Mohammad Gul Khan Mohmand

Mohammad Gul Khan Mohmand (Mohammed Gul Baba) is the son of

Ehurshaid Khan, the grandson of Momen Khan, the great grandson of
Abdul Karim Khan and great great grandson of Abdul Rahim, Khan.
Mohammad Gul Khan Mohmand lineage is from Hassan Khel
Mohmmand.

He was born in Andarab, Kabul in 1263 (AH) (1884 AD].

Mohammad Gul Khan Mobmand forefathers came from Gola-ee,

Nangrahar. His grandfather, Momen Khan, after being appointed by Amir
Dost Mohammad Khan as the military weapon commissioner at Balkh,
moved his family there. During Amir Abdul Rahman Khan's reign,Momen
Khan was given the post of Command in General of all Balkh province.
Momen Khan died in a battle with Mohammad Ishaq Khan in Ghazni-Gak,
Samangaan and is buried in vicinity of Sheikh Hassan Wali
cemetery.Mohammad Gul Khan father was also a military man. His
military accomplishments elevated him to the post of commander of
Balkh military base. Due to illness he took early retirement and his son
Mohammad Gul Khan was appointed in his place. Mohammad

Gul Khan, during the Amir Amanullah Khan reign was sent in an under
cover covert operation to halt the Soviet expansion toward central Asia.
He was captured by the Soviets tortured and sent to detention and
imprisoned.

Through the effort of Amir Amanullah Khan, King of Afghanistan at the

time, his release was achieved. The torture and barbaric treatment by
the Soviets left a life long scars on Mohammad Gul Khan Mohmand.

Mohammad Gul Khan Mohmand completed his preliminary education at

Habibia High School and military education in the military academy of
Kabul. After completing his military education he was appointed
commander of the of Ardallion post. Due to his superior abilities and
intellect, he was sent by the government of the time to Turkey to further
his education. After successfully completing his education, he return
back to Afghanistan and was appointed head of Military Academy and
instructor of the royal guard. Beside being an able military officer,
Mohammad Gul Baba was also an intellectual. His intellectual ability and
military expertise promoted him to the military attache of Afghan
embassy at Turkey. In 1300 (AH) [1921], due to necessity he was called
back and appointed the chief of media and communication for the
ministry of defense.In 1303 (AH) [1924], he was appointed the president
of civilian and military organization in Paktia province. From Paktia he
moved on to Balkh and after successful completion of his assignments he
was appointed the general commander of the strategic military base in
Nangrahar province.

Mohammad Gul Baba bad great accomplishment in rescuing the nation

from the Saqavi period and was instrumental in changing the
government to King Nadir Khan.Mohammad Gul Baba was appointed
Interior minister at Mohammad Hashim. Khan cabinet. Due to his
outstanding achievements in Nangrahar, Parwan, Kandahar, Balkh,
Qattaghan, Badakhshan and his ministry accomplishments, be was
awarded the most prestigious medal at the time of the kingdom, the Sun
medal. Even though his native language was Pashto Mohammad Gul
Baba was able to speak in Arabic, Turkish, Russian, Uzbeki, and was
fluent in Dari. He was well versed in Dari literature and used to quote
Bedil, Maulana, Saadi, Firdausi, lqbal and others in meetings and
gatherings. He always used to speak to his Uzbek brethren in their native
tongue. Mohammad Gul Baba was well versed in the Quaranic studies
and translation. He was a strict follower of Islam and always paid special
attention to matter concerning Islam. He saw Islam and Afghanhood as
one intertwined standpoint. He sought and worked for the national unity
and mutual respect within different groups as well as international unity
and respect within different nations and governments. He treated Pashto
and Dari as the official languages of Afghanistan and obligated each
educated individual to be fluent in both. He also respected other minority
languages and was in favor of every minority group being able to
complete their preliminary education in their respected mother tongue.
He resented the improper treatment of any particular language and
especially Pashto. After 1319 (AH) [1940 AD] when appointed minister,
he started his literary career. The ill treatment of the Pashto enlivened
him to write the followings:

Pakhto Seend (Pashto Dictionary)

Pakhto Liyaar (Pashto Grammar)

Landakai Pakhto(Pashto-Commendation, suggestions)

Pakbtani Rozana (Afghan Education and Discipline)

Pakbto, Pakhtoonwali, (Afghan Culture)

Da Pakhto Loya Nahwa (Pashto semantic and statements)

Da Pakhli Dawloona (Afghan Cookbook)

Mohammad Gul Baba has left a lasting effect on the treatment of the
Pashto language and national reconstruction. He constructed the
Mohammadia Maddrassa(religious school) in Kandahar, created the
Pashto Literature Association, made Tolo-i-Afghan in to Pashto language,
built and worked for new schools, created training centers for younger
writers, reconstructed and refurbished the dome of Mirwais Neeka, built
numerous roads and buildings and much more. He built the town of
Balkh and Baghlan and associate villages in both provinces. He
distributed the land among the farmer workers and encouraged them to
farm and also built schools for their children.

