The Qizilbashes of Afghanistan (Louis Dupree, 1979)

The Qizilbashes of Afghanistan

Probably the most important Imami Shi’i in Afghanistan are the Qizilbash, primarily a scattered group, but powerful far beyond their numbers, because they are concentrated in the major urban centers. The Qizilbash are the descendants of the military and administrative personnel left behind to govern by Nadir Shah Afshari in the 18^th century A.D. (12^th century A.H.).

When Ahmad Shah Abdali (later Durrani) founded the Durrani dynasty at Kandahar in 1160/1747, he continued to utilize the administrative expertise of the Qizilbash, who swore fealty to him. Ahmad Shah’s successor, Timur Shah (1186/1772), also depended on the Qizilbash, but not only as administrators. He created a force of Qizilbash cavalry to serve as his personal bodyguard, an act which affronted the local Hanafi Sunni khans. In 1189/1776, pressure from the Pushtun khans forced Timur Shah to move his capital and his Qizilbash janissaries to Kabul, the present capital of Afghanistan.

The Qizilbash began to use taqiyya extensively after the First Anglo-Afghan War (1838-42), during which most supported the British invaders. Many returned to India with the departing British troops, and those remaining behind dissimulated in order to protect their property, save their lives, and maintain high position in the governments of successive Afghan amirs.

Discrimination against known Qizilbash continued during the reigns of Abdur Rahman Khan (1880-1901), Habibullah I (1901-1919), and Amanullah (1919-1929). Only during the short, unhappy reign of Habibullah II or Bacha Saqao (Jan.-Oct. 1929), himself a non-Pushtun Tajik, were the Qizilbash openly permitted to serve in the government without resorting to taqiyya.

At the present time, the Qizilbash form an important cadre of government administrators, and many, particularly since World War II, have gravitated toward  business careers or to the professions (doctors, teachers, lawyers). Many holding high positions publicly proclaim themselves to be Sunni, but will privately admit to being Shi’i.

Louis Dupree — Further Notes on Taqiyya. Afghanistan (1979)