In the previous thread regarding mehndis and whether they are a cultural practice or a religious one, someone brought up the issue of culture versus religion in the Pakistani culture. Interestingly, this issue is also a common one in Afghan culture, particularly the conflict between religion and Pashtunwali. I wanted to give a bit of background on the concept of Pashtunwali and explain the conflicts that often arise between this code of ethics and Islamic principles.
Pashtunwali is an unwritten code of ethics among Pashtun tribes which governs traditional Pashtun culture. This predates Islam and is still widely practiced, particularly in the tribal non-urbanised areas in the countryside. Pashtunwali roughly translates as “way of the Pashtuns” and is now practiced alongside Islam in Afghanistan. Many of the concepts in Pashtunwali are in agreement with Islamic principles. An example is the concept of isteqamat, which translates to “trust in God” and holds that there is only one God (referred to as either Allah or Khuda in Pashto) and that one should place one’s trust in God and God’s will.
However, there are also aspects of Pashtunwali that are in direct conflict with Islamic principle. An example of this is the issue of women’s inheritance. While Islamic principle states that women are entitled to the right of inheritance, Pashtunwali only requires that inheritance be divided among sons (as it is assumed that women will be looked after by their husbands or sons, making inheritance unnecessary). Making the inheritance issue more complicated is the fact that walwar (bride price) is often viewed as a woman’s inheritance, despite the fact that this is not given directly to the woman.
Other aspects of Pashtunwali include:
· Melmastiya – This translates to “hospitality,” although this concept exceeds what is usually considered hospitality. Melmastiya requires that any person who is a guest be afforded the host’s protection and that while in the care of the host, the guest not be harmed or surrendered to an enemy. All guests, regardless of who the person is or their relationship to the host, must be offered hospitality and protection without the expectation of payment or favour in return. This is often a source of contention between Pashtun tribes and the authorities as all guests must be (and usually are) offered protection, even if they are running from or wanted by the law.
· Nanawatay – I’m not quite sure how to translate this as there is no English word to describe this concept. The closest word that I can think of is “asylum.” This is closely related to melmastiya and requires that protection be extended to any person who requests protection against his enemies. This concept must be followed even if protection is sought among the person’s enemy. In the event that asylum is sought from an enemy, the person seeking asylum must humble himself, almost to the point of self-humiliation, in some way. The act of humbling oneself is supposed to elicit a gesture of forgiveness and leniency from the enemy. Once nanawatay is granted, the person to whom it is granted to must be protected at all costs.
· Tura – The literal translation of this word is “sword” but it is actually understood to mean “courage” or “bravery” and requires that one defend one’s property, family and women from any threat. This concept also extends to defending the weak as tura also requires that one answer a plea for help even if it involves risking one’s own life.
· Badal – This translates to “justice” but is more often understood as vengeance or revenge for an injury or insult. Badal holds that in order to maintain one’s honor, one must seek revenge for wrongdoings against one’s person, family or property. However, the actions taken in revenge must not exceed the original insult. This concept is quite troublesome as it often leads to blood feuds that can last for generations and often has negative repercussions, such as the practice of “swara,” which is the “gifting” of women as payment to settle disputes.
· ***Nang ***– This translates to “honor” and holds that one must always ensure one’s honor, and uphold the honor of one’s family, while adhering to all other cultural and religious requirements.
· Tor – I can’t think of an English word for this but this specifically refers to the honor of women. This is taken rather seriously and even the slightest perceived offense against a woman is viewed as a serious and intolerable offense. An example of this is staring at women. To stare at a woman, even in photograph, is viewed as extremely inappropriate and is viewed as a grave offense to the woman. This most often becomes an issue at engagements, weddings or other social gatherings.
· Namus – This concept requires that one defend the honour of women at all costs and protect them from any threat, physical or otherwise.
tum ne amara mehmaan maara, am tumhara mehmaan maare ga