In 1334 (AH) [1955 AD] he was elected the president of the Loya Jirga
(grand assembly) which he completed with great pride, nationalistic
fervor and honesty.

Mohammad Gul Baba was a practicing Muslim, a pure Afghan, and a

brave soldier. He was a national guide, able writer, a competent leader
and a professed speaker.

Mohammad Gul Baba was very a humble person and he died with that
humbleness. He died of heart attack at 8 a.m. 7/27/1343 (AH)
[10/19/1964 AD] in a rented house in Barikoot, Kabul.

The following is the one of the story of his humility:

One day Mohammad Gul Baba was in Samangan , and a road

construction was going on during that time, so he guided a mule and
took a shovel on his shoulder. He was gathering rocks and gravel for the
road when the governor of Samangan saw him. He came to Mohammad
Gul Baba and told him; "For God's sake! what are you doing?"
Mohammad Gul Baba responded: "If this work is for the sake of God (for
spiritual benefits), then I need it the nwst, if it's statute labor then there
should not be any difference between young and old or poor and rich."

In most of his services Mohammad Gul Baba was provided. with

guidance and support of Abdul Moqeern Khan Niazy; a prudent
personality who was his advisor and assistant.

Later in his life, during the winter season Mohammad Gul Baba used to
go to Narang, Kunar, and live with Habib Khan, a well known local
statesman, in Karda-Mar village. He used to propagate Islamic and
patriotic teachings in meetings and gatherings with his villager and
others who used to come from other regions to see him. It was during
some of these gatherings that I (Asmatullah Rohani) bad some
encounters with him, the followings are some of my eye witness account
of this personality:

I- One time the representative of the governor brought Mohammad Gul

Baba, his one year ministerial salary and wanted him to accept it.
Mohammad Gul Baba refused to take it and told him that he had not
done anything in that post for the year. "I have not even signed
anything in that post then why should I take the salary, it is not fair. This
money belongs to national treasury go back and deposit it there."
2- One day the mayor of Kunar with his young son came to visit
Mohammad Gul Baba. During the visit the little child needed to go for
bowel relief. The mayor commanded his guard to take care of the child.
Mohammad Gul Baba told the mayor that the child should be brought up
by his mother, and only she should be the one to see his private part, in
young age; "even the father should keep distance in these matter. It is
only when boy grows up that he becomes the backbone of his father and
carries his torch. When you make a soldier, the guard, perform the
duties of a maid, you are insulting his prestige, it should not be done."

3- On one occasion the villagers of Paich district invited Mohammad Gul

Baba. In his reception they brought tons of building woods as a gift.
Mohammad Gul Baba refused their gifts and told them that its not wise
for the elder or leader to obtain material good from his followers or
sabjects. He told the villager "A leader is the servant of his people, if you
take me as your leader then these are my requirements:

A.. Build, and keep clean your religious institutions.

Pray at your Mosque, learn and understand the Quran.

Listen to learned men and scholars andfollow their advice.

Help your Imam in the mosque and travelers when they need help. Send
your children, sons and daughters to mosques and have them learn
andfollow the five pillars of Islam. Educate them to read and write and
make them aware of Islamic teaching.

B. Build schools. Provide opportunities for your children to learn more

and invoke in them the need for higher education and provide the means
and matters.

Preserve and advance your language and your culture.

C. Provide work opportunity for your female member of the family at

home. Do not send them to deserts and mountains. Teach them tailoring
and carpet weaving. Do not wed them at early age, do not take bride
sum, do not forcefully wed the widows, and give all female member their
full rights.

D. Form alliance and unite together. Keep away from vendetta and
animosity. Solve your problems in mutual agreement in an assembly and
live in brotherly order.

E. Take active part in protecting and building of your country. Use your
nation's natural resource wisely. Do not destroy or misuse your canals
and jungles.

F. Pay very special attention to cleanliness. Keep your animals' room

away from your or your children room/s. Handle and process their
dropping in proper manner and with care. Store and use them away
from your rooms, to prevent the spread of diseases.

G. Follow your traditional treatment of guest with same vigor and

respect as your forefathers, and build guest house outside your family
houses."

Mohammad Gul Baba was serious, decisive, just, tenable and a logical
personality. He disliked hypocrites, and discouraged backbiting. He was
eloquent speaker and spoke with clear and explicit tone and was always
straight forward in his dealings. His righteousness and honesty had
landed him with odds with many of his peers while working in
government and afterward.

As a famous Arabic saying goes: Righteous speech is bitter even though

it might be of perils.

Hamid zazai Hamburg 16.3.2011

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