From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pashtunwali (Pashto: پښتونوالی) or
Pakhtunwali refers to the traditional lifestyle of the Pashtun people[1], which
is also regarded as an ancient honor code or a non-written law for its
people.[2][3] Though
Pashtunwali is believed to date back to pre-Islamic period,
its usage or practice does not contravene basic Islamic principles.[4]
Paradise in Islam is acquired though [doing] Pashtu… the
countless graces of Paradise come though [doing] Pashtu to the
Pashtuns.
[5]
Pashtunwali is practiced by Pashtuns in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including by members of the Pashtun
diaspora around the world.[6]
Overview
Pashtunwali is an ancient "code of honor" that is practiced by the native
Pashtuns of Afghanistan in 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. Pashtunwali promotes self-respect, independence, justice, hospitality, love, forgiveness, revenge and tolerance toward all
(especially to strangers or guests).[4] 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 reform. It has developed into an accepted
constitution.
Pashtunwali consists of qualifications such as
Khpelwaki (self authority), Sialy (Equality),
Jirga (Assembly), Mishertob (Elders),
Ezaat (Respect of all people), Roogha
(reconciliation or compromise), Badal (revenge),
Barabari (equivalence), Teega/Nerkh (Law),
Aziz/Azizwale (clan, clanship), Terbor/Terborwali
(cousin and tribal rivalries), Nang (Honour),
Ghairat (Pride), Oogha Warkawel ( to give a lift
to persons in need), Nanawati Warkawel ( to offer asylum),
Ashar (shared co-operative work), Zhamena
(commitment), Melayter (patrons), Chegha (call
for action), Soolah (truce), Nanawati
(protection) and others.
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 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
time.
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 (tawheed).
- 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 Pahtunwali says that 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 and the
weak must be supported.
- 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 your guest happy correlates to making God
happy.
Primary
concepts
Some useful words that signify individual or collective Pashtun
tribal functions are given below in Pushto language. The first four
form the major components of Pashtunwali.
- Melmastia (hospitality) - Showing hospitality
and profound respect to all visitors, regardless of distinctions of
race, religion, national affiliation as well as economic status and
doing so without any hope of remuneration or favour. Pushtuns are
widely considered to be the most hospitable people in the world and
a pushtun will go to great extents to show his hospitality, so much
so, that in very many recorded cases it has been observed that a
pushtuns have even provided enemies with sanctuary.
- Badal (justice/revenge) - to seek justice over
time or over space to avenge a wrong. This applies to injustices
committed yesterday or 1000 years ago if the wrongdoer still
exists. Justice in Pashtun lore needs elaborating: even a mere
taunt (or "Paighor") is regarded as an insult - which can only
usually be redressed by shedding of the taunter's blood (and if he
isn't available, then his next closest male relation). This in turn
leads to a blood feud that can last generations and involve whole
tribes with the loss of hundreds of lives. Normally blood feuds in
this all male dominated setup are then settled in a number of
ways.
- Nanawateh
(asylum) - derived from the verb meaning to go
in, this is used for protection given to a person who requests
protection against his/her enemies. The person is protected at all
costs. It can also be used when the vanquished party is prepared to
go in to the house of the victors and ask for their forgiveness.
(Is a peculiar form of "chivalrous" surrender, in which an enemy
seeks "sanctuary" at his enemies house). A more famous example of
this code is of Navy Petty Officer First Class (PO1) Marcus
Luttrell, the sole surviving member of a US Navy SEAL team that was
ambushed by Taliban fighters. PO1 Luttrell evaded the enemy for
days before stumbling upon members of the Sabray tribe who realized
the wounded SEAL needed assistance. He was taken to the village and
protected by the tribal chief, who even sent word to nearby US
forces of PO1 Luttrell's location.
- Zemaka (land/earth) - A Pashtun must defend
his land/property from incursions wherever he or she might
reside.
