CELEBRATING MY ANCESTOR AT THE END OF 2025: BAYAZID KHAN BARAKI AKA PIR ROSHAN (1525-1586)

PS: THIS SITE IS A JOKE IE NOT USER FRIENDLY. MOVING FORWARD CIRCA 2026 WILL WRITE ON SUBSTACK...

Always believed we are "the sum total of our ancestors/forebears." Thus the need to highlight one of my most illustrious ancestors whose ideas, and actions, have had lasting consequences. And whose enemies (and there were quite a few, past and present)murdered him and most of his sons; and who vilified/vilify his ideas, or reinvent him (and his ideas) to mitigate the "ideological damage" (in their eyes) to the faith (Islam). Pir Roshan "the enlightened Pir" was born Bayazid Khan Baraki (Anglicized in the early 20th century to "Burki") in Jullundar, India in 1525 AD to Baraki/Ormuri parents who'd migrated from Kaniguram (South Waziristan) along with other tribal members East to Jullundar in pursuit of economic (trading) opportunities. There has been a concerted effort to "Arabize" his lineage with claims that he was of Arab descent (from Yemen) notwithstanding DNA evidence from his descendants to the contrary. Rumor has it his given name "Bayazid" was in honor of the Ottoman Sultan Bayazid II (d:1512). Bayazid Khan (Baraki/Ormuri/Burki) –popularly known as Pir Roshan—became known for his thinking with its strong Sufi influences, radical for the times and unusual for the region. As to claims by some of an “Ansari” connection, refer to “An Enquiry into the Ethnography of Afghanistan” by Henry Walter Bellew (1891). On page 8, Bellew in this seminal work refers to the Baraki’s origins as “mysterious” but not of Arab/Ansari descent. Bayazid’s people known as Barak or Baraki were found in large numbers during the Greek period in their present environs (p. 62). In Ormuri, "Barak" means "Lightning," while "Roshan" in Farsi/Persian means "light or illumination." Thus "Pir Roshan" was apropos a title adopted by Bayazid himself. BARAKI/ORMURI BACKGROUND Historically, the Ormuri/Baraki, who spoke/speak a distinct language, played a prominent role in what is now "Afghanistan," having arrived as a tribe with the Greeks as mercenaries. By the time Bayazid was born, the Baraki still were prominent as exclusive bodyguards to the Afghan royal family. No longer mercenaries in the strict sense of the word, they were active in a vast trading empire to far flung regions to include Central Asia, the Ottoman and Persian Empries and, of course, India, where they not only traded goods and horses, but also ideas. Kaniguram was, and is, their homeland. The land that included Kaniguram was acquired, or bequeathed, by Emperor Mahmud of Ghazni (d:1030 AD) after Baraki lashkars successully assisted Mahmud's armies in their attacks on Hindustan and especially in the retrival to Ghazni of the Hindu Temple Somnath's Golden Gates. Kaniguram as the tribe's focal point was perfect because of its remote location and difficult terrain making it, once fortified, defensible. While the Ormuri/Barakis' primarily homeland is, and remains, Kaniguram (elev 6,706 ft) in present day Pakistan, the other smaller habitation of tribesman is the village of Baraki Barak (elev 6,292 ft), in Afghanistan's Logar Province. The latter no longer speak Ormuri today, only Pashto. Unlike their kinsmen in Afghanistan (Baraki Barak), the tribesman located in Kaniguram have managed to retain both their language and cultural traditions through self segregation and intermarriage. Their small arms industry, although it doesn't rival the Afridi's Darra Adam Khel output, ensured the ability to be self sufficient in their own defense within their fortifications. The Baraki daggers were once famous and rivaled those of Damascus. Pir Roshan grew up in Kaniguram after his family fled back here in 1526 after the Turkic ruler Babur overthrew the Afghan Lodi dynasty in India. Besides his mother tongue, Ormuri, he was fluent in Pashto, Persian, Arabic, Urdu/Hindi. Born in a tribe that emphasized both languages,education and trading, Bayazid experienced all three. Well traveled as a horse trader, he was exposed to various cultures and ideas. PIR ROSHAN AND THE ROSHANIYYA MOVEMENT (Est around 1560) Rumor has it that during his travels, Bayazid came across the Ismailis (the Nizari Ismailis are known in the West as "the Assasins") who groomed him and influenced his thoughts. According to a Pakistani historian, Naveed Tajammal (D:2014) writing in December 2012: "Bayazid came under the extra ordinary charm of a Ismailia preacher/missionary, a Mullah Ismail.