Khushal Khan Khattak Great Pashtoon poet.

Khushāl Khān Khattak (1613 – 25 February 1689‎), also called Khushāl Bābā was a Pashtun poet, warrior and scholar, and chief of the Khattak tribe of the Pashtuns.Khushal preached the union of all Pashtuns, and encouraged revolt against the Mughal Empire promoting Pashtun nationalism through poetry. Khushal is the first Afghan mentor who presents his theories for the unity of the Afghan tribes against foreign forces and the creation of a nation-state. Khushal wrote many works in Pashto but also a few in Persian. Khushal is considered the "father of Pashto literature" and the national poet of Afghanistan.
Khushal's life was spent in struggling against the Mughal Empire who had fluctuating relations with the Afghans in what is now Afghanistan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. In order to restore Afghan freedom, Khushal challenged powers of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and defeated the Mughal troops in many engagements. He was a renowned military fighter who became known as an "Afghan warrior-poet". The stand and fight attitude of Khushal was an important stance in Afghan history, and his opinions and ideas form a new stage in the ideological and intellectual development of the Afghans. Besides poetry and prose works, Khushal also wrote various translations from Persian and Arabic into Pashto.

Khushal got his early education at home. Perhaps in those days the formal system of education did not exist. Therefore, the rich and prosperous people used to hire teachers to teach their children at home. His father was also economically prosperous because he was on a prominent position in Mughal army. Moreover the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had given a lot of land to his father. Due to which he could easily afford the educational expenses of his son. Therefore, he also hired the services of some teachers to teach his son at home. We found two names of them through his poetry. One is Maulana Abdul Hakeem and the other is Awais Multani. In a poem, he praised Maulana Abdul Hakeem with the following words:

Maulana Abdul Hakeem is a physician of religious and worldly knowledge. He did respect even Hindu ascetics. Someone made objection on his action but he replied, you do not understand. Good treatment with everyone is Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (straight way or path of religion.

—Khushal Khan Khattak, source needed

Khushal was very fond of hunting and swordplay. In this regard, it seems that he has strong bent for hunting than education. As he, himself says in the following couplet:

knowledge of the world would have been mine, had I not indulged in the hobby of hunting.

—Khushal Khan Khattak, source needed

Khushal continued to resist the Mughals on war fronts. These wars according to historians shook the foundations of the Mughal Empire. Khushal visited the far flung areas, met with Pashtun tribal chiefs, particularly the Yousafzais, negotiated with them to bring about unity in Pashtun ranks against Mughals but failed in his efforts and returned broken hearted. After failing to unite the Pashtun tribes, Khushal retired as a warrior and focused on writing. Khushal had written many poems mostly patriotic about his roots, about his tribe, about his nation and triumphs over invaders. Upon his retirement, his 57 sons began fighting for leadership. Meanwhile the Mughals had bribed his son Behram Khan to arrest or to kill Khushal. Bahram joined forces with Mughals set to capture his father, and before he could do so, Khushal Khan fled into Afridi territory in Tirah assisted by his two sons Nusrat Khan and Gohar Khan. Khushal died at the age of 78 on Friday, the 20th February 1689 at Dambara. People searched for him and found his dead body a number of days later with his sword and the carcass of his horse (known as "Silai" in Pashto, which means Wind).

The art of chieftainship thou hast not learned, bahram
in your time you have dishonored the chieftainship
from now on don't count yourself amongst my sons
that is the last prayer breathed by Khushal the Khattak

Khushal Khan Khattak Tomb

He desired before his death that he should be buried in a place where "the dust of Mughal horses’ hoofs may not fall on his grave." His whishes were carried out by his friend and his remains were laid at‘Esoori’ village in the Akora Khattak in Khattaks hills, where many Pashtuns continue to pay tribute and visit his tomb. His grave carries the inscription: "Da Afghan Pa nang mai watarala toora, nangyalai da zamanai Khushal Khattak Yam" (trans.: "I have taken up the sword to defend the pride of the Afghan, I am Khushal Khattak, the honorable man of the age.")
Allama Muhammad Iqbal called Khushal the Hakeem and Tabeeb (physician) of Afghan Millat and Afghan Shanas. Maj: Roverty and certain other orientalists say that Khushal was not only Afghan Shanas but like Goethe and Shakespeare he was also a great Insan- Shanas (one who knows man) Iqbal expressed his desire that if he knew Pashto he would have translated Khushal’s poetry into Urdu or Persian.
Khushal was a practical man. He manifested all those qualities in his living conduct which he wanted to see in a man. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the national poet of Pakistan, said about Khushal:

