An online data source made by the contributions of researchers and scholars from many different countries.
Special thanks goes to:
Professors, M Noorzai, Gene H, D K Kakar, Noor Muhammad, J Raverty, D Kindridge, A Khattak and W Yusufzai.
Doctors, R Wali, Salam S, T Mahram, P Khattak, I Khattak, David L, Sarah P and Y Yusufzai.
And also to, M A Naz (Canada) , A Jan (Canada), Jamal N Jan, U D Syed (Lahore), R Orakzai, D Shinwari, U Afridi, M Awan (Islamabad), B Yusufzai (Sawabi), L Swati, U D Barakzai, L Peter (NYU), Z Palmer (UCLA) and S S Ahmedzai.
Future contribution and thanks will be added as and when they are due. This can include from the readers who contribute to this project in any way.
Wassalam.
Herald
muslimbaniisrael 
Very interesting. I am Jew born and raised in America. I hope to see great tribal unity in Israel one day. I have many Pashtun Bani Israel acquaintances over the years who feel very strongly about their heritage. Please check out some sites I think you will like. One is some Jewish texts being translated to Pashto, pashtobreslov.blogspot.com
Another site, since I see you used a few photos of Yemenite Jews for your articles, the traditions specifically of the Habbani Jews are veryyyy ancient and well preserved, and have connections deep to Shaul HaMelech.
Habbani.com is a site with general info about their traditions
And
Abirwarriorarts.com is a site about the ancient Israel warrior tradition which was preserved by the Jews of Habban and I think you will notice lots of similarities to the clothing, look for the photos with traditional clothing, and also similarities with the Abir dancing and the Attan of the
Khudai pa aman
Asher
Its very pleasant to get a response from our Jewish brothers. It is also pleasing to know that you’ve gone through the material presented here. Thank you for all your nice comments. As an Afghan (Pashtun/ Pukhtun) I believe you are my brother. Over the ages there have arisen many differences between us but I do believe we have a bond. If we accept certain Afghan tribes are Jewish in ancestry then it is really fascinating to know how much has changed from that past identity some 2,700 years ago. So much that Afghans today though vaguely remember & even accept being Jewish in ancestry/ tradition ( & are labelled as Jews when other people ridicule them) there is still much they have forgotten.
Where I live and the tribe I am from, about our traditions I have always been curious. For example, the bride and groom being tossed in their wedding bed, scape goats, family tree scrolls with mostly Bani Israelite names, even amulets and rings with the Magen David. Even graves with piles of little stones on them. These are all common place yet not present in the other non Afghan (Pashtun) people around us. This site is just an attempt to try to understand all of this and share with all those interested.
One important thing I would like to say is, though I was told by my elders about our Jewish ancestry/ heritage, I have never assumed that we are. There is still alot of things unclear and a Social Scientist never assumes anything without proof. All we can is have hypotheses and try to challenge them in every way we can.
Maybe, sometime in the future we two distant cousins will have warm brotherly relations as we should and deserve. God willing.
Please provide any critique, advise or guidance about any of the related stuff.
God bless you brother.
I am writing from Peshawar on the captioned subject after having read your article in the news yesterday.
As you are aware, Pashtun Ethnogenesis(PE) is a four century old subject that is still at square one. Despite efforts of hundreds of local and international scholar a clear, scholastic, logical and academically acceptable ethnogenesis is still not at hand. What is available are a bunch of myths, fairy tales, legends and half-truths that belittle and degrade an over two millenia history of ethnogenesis that is probably the most unique- and complex- on the Eurasian continental shelf.
I have been able to determine the essentials facts and strata of this ethnography, after long years of study and research and can almost clearly determine the important features of this ethnography and the route it has taken over the centuries and millenia. The crux of my findings are;-
1. Saka clans settled on the Durand line around 625 BC-Immediately after the end of the Saka Interregnum in Persia that lasted from 653-625 BC. These Saka clans (At least 7 in number)(Parsithi, Parlatae, Astakae and Massagatae/Masgut Sakas were the prominebt clans) These Saka Clans were accompanied by small groups of Medians (Madakhel, present in a number of Pashtun tribes today), Hurrians (Uryakhel, now a part of the northern Khattaks), Mittanites (Mattani), Cimmerians(Ghimriyani/Zhimriani/Jumriani Pashtuns), Sauromatae (Sur Sarmashee Mahsuds) and Sarmatians (Sarmashee Mahsuds).
