, Sikandar Lodi and Ibrahim Lodi. It appears that some of the disciples of Guru Nanak were Pashtuns, as corroborated by the following anecdote recorded in “Tazkira-i Pir Hassu Teli” of Surat Singh (completed in 1647 AD). Guru Nanak was born and raised in the … Read more
The district and town of Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is named after a 16th century Mughal fort built by Mughal general Zain Khan Koka (1) for the purpose of subduing Yousafzais. Mughal emperor Jahangir in his diary writes : “On the other side of the river Kama (2) there is a fort which Zain Khan … Read more
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was a contemporary of Bahlul Lodi, Sikandar Lodi and Ibrahim Lodi. He served as storekeeper of the Daulat Khan Lodi’s grain before 1526. The author of Dabistan-i-Mazahib (written in 1655), writes: “Nanak was a Bedi, and the Bedis are a sub-caste of the Khatris. He acquired repute during the reign of … Read more
Mausoleum of Khwaja Khizr Sarwani (Sonipat, Haryana, India) Khwaja Khizr Khan Sarwani was a Pashtun of saintly reputation who was governor of Sonipat (Haryana state, India) during the during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Lodi (1517-1526 AD). He is buried in Sonipat in a magnificent Mausoleum which was constructed during the reign of Sultan … Read more
Tahmasp I (1514 – 1576) was an influential Shah of Iran of the Safavid dynasty. After getting defeated by Sher Shah Sur, Humayun sought refuge with Shah Tahmasp. Zakhirat-ul-Khawanin (Eng.trans, Vol-I, pp-103-104) records an interesting conversation that took place between Humayun and Shah Tahmasp: Shah Tahmasp: “Among Indian which class commands the obedience of big … Read more