Kasi tribe
Encyclopedia
The Kasi are a Pashtun tribe, primarily found in the Pakistan
i city of Quetta
, as well as in Iran
, Palestine
, Iraq
and Afghanistan
.
described the tribal structure and origin of Pashtun Society in his early seventeenth century work the Makbzan-I Afghani. Although it contains information on the ethnogenesis of the Pashtuns, scholars believe that this genealogy should not be read as a sound historical source that indicates how the Pashtuns came into being as a distinct ethnic group but instead taken as a source of information, from the seventeenth century or earlier, on how the Pashtuns saw themselves as a group.
Ni’mat Allah differentiates between four main groups of Pashtuns – descendants of the three sons of the putative ancestor of all Pashtuns, Qays Abdul Al-Rashid Pathan, together with a fourth group. According to traditional genealogies, Qays himself is descended from the Jewish king Sarul (Saul
). The allegedly Jewish ancestry of the Pashtuns was a subject always hotly debated in Pashtun tea houses. Of Qay's three sons: Sarban
, Bitan
and Ghurghusht, although there are many variants of these names, Sarban, at least in the eyes of Ni’mat Allah, was the most important. The eldest son's descendants, via his son Sharkhbun, are mainly found in South Afghanistan, and in the Peshawar
Valley through his other son Kharshbun. Those in the west include the Abdalis, who since the mid-eighteenth century have been known as the Durranis. Tribes in the east include the Yousfzay, north of Peshawar along with many others.
If Ni’mat Allah is correct, there are historical connections between the descendants of Sharkhbun and Kharshbun. In this context, the spread of another group, namely the offspring of a man called Kasi, is also important. Kasi was another descendant of Kharshbun, the son of Sarban. Kasi’s descendants include the Shinwaris, who today live in the Jalalabad
area, west of Peshawar and two other tribes who live far to the south in the Quetta
region, southeast of Qandahar – the Kasis themselves and the Kateers.
The Pata Khazana
(Hidden Treasure) is a biography of Pashtun poets from the earliest times to those of its author Mohammad Hotak. Written in Kandahar
, Afghanistan between 1728–1729 AD, the earliest poet mentioned is Amir Krorr, who died in 771 AD.
Lieutenant General Sir Georage Macmunn observes: "This race (Semitic) claims that it is descended from Saul by a grandson Afghana, said to have been Solomon’s Commander-in-Chief, through one Kish or Kasi, eighteenth in descent from the first King of Israel. There is no direct evidence in support of this claim."
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i city of Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
, as well as in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
The Pashtun family tree
North India Pashtun Khwaja Ni’mat AllahNimat Allah al-Harawi
Ni'mat Allah al-Harawi is the author of a Persian language epic history of the Afghans while serving as a chronicler at the court of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir...
described the tribal structure and origin of Pashtun Society in his early seventeenth century work the Makbzan-I Afghani. Although it contains information on the ethnogenesis of the Pashtuns, scholars believe that this genealogy should not be read as a sound historical source that indicates how the Pashtuns came into being as a distinct ethnic group but instead taken as a source of information, from the seventeenth century or earlier, on how the Pashtuns saw themselves as a group.
Ni’mat Allah differentiates between four main groups of Pashtuns – descendants of the three sons of the putative ancestor of all Pashtuns, Qays Abdul Al-Rashid Pathan, together with a fourth group. According to traditional genealogies, Qays himself is descended from the Jewish king Sarul (Saul
Saul
-People:Saul is a given/first name in English, the Anglicized form of the Hebrew name Shaul from the Hebrew Bible:* Saul , including people with this given namein the Bible:* Saul , a king of Edom...
). The allegedly Jewish ancestry of the Pashtuns was a subject always hotly debated in Pashtun tea houses. Of Qay's three sons: Sarban
Sarban
Abdul-Rahim Sārbān , known simply as Sarban, was a singer from Kabul, Afghanistan. He was born in Kabul an old area called to rice verdure father and stay home mother. He is known for his unique voice and music style that no other singer from Afghanistan has been able to imitate...
, Bitan
Bitan
Bitan , historically called "Shi-Bitan", is a tourist spot in Xindian District, New Taipei City, Republic of China . Bitan literally means Green Lake, referring to where the Xindian River widens to form the lake. There is a well-known suspension bridge that is used only for people on foot. The...
and Ghurghusht, although there are many variants of these names, Sarban, at least in the eyes of Ni’mat Allah, was the most important. The eldest son's descendants, via his son Sharkhbun, are mainly found in South Afghanistan, and in the Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
Valley through his other son Kharshbun. Those in the west include the Abdalis, who since the mid-eighteenth century have been known as the Durranis. Tribes in the east include the Yousfzay, north of Peshawar along with many others.
Jalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
area, west of Peshawar and two other tribes who live far to the south in the Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
region, southeast of Qandahar – the Kasis themselves and the Kateers.
The Pata Khazana
Pata Khazana
Pata Khazāna is the title of a disputed manuscript written in Pashto language...
(Hidden Treasure) is a biography of Pashtun poets from the earliest times to those of its author Mohammad Hotak. Written in Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
, Afghanistan between 1728–1729 AD, the earliest poet mentioned is Amir Krorr, who died in 771 AD.
Lieutenant General Sir Georage Macmunn observes: "This race (Semitic) claims that it is descended from Saul by a grandson Afghana, said to have been Solomon’s Commander-in-Chief, through one Kish or Kasi, eighteenth in descent from the first King of Israel. There is no direct evidence in support of this claim."
Sub-tribes
- AkazaiAkazaiThe Akazai is a Pakhtoon/Pashtoon/Pathan tribe. It is one of the division of Isazai clan of the Yousafzai tribe which is one of the most powerful, famous and respected tribe of Pashtoons. Colonel Wylly, Harold Carmichael, 1858–1932, has described these great people in just one sentence; laeving no...
(BalochistanBalochistanBalochistan or Baluchistan is a region which covers parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. It can also refer to one of several modern and historical territories within that region:...
) - Zamarianai
- Muhammad Zai
- Moseegh
- SeronSeronIn Flavius Josephus's Antiquities of the Jews Seron was a town built shortly after Noah's Ark rested on the mountains. Josephus relies on Moses Chorenensis, writing that Chorensis "also says elsewhere, that another town was related by tradition to have been called Seron, or, The Place of...
- Kateer
- Qaum Yar
- ShinwariShinwariThe Shinwari are an ethnic Pashtun tribe of western Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan.In Pakistan, this tribe is active in trade, commerce, poetry, administrators and politicians within the Pakistani government; the majority are based in the Landi Kotal region of the Federally Administered Tribal...
- Herh
- Slatt
- SaamSaamSām , also transliterated Saam, is a mythical hero of ancient Persia, and an important character in the Shahnameh epic. He was the son of Nariman, grandson of Garshasp and father to Zāl. He was Iran's champion during the rule of Fereydun, Manuchehr and Nowzar. He was appointed by Manuchehr to rule...
- Alo Zai
Sources
- Pata Khazana
- Tarikh-e Morassa (Afzal Khan Khattak)
- Tarikh-e-Kursheed-Jhan
See also
- QuettaQuettais the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
- Pashtun peoplePashtun peoplePashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...