Khwajgan/Khwaja Khel
(خواجګان (خواجه خېل (Pashto),
Khwajgan خواجګان
(Khwaja Khel) Khwaja Khel (including those of ancestral descent)
Regions with significant populations
Primarily Pakistan, Swat State and recently Swat District
Languages
The Yusufzai dialect of Pashto (Pakhto پښتو) (Native)
Religion
Islam (Sunni)

Khwajgan, also known as Khwaja Khel,(خواجه خېل) is a clan or family of Yusufzai Pashtuns[1] Khwajgan settled in different parts of Swat valley Zhob District loralai District and Tank DistrictPakistan, i.e. in Bara Bandai, Mingora, Barikot,[2] Charbagh and Dakorak. Khwajgan is the title for "the Masters" or "learned people".[3][4][5] Khwajgan, as the plural for "Khwāja", is often used to refer to a network of Sufis in Central Asia from the 10th to the 16th century. In Firdowsi's Shahnama the word is used many times for some rulers and heroes of ancient Iran as well. Khwajgan or Khwaja Khel of Swat valley are those who follow Pashtunwali,[6] a non-written ethical code.

Settlements

Map of Swat including Khwaja Khel settlement

In the 16th century after the migration of Yusufzai from Kabul and the conquest of Swat by Yusufzai. In the 18th century, Khwajgan were settled in a village of Kabal Tehsil named Tall Dardiyal and took the profession of business into their hands. Over time, Khwajakhel was relocated to Pir Kaley Matta in the relocation system of Swat State. After some years they were again relocated to Bara Bandai Dakorak, Charbagh with the same system, and lands were allotted to the family in the village they settled. In the 20th century, some of the Khwajgan migrated from Bajaur Agency and started their journey of life in some areas of upper swat such as Sijband and Shokhdarra of Matta Tehsil.[7]

Khwajakhel Family Tree

Recent settlement

The first known people of the Khwajgan family at Swat were Fazal Ahmad Shah and Habib Shah. Fazal Ahmad Shah had three sons Sayyaden Shah, Nawab Shah, and Muhammad Shah who are now descended to almost eight generations. In the 20th century, after the urbanization of The Yusafzai State of Swat due to their business needs, Khwajgan settled in different towns and cities of Swat. Mostly in Bara Bandai, Mingora, Sangota, Charbagh, Barikot, Matta, Sijband.

See also

Bibliography

  • Masters Of Wisdom: An Esoteric History of the Spiritual Unfolding of Life on This Planet by J.G. Bennett, ISBN 0-87728-466-0
  • Masters Of Wisdom of Central Asia by Hasan Shusud, ISBN 0-900306-93-9
  • The Teachers of Gurdjieff by Rafael Lefort, ISBN 0-87728-213-7
  • The Naqshbandi Sufi Way, History and Guidebook of the Saints of the Golden Chain by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Kazi Publications, USA (1995), ISBN 0-934905-34-7

References

  1. ↑ Khan, Roshan (1986). Yūsufzaʼī qaum kī sarguzasht. Karachi: Roshan Khan and Company.
  2. ↑ Wardak, A. (2003) "Jirga – A Traditional Mechanism of Conflict Resolution in Afghanistan" p. 7 Archived 2006-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, online at UNPAN (the United Nations Online Network in Public Administration and Finance), accessed 10 January 2009
  3. ↑ Masters Of Wisdom of Central Asia by Hasan Shusud, ISBN 0-900306-93-9
  4. ↑ Masters Of Wisdom: An Esoteric History of the Spiritual Unfolding of Life on This Planet by J.G. Bennett, ISBN 0-87728-466-0
  5. ↑ The Teachers of Gurdjieff by Rafael Lefort, ISBN 0-87728-213-7
  6. ↑ "Understanding Pashto". University of Pennsylvania. 2006. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
  7. ↑ Zubair Tanoli. (2016) "Land and forest governance in Swat, online at ResearchGate, accessed 10 March 2023
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