[who were called ‘Da’i, amongst themselves]. These Da’i, as the custom amongst them would commonly adopt a profession, such as that of a merchant, physician, oculist etc, and when they arrived in a new place, would first try and establish, in the minds of their neighbors, their piety, and benevolence and so consequently be very generous, with alms, and prayed in the common Mosque, here they picked the new, ‘proselytes’, as their reputation grew of a devout living and a crowd / circle of admirers increased, they picked the most apt, to whom they propounded cautiously, the doctrine, of their creed, in the first stage the curiosity of the hearer was aroused, and a spirit of inquiry as well, and so was impressed by the wisdom and knowledge of the Da’i, but it was a guarded affair, if any sign of restiveness were seen, or suspicion suspected on the face of the hearer the Da’i withdrew, but in the case it was seen that the hearer wanted more, the Da’i, proceeded into the hidden science of the religion, and the symbolic characters of its prescription, and if the hearer was seen hooked, the Da’i ,would go to the stage of hinting the outward, observation of prayer, the fast, the pilgrimage and the alms-giving, stating that they were of No consequence, unless, their spiritual significance was Not understood, now the new novice, was seen eager to learn more, The Da’i would start his preamble but, break it in between, hinting that such divine mysteries maybe only discussed or disclosed to one who had taken the oath of allegiance to the imam of the age, the chosen representative of Allah, on the ‘ruh e zamin’ .[the face of earth],and thus the sole repository ,of this hidden science, which can only be confided to those who prove themselves worthy to receive it. The primary aim of the Da’i was to secure from the ‘Proselyte’ his allegiance, ratified by a binding oath, and expressed by the periodical payment which then, was followed in the initiation in the nine degree’s. It was this Ismailia-Doctrine, which deeply impregnated the mind of Bayazid, the Ismailia emphasis on interiorization of religious rites and their secretive methods of work, fascinated Bayazid, and we find Bayazid a deeply introspective and seclusion loving later in life." Tajammal's research must be taken with a grain of salt since when it comes to "Pir Roshan" and the Roshaniyya (Enlightenment) Movement there has been an ongoing concerted effort to distort the historical record, aka truth, on him and his teachings for varied strategic reasons. Irrespective of who, and how, Bayazid came into contact with on his travels, the fact remains that he was inspired to reexamine his life and the world around him. Naturally introspective, Bayazid came to the self evident conclusions: "All humans are created equal (thus slavery was an abomination and "royalty" suspect); everyone has the right to liberty and justice, and, most importantly, females are equal to men and must have equal rights to include the right to property, and to learning, which Bayazid --now Pir Roshan-- believed was critical to a productive and spiritual life. Where it gets controversial, and for this he was declared a heretic by the Orthodox Muslims, Pir Roshan --like many Sufi masters-- preached that there was no need for the Qu'ran, that one only needed to have a direct relationship with God. He also believed in the transmigration of the soul. It was these two beliefs that incensed the "conventional/orthodox Muslims and would ultimately lead to his violent death and the burning of his body (presumably to ensure he would not go to paradise in his enemy's eyes) so that there wold be no gravesite for his followers. Now as a Sufi Pir --Pir Roshan-- he began to share his thoughts and views on the world, and on Islam via his writings. Before he was killed in battle two decades later, Bayazid wrote over ten books of which his most famous was/is his first "Khair al Bayan." Khair al-Bayan is believed to be the first book in Pashto language. He added 13 new characters to the Perso-Arabic alphabet, crucial for accurately writing Pashto's sounds. The book was written in Pashto, Persian, Arabic, and Urdu, and is considered the first book of Pashto prose. Bayazid's book was thought to be lost until an original handwritten Persian manuscript was found in the University of Tübingen, Germany. In either 1938 or 1939, Georg Morgenstierne, a Norwegian Linguistics Professor, who had spent much time in Afghanistan and later Pakistan, rescued Pir Roshan's Khair al Bayan manuscript from the University of Tubingen where it had mysteriously been for centuries, and brought it to London for safe keeping (from the Nazis?) to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Maulana Abdul Qadir of Pashto Academy - University of Peshawar, obtained and translated it and published a Pashto edition in 1987. Pir Roshan was well received by the Mohmand and Shinwari tribesmen. He then went to the Peshawar valley and spread his message to the Khalil and Muhammadzai. He sent missionaries (khalifas) to various parts of South and Central Asia. He sent one of his disciples, Dawlat Khan, along with his book Sirat at-Tawhid to Mughal Emperor Akbar. Khalifa Yusuf was sent along with his book Fakhr at-Talibin to the ruler of Badakhshan, Mirza Sulayman. Mawdud Tareen was sent to propagate his message to Kandahar, Balochistan, and Sindh. Arzani Khweshki was sent to India to convey the message to common people there. Besides, he also sent his deputies to Kabul, Balkh, Bukhara, and Samarkand. However, when he and his followers started spreading their movement amongst the Yousafzais, Bayazid came into direct confrontation with the orthodox followers of Pir Baba in Buner. He established a base in the Tirah valley where he rallied other tribes. In Oxford History of India, Vincent Smith describes this as the first "Pashtun renaissance" against