Historiography in Afghanistan

Historiography in Afghanistan

By: Dr.Phil.Najibullah Anwar

Historiography in Afghanistan has largely been descriptive and narrative, often accompanied by exaggeration. Many historians have focused on describing and narrating events rather than conducting precise and independent research. Political and ideological pressures, not only in Afghanistan but also in other Third World countries, have turned historiography into a tool for serving the interests and views of the rulers.

Technical deficiencies and limitations of available primary resources, incomplete historiographical methods, and the destruction of unreliable oral sources have pushed historians to imitate and repeat previous works without independent and precise research. The negative impacts of cultural and religious beliefs have also distorted historical realities.

One positive action by the Afghan government was the establishment of the Scientific Institute of the Historical Society two years before the founding of the Faculty of Literature and the History Department in 1942. The goal of establishing this scientific institution was to collect, preserve, and research the history and culture of Afghanistan, publish articles and books, hold seminars, and maintain historical documents.

The establishment of the Faculty of Literature and the History Department in 1944 within the framework of Kabul University was another government action to improve the documentation of history.

Before the establishment of these two scientific and academic institutions, historiographical activities existed in the country, including various works written by Afghan and non-Afghan historians and writers. In ancient and medieval periods, works by Greek, Roman, and Aryan historians, and in the post-Islamic period, Islamic historians, addressed the history and geography of Afghanistan.

During the medieval periods, Timurid and Mongol historians were also involved in documenting Afghanistan's history. Historical books in Persian, such as "Firozshahi" and "Tarikh-e-Rashidi," also covered the history of Afghanistan and neighboring regions. Qajar and Safavid historians paid attention to Afghanistan's history as well. In contemporary times, historiography in Afghanistan has continued in Pashto and Dari languages. Given political and social developments, more attention has been paid to documenting the country's history. Contemporary historians such as Mir Ghulam Muhammad Ghobar, Abdul Hai Habibi, and Sayed Qasim Reshtia have played prominent roles in recording Afghanistan's modern history.

Due to wars, political and social changes, and cultural transformations, Afghanistan has become a significant research area for both domestic and foreign researchers. These developments have led to the examination and documentation of Afghanistan's history from various perspectives.