Twilight of the Sultanate c19.s3.16

c19.s3.16

Now, the geneological account of the traditions is more or less mythical. It is “a curious accretion to Biblical history”, although from the time of Talut (Saul) new elements have been introduced in all probability to add an aureole to the Afghan people by tracing its pedigree to the great Jewish monarch. Writing in the time of Jahāngīr, when the Afghans in India had lost all hopes of recovering their power, it was natural for Ni‘āmatulla, or for that matter any Afghan chronicler, to look back with pride to the glories won by his race in the remote past. Besides, it was a widespread practice among the Muslims of putting forward an imposing geneology, tracing descent from Adam and claiming connection with the Prophet.