Mughal rule. When Mughal Emperor Akbar proclaimed Din-i Ilahi, Bayazid raised the flag of open rebellion. He led his army in several successful skirmishes and battles against Mughal forces, but they were routed in a major battle in Nangarhar by Mughal General Muhsin Khan. During the 1580s, Yusufzais rebelled against the Mughals and joined the Roshani movement of Pir Roshan. In late 1585, Mughal Emperor Akbar sent military forces under Zain Khan Koka and Birbal to crush the Roshani rebellion. In February 1586, about 8,000 Mughal soldiers, including Birbal, were killed near the Karakar Pass between Buner and Swat while fighting against the Yusufzai lashkar led by Kalu Khan. This was the greatest disaster faced by the Mughal army during Akbar's reign.However, during the attack, Pir Roshan was himself killed by the Mughal army near Topi. Major Henry George Raverty transpired the account from Akhund Darweza about Pir Roshan's coffin was seized in the midst of a battle between the Roshaniyya and Mughal forces. Some of his bones were burnt, and cast into the Indus river. All of his sons were killed except for the youngest, fourteen year old Jalala (rumor has it that Jalalabad in Afghanistan is named after him). Jalala was delivered to Emperor Akbar himself who pardoned him due to his young age. Soon after Jalala took up arms again against the Mughals. In 1587, Mughal general Man Singh I defeated 20,000 strong Roshani soldiers and 5,000 horsemen. Pir Roshan's descendants, however, continued fighting against the Mughals until about 1640. As part of a concerted campaign to destroy the Roshanis around 1619 or 1620, Mahabat Khan, under the Emperor Jahangir, massacred 300 Daulatzai Orakzai in the Tirah. Ghairat Khan was sent to the Tirah region to engage the Roshani forces with a large military force via Kohat. The Mughal forces were repulsed, but six years later Muzaffar Khan marched against Ahdad Khan. After several months of intense fighting, Ahdad Khan, Pir Roshan's grandson, was killed fighting sword in hand. The death of Jahangir in 1627 led to a general uprising of the Pashtuns against Mughal forces. Ahdad's son, Abdul Qadir, returned to Tirah to seek vengeance. Under his command, the Roshani defeated Muzaffar Khan's forces en route from Peshawar to Kabul, killing Muzaffar. Abdul Qadir plundered Peshawar and invested the citadel. It was not until the time of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1628–1658) that a truce was brokered – between Akbar's grandson and Bayazid's great grandson. DESCENDANTS Bayazid's five sons were put to death with the exception of his youngest, Jalala, who was pardoned by Emperor Akbar as he was only 14 years old when he was captured. He later took up arms as Pir Jalala Khan and successfully engaged the Mughal armies. My father was a direct descendant of Jalala, whose descendants later moved to just outside Jullundar and settled inside fortresses known as "Bastis." Pir Roshan's descendants established Basti Baba Khel where my father was born in 1920. Other Urmuri/Baraki also settled adjacent in other Bastis and, over time, back and forth trqavel between Kaniguram and these Bastis ceased. LEGACY Bayazid Khan Baraki's legacy and influence has been targeted for good reason: the power and influence of IDEAS. His legacy lives on in his descendants who richly benefited from his --radical for his times-- teachings, to include better/equal treatment of the female members of the tribe unlike traditional Pushtun neighboring tribes like the Mahsuds, Waziris, Afridis, Orakzai etc. The religious view of Pir Roshan was considered heretical by his contemporaries of Pashtun tribes from Khattak and Yusufzai. Pir Roshan also originally wrote his Khair al-Bayan in Pashto, which meant that the text was more accessible to the Pashtuns than the Arabic Quran and that those followers took some measure of pride in its composition. During the 19th century, orientalist scholars translating texts from Pashto and other regional texts termed his movement a "sect" which believed in the transmigration of souls and in the representation of God through individuals. Ideologically, history assessors with left-wing view has regarded him as reformer who fight against conservative value among Pashtuns during his era. The Roshani movement had a two pronged approach to the spread of ideas: the sword and the pen. REFLECTION: Growing up I was distinctly aware of the "specialness" of my tribe (Baraki) and its history that predates Bayazid. However, the influence of Bayazid Khan lived/lives on amongst the tribal members in an emphasis on justice, equal treatment and a healthy distrust of clergy and orthodoxy. However, probably inevitable, with the continued effort to transform the historical record that is Pir Roshan's life and legacy (heretical in the eyes of many Muslims) to making him some sort of noble Arab of ansari descent (!) when DNA evidence doesn't lie, nor does his historical record, there has been a rise of orthodoxy and intolerance amongst tribal members especially those who moved away from Kaniguram and Pakistan. This gives room for pause and reflection on the ongoing battle for control of the historical narrative.