That Afghan shanas (Khushal Khan Khattak) said well,

He expressed what he saw save any hesitation.
He was the Hakeem (Philosopher) of Afghan nation.
He was the physician of Afghan cause.
He stated the secrets of nation boldly.
He was rendering and said the right very wisely.

^{[citation needed]}
At another place he commends Khushal in these words:

I am tribal and am lost in the unity of nation.
To elevate the name of Afghans
I love these young people who puts the halter on stars
This son of mountains is never less than the Mughals
O’companion! May I tell you the secrets of my heart?
Khushal Khan likes that grave where the dust of Mughal’s horse’s boots could not fall.

^]

Mazar (mausoleum)In Urdu click on this link of Khushal Khan Khattak

Khushal lived a life of misery and conflict, but he never bowed to Mughals, he never compromised on principles, he remained committed to his ideal that even a poor independence is better than a kingdom. Khushal's critics differ about his greatness: some consider him the greatest with reference to his poetry. some consider him to be the greatest warrior, others confirm him to be the greatest Philosopher and statesman and still others consider him the great preacher of love and amity. He loved humanity, he loved Pashtoons, he loved knowledge and beauty in all its forms whether of mountains, trees flowers, birds and women. Born almost four hundred years ago (1613) he still lives in the memory and history, the time never ever seems to be able to humble his thoughts and vibrant personality, as the providence intends to keep him living. While expressing his nationalist theory and unfolding his philosophy of Pashto, he often resorts to seek help from his ideal man as Jangyal (Warrior), Toorzan (Bold and courageous), Miranay (Brave) Mard (the man) and Nangyal (committed to Nang-honour).Khushal wrote excellent poetry in Pashto about such things as unity, honor, war, love, and everyday life. He also wrote about philosophy and ethics. His poetry is still widely read. Khushal faced the hard Life. The victim of old age, the hard life of wars and worries and his head on collisions with the Mughal imperial power had indeed eroded his strength and energy but his courage, bravery and perseverance was intact.. His major and principal aim and target was to snatch independence for Pashtuns from the Mughals whose incentives and biog and attractive offers to reclaim him had repeatedly failed in breaking his will power. However the Mughal diplomacy, bribes and intimidations succeeded in dividing the Pashtun tribes. The Mughals repaired their broken image and obviously Khushal had lost his war for independence. And the Mughals had win The disunity in Pashtun ranks helped in restoring the Mughal superiority. The great Khushal cleanly and unambiguously defined the Mughals hostile approach towards Pashtuns.

Poetry

• Diwan (consisting of nearly 16000 couplets)
• Sahat u Badan: A long verse deals with pathology of human body.
• Tib Nama
• Fazal Nama: Deals with religious proposition.
• Swat Nama: Narration of his visit to Swat Valley.
• Farrukh Nama: A dialogue between Pen and Sword.
• Faraq Nama: Narration of the days in Mughal internment and exile.
• Swat Nama

Prose

• Baz Nama: A detailed study regarding rearing of his hawks.
• Tarjuma Hadia: Explains various aspects of Fiqha Hanafia.
• Aaina: A Pashto translation of an Arabic book on Fiqha.
• Baiaz: Memories of life.
• Zanziri: Deals with the principles of shorthand.

Quotes

Khushal Baba

• "The very name Pashtun spells honor and glory; Lacking that honor, what is the Afghan story? In the sword alone lies our deliverance.
• "I despise the man who does not guide his life by honour. The very word “honour” drives me mad."
• "Pull out your sword and slay any one, that says Pashtun and Afghan are not one! Arabs know this and so do Romans: Afghans are Pashtuns, Pashtuns are Afghans.