Twilight of the Sultanate c19.s3.17

c19.s3.17

But the belief in their Jewish origin is widespread among the Afghans even to this day.¹¹ Raverty firmly believed in the story of Qais,¹² and Bellew defends it by saying that the Afghan claim of an Israelitish origin is based not only on an ancient tradition but also on close physiognomic resemblance with the Jews. Besides laws, customs and moral characteristics of the two are peculiarly akin.¹³ Longworth Dames controverts most of these arguments of physiognomic resemblance and customs.¹⁴ Sir Wolseley Haig also thinks that people have been deceived because of physiognomic resemblance.¹⁵ Another important fact may be noted here. As compared with Egypt or Israel, the Sulaiman ranges in Afghanistan are neither a very hospitable country nor are they situated very close to Egypt or Israel, and although the possibility of some refugees migrating to Afghanistan cannot be ruled out, yet large scale migrations as a precursor of a race are not a probability.