- Nang (honour) - the various points below that
a tribesman must observe to ensure his honour, and that of his
family, is upheld. The preservation of honour entails the defence
of one's family and one's independence, while upholding cultural
and religious requirements.
- Namus (Honor of women) - A Pushtun must defend
the honor of Pashtun women at all costs and must protect them from
vocal and physical harm.
- Hewad (nation) - Love for one's nation in
Pashtun culture isn't just important, it's essential. A Pashtun is
always indebted to their nation and must strive to perfect and
improve it. A Pushtun considers it his obligation to defend his
country Pakhtara ("Pakhtun-khwa" in modern colloquial Pashto)
against any type of foreign incursion. Defence of nation means
defence of honor, values, culture, tradition, countrymen and
self.
- Dod-pasbani (Protecting Pashtun culture) - It
is obligatory for a Pashtun to protect Pashtun culture from
dilution and disintegration. Pashtunwali advises that in order to
successfully accomplish this, a Pashtun must retain the Pashto
language since Pashto is the prime source of Pashtun culture and
its understanding isn't just important but essential. Not being
able to speak Pashto is often translated by Pashtun society as the
inability to understand Pashtun culture, values, ethics, history
and community.
- Tokhm-pasbani (Protecting the Pashtun race) -
Pashtuns with their distinct Afghan features are often immediately
recognizable. Pashtuns must take another Pashtun as a marriage
partner. This stems from the general belief that 'half-Pashtuns' do
not retain Pashtun language, culture, and physical features.
- De Pashtunwali Perawano (Adhering to
Pashtunwali) - In order to keep one's descendants from
becoming "durvand" (Non-Pashtuns), a Pashtun must adhere to the
Pashtunwali principles of culture, kin and pedigree. Those who do
not will ultimately face revulsion and expulsion from Pashtun
society.
Secondary
concepts
- Lashkar - The tribal army. It implements the
decisions of the jirga.
- Jirga or Loya Jirga - an assembly of tribal
elders called for various purposes whether waging war or composing
peace, tribal or
inter-tribal.
- Tsalweshti (څلويښتی) - derived from the word
for forty, this refers to the tribal force that would
implement the decision of a jirga. Every fortieth man of
the tribe would be a member. A shalgoon is a force derived
from the number twenty.
- Badragga - a tribal escort composed of members
of that tribe through which the travelers are passing. If a
badragga is violated a tribal feud will follow.
- Hamsaya - a non-Pashtun dependent group who
attaches themselves to a Pashtun group, usually for protection. The
Pashtun protector group is called a naik. Any attack on a
hamsaya is considered an attack on the protector.
- Mlatar (ملاتړ) - literally, tying the
back or "support". This refers to those members of the tribe
who will actually fight on behalf of their leaders.
- Nagha - a tribal fine decided by the council
of elders and imposed upon the wrongdoer.
- Rogha - settlement of a dispute between
warring factions.
- Hujra - a common sitting or sleeping place for
males in the village. Visitors and unmarried young men sleep in the
hujra.
- Lokhay Warkawal - Literally means 'giving of
pot'. The idea that the tribe will do everything to protect an
individual from an enemy.
See also
References
- ^
Pashtunwali by Wahid
Momand
- ^
Pashto Language &
Identity Formation: Contemporary South Asia, July 1995, Vol 4,
Issue 2, p151,20
- ^
The Dawn: Ahwalay Riyasatay
(Tarikhi wa Maashrati Pusmanzar)
- ^ a
b
The Sharīʻa in the Constitutions of Afghanistan, Iran, and Egypt.
By Nadjma Yassari, pg. 49.
- ^
Asta Olesen, Islam and Politics in Afghanistan (Surrey: Curzon
Press, 1995), 34.
- ^
Shabbir Hasan Khan Josh, Yadon ki Barat [Urdu: The Wedding
Procession of Memories] (Lahore: Maktaba Sher-o-Adab, 1964), p 341,
passim.
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