Pashtuns Conundrum: Religion or Nationalism (Can I be both?!)

[Tiger Khan]

A lot of time when I see Pashtuns, I see them in a confused state… Either they are religious and want nothing to do with nationalism.. they want to sacrifice Pashtun language, Culture and everything else for religion (I had to exaggerate the problem a little, so that we can see it better). Or they are nationalists and feel that they have to cut all their connection with religion to be a genuine nationalist.
Case in point: JUI-F and other religious parties, who win most of their votes from Pashtun areas but (Bastreds) do nothing for Pashtuns culture, language, and people in general.. well Islamic political parties in Pakistan really don’t do anything for anyone in Pakistan, but themselves. However, I feel that they have this negating attitude towards Pashtun culture.. Even look at Tablighe Jamat in Pakistan.. Even though most of their following comes from Pashtun they are very indifferent to promotion of Pashtun cause in terms of promotion of Pashtun culture etc etc.. they feel that it is a futile exercise.. This results in them losing a lot of nationalist votes.. and a lot of nationalists (such as myself) turning away from Tableghe Jamat.
Second Exhibit has to be Nationalist parties.. in Pakistan as well as Afghanistan,.. They feel that they have to cut all connection with religion because they are nationalist.. And that somehow would not gel with religion.. Look at ANP etc etc.. but these nationalists have to realize that most of their potential voters are also Muslims and in order to retain or gain that vote they have to show their religious side as well..
I therefore, am of a humble opinion that both sides have to devise a middle course to gain as much traction as possible.. and we have to realize that they actually go together.. we won’t go to hell for being nationalist.. or being nationalist does not mean that we have to be atheists (Which in my opinion would lead to hell)

[jankhan]

Yes that is true and the main reason is because the nationalist parties call themselves as secular and they are afraid of being called of religious though majority of their voters are religious people no matter they don't have beairds on their faces or beads in their hands.
And this tendency is growing.
The nationalist parties should realize that Pashtuns can not be secular. It is only the elite class khanaan or businessmen who are away from religion but their number is not more than 5%.

[Khilji]

in war times is always the credo the enemy of my enemy is my friend crazy alliances and ideologys for that the factions fighting, playing with nationalism and religion like a toy. usa and pakistan is doing this now for over 12 years in afghanistan and pakistan and thats the result.sry for the bad englisi wrora

[KGODB]

I do not think they are mutually exclusive

Pakistan has done a wonderful job of merging Pakistani nationalism with religious sentiment

The same can be and should have been done on the Afghan side, but previous rulers did not have the intelligence or foresight to do so

Even Iran has merged Nationalism with Shia Islamic fervor

Afghanistan cannot compete because it has no ideological basis to its existence or government

[Badlun]

What is religion? First let us define it. If religion is only faith, worship and morality then it is a personal matter and should not have any effect on society and state. This is Islam with Sufism, Christianity and with some exceptions Buddhism and Hinduism.

If you mean from religion as a complete code of life as claimed by Taliban, Jumate Islami, JUI, Ikhwans etc then there is no compatibility of nationalism, Pashtunwali with religion. Both are then parallel lines not a circle. Both are two fighting forces as we see in Pashtunland. In the world including the world of Punjabis and Tajiks religion has its own world and nationalism/culture/politics its own.

We have to challenge very basic so called axioms as Islam means complete submission, Islam is a complete system; beard, hair, clothes, camel, cutting off hands, stoning to death, woman as half of men in evidence and inheritance, polygamy, death for apostates, child marriage as sunna etc as parts and parcel of Islam.

If Islam determines only our metaphysical beliefs, prayers, charity, fasting, hajj and morality then it can coexist with nationalism but the islam of Taliban and Ikhwan cannot coexist with nationalism.

[jankhan]

What is religion? First let us define it. If religion is only faith, worship and morality then it is a personal matter and should not have any effect on society and state. This is Islam with Sufism, Christianity and with some exceptions Buddhism and Hinduism.

If you mean from religion as a complete code of life as claimed by Taliban, Jumate Islami, JUI, Ikhwans etc then there is no compatibility of nationalism, Pashtunwali with religion. Both are then parallel lines not a circle. Both are two fighting forces as we see in Pashtunland. In the world including the world of Punjabis and Tajiks religion has its own world and nationalism/culture/politics its own.

We have to challenge very basic so called axioms as Islam means complete submission, Islam is a complete system; beard, hair, clothes, camel, cutting off hands, stoning to death, woman as half of men in evidence and inheritance, polygamy, death for apostates, child marriage as sunna etc as parts and parcel of Islam.

If Islam determines only our metaphysical beliefs, prayers, charity, fasting, hajj and morality then it can coexist with nationalism but the islam of Taliban and Ikhwan cannot coexist with nationalism.

Warka DDANG