Together, these groups constituted the first stratum of PE. (Many tribes)
These Scythian clans were, in subsequent centuries and millenia, joined in the mountains by:-
2. Indo-Parthians-1st century AD. (Many tribes).
3. Arsacid Parthians of Persia-3rd century AD. These were accompanied by a group of Mesopotamian Cassites (Kasi Pashtuns today).(Many Tribes)
4. Hepthalite Huns-6th century AD-These were accompanied by groups of Sogdians and other Hunnic groups.(some known scholars of PE erroneously consider this to be the first stratum of PE).(Abdali/Durrani Pashtuns) (Large and Significant Tribes)
5- Khalaj Turks-9th century AD.With some small groups of other Oguzz Turks (Ghilzai Pashtuns). (Many Tribes)
6. Ghorid Shinshabani Farsiwaans-13th century AD. These were also accompanied by small groups of Oghuz Turks. (Mohmand, Mandanr and Yusafzai Pashtuns and many others) (Many Tribes)
7. Assimilation of some clans of Asapsai/Assakanai (Pashai, Nuristani, Dardics)15-16th century AD (Safi, Mashwani and some small related tribes)
8- Other peripheral groups. (Many small groups)
All of these groups are represented by clans and tribes that have retained ethnonyms of their ancient ancestors alongwith other distinguishing characteristics. Evidence of PE such as circumstantial historical evidence-direct evidence is almost impossible to come by- linguistics, genetics/anthropology, archaeology, ethnonyms, geography, historical movements/migrations routes, other related ethnic groups living in close proximity, and historic material of ancient and modern scholars are at hand to support PE contentions.
The process of PE is spread over a period of over 2 millennia till consummation. I am currently working on a synopsis of PE before commencing work on a brief research book on the subject. I shall appreciate if afforded some information on any possible/potential sponsors from among institutes, universities, think tanks and others who may be interested in extending sponsorship to this time consuming, tedious, difficult and ground breaking work on a subject of significance.
Pushtoons are a national group with an estimated world wide population of 55 million (46 million in ancestral lands, the rest in diaspora) that is going to be of crucial importance in determining the future of two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pashtuns are, by far, the largest national group of central Asia and are poised to play an important role in the future of central Asia and south Asia.
What I am looking for, essentially, is a professional, scholarly and academic environment for compiling the following two manuscripts:-
1. Pashtun Ethnogenesis. The Untold Story. A Brand New View.
2. Pashtun Expansion Since The Fifteenth Century A.D.
Regards,
Shahid H. Khattak
Hayatabad, Peshawar
I am delighted to read your work and the fact that you are currently working in this regard on a synopsis.
Your research is highly appreciated and I hope you will strive even further.
I have put your beautifully worded comments here and I hope many sponsors and scholars alike will aid you after reading this.
The main reason behind creating this site was to gather historical information and input from scholars especially of Pashtun/Afghan origins who would further reasearch in this field. It is unfortunate we know so little about our own history; I am a Pakhtun/Afghan as well. The only part of our history I am aware of was related by Islamic Scholars or relating to Bani Israel by these scholars and by my family elders.
Lastly, I would like to request you to also work on one aspect which you didnt mention in your work. I have been for the past few years also researching on this particular aspect though in a non academic capacity. Though my contributions started with only the historical, ethnic, social and other aspects, as this site progressed I came to realise an important part of our history as deemed by the Pashtuns/ Afghans was the religious part. Though it is based on ahadith that are regarded as Hadith of Tawatir, and these Ahadith though not on the level of Hasan are still regarded acceptable, I could not work or reserach without our fellow Pashtun/Afghan and other scholars and people alike asking me about this aspect of our history.
As these relate to the future, i.e. prophecies, I was reluctant to go into detail about them, but as I found out, my family masharan (elders) and some scholars at that time in Peshawar university (who I wont name) and from Afghanistan convinced me I must include this as well. Though I havent presented any of that here since material relating to prophecies cant be classified as historical or scientific, I had to name the site as Muslim Bani Israel.
To summarise, it would be highly appreciated if you also researched the “Bani Israel” aspect of our history as well.
I hope you succeed in your endeavors.
Regards.
i..liked…it.. keep it up
Manana
Shukriya
Thank You.
muslimbaniisrael PLZ you should have to mention NIAZI TRIBE LIKE OTHER TRIBES WHICH YOU ARE ALREADY MENTIONED IN YOUR WEB )) The Niazi (Pashto: نیازی ), also written as Niayazi, Niazovi , NIAZI a MAJOR PASHTUN TREIB….thanks
OK, I will, but I have already mentioned them in the lineage tree. Also if there is any info especially one which shows a relationship with the Bani Israel (Aolad i Hazrat Yaqoob Aley his Salam) e.g. customs, tradition, stories, accounts of elders please let me know. If it is trust worthy I will post it here.
Wassalam.
Very interesting, my tribe is “yousaf zai” of pashtun/Afghan, want to share something what my elders told me. When Iranian king Nadir shah Afshar (Mid 18 century) was on the way to attack India, He also had Jew generals in his army, by the time he was passing through the territory of our tribe, we were in no position to fight him. We knew that he had Jew generals, we went in shape of a council to meet his generals ahead of his arrival in Khyber pass, our elders presented a copy of ancient book of Torah…long story but I wonder who saved this book, why and for how long?
Yes, that story has been well documented. I think I have already described it here in one of the pages. So many references can be found for it that this particular account can be considered historically accurate.
Thank you for sharing.
https://archive.org/details/MuslimBanuIsraelTheMahdiAndProphetJesusAtTheEndOfTimes