#From_Birth_to_Passing
#Part_One
#Biography_of_Sher_Ahmad_Yawar_Kangoorchi
Written by Ahmad Mahmood Imperator
On the occasion of the third anniversary of the passing of the late poet, writer, political figure, and distinguished military personality of Afghanistan, His Excellency Ustad Sher Ahmad Yawar Kangurchi, I have written a few lines, with all their possible shortcomings, under the title From Birth to Passing.
May Almighty God keep his noble and enlightened soul, together with all those who have passed before him, joyful and at peace within the boundless folds of His mercy until the Day of Resurrection.
Amen.
From Birth to Passing Part One The Biography of Sher Ahmad Yawar Kangoorchi By Ahmad Mahmood Imperator
Friends, dear ones, cultural figures, and the brave and courageous people of Afghanistan,
Today marks the anniversary of the passing of a spiritual father and a devoted son of his homeland.
(On this very day, His Majesty Al-Mutawakkil Allah Muhammad Zahir Shah, the last King and Father of the Nation of Afghanistan, passed away to meet his Lord. Eight years later, on this same day, Sher Ahmad Yawar Kangoorchi, his adopted son and personal aide, also departed this world and joined the mercy of the Almighty.)
The story begins when Wakil Nizamuddin Khan, upon the invitation of the Lord and Ruler of Qataghan, Wakil Sher Khan, invites him to the province of Badakhshan to spend a few days enjoying recreation and leisure beside the great and mighty Kishm River, in the area of Jar Shah Baba, where his ancestral gardens and orchards were located.
The invitation is accepted by Wakil Sher Khan.
On the 12th of Mizan, 1316 Solar Hijri, the guests arrive and spend the night sharing stories and singing ghazals.
The following day, during breakfast, a message is delivered to Wakil Nizamuddin Khan from his home:
"The son you have been waiting for all these years has been born."
Wakil Nizamuddin Khan considers this joyful news a good omen and attributes it to the pleasure of Almighty God and the blessed arrival of Wakil Sher Khan.
When this happy message reaches Wakil Sher Khan, he turns to those present, particularly Wakil Nizamuddin Khan, and requests that, if there is no objection, he name his first son after him.
Wakil Nizamuddin Khan and the respected elders gladly and wholeheartedly accept this request.
Thus, the child is named Sher.
Since his maternal grandfather was named Ahmad, the name Sher is combined with the suffix Ahmad, and he is given the name Sher Ahmad.
After this newborn child is placed in his mother's arms, following the cutting of his umbilical cord, a small piece of flesh is also removed from his left ear with a razor blade and given to his mother to eat, so that the child would not die during infancy.
Of course, this was a belief practised in those days, when such a thing was done by the mothers of newborn boys.
How much truth there is in this belief, I myself do not know.
However, whatever Almighty God wills is what ultimately comes to pass.
Afterwards, the child is taken to the shrine of Khwaja Chinar, located in the village of Kangurchi, in the neighbourhood of Kanizakan. There, he is presented at the sacred resting place of Pir Khwaja Chinar as an offering to Almighty God and the Pir, with the hope that he will be protected from calamities and misfortunes.
His mother is not permitted to breastfeed him. Instead, Sher Ahmad is entrusted to his stepmother, Noor Jahan Begum, who is asked to take care of him.
The hands of time continue to turn, carrying day and night forward, and Sher Ahmad reaches the age of five in the lap of the mountainous foothills of the mysterious and miraculous Taksar.
Noor Jahan Begum was unable to have children. Therefore, she cared for Sher Ahmad as the apple of her eye.
As Noor Jahan Begum was a Hafiza of the Holy Quran, she began teaching him the Quran at the earliest opportunity. Sometimes with affection and sometimes with sternness, over the course of one year, she illuminated the heart and mind of this only child with the blessed light of the Divine.
At the age of six, he was enrolled in Pashtunyar School in Kishm, which was later renamed Kishm High School. At that time, however, its educational curriculum extended only to the fourth grade.
Since Sher Ahmad was still a young child, his cousin Saifuddin Khan, who was eight years older than him at the time, would carry him on his shoulders and take him to school so that he would not be deprived of the blessings of knowledge and education.
During the winter season, he would travel to Faizabad, the provincial capital of Badakhshan, because his father, Nizamuddin Khan, was the Wakil and representative of the people of Kashm in Faizabad.
He would spend the three winter months in Faizabad, studying under the greatest religious scholars and learned men of that era, among whom Qari Sahib Mya can be mentioned.
There, he studied religious and theological matters, poetry and prosody, calligraphy, and other subjects.
It is worth mentioning that this was a special educational programme, taught exclusively at the Dar al-Qaza of Badakhshan to the children of distinguished and prominent individuals.
The number of Sher Ahmad's classmates was very small.
Among them were Muhammad Tahir Bakhshi, Wadood, the son of Godamdar Akbar, and Hamidullah, the son of the maternal uncle of Muhammad Tahir Bakhshi.
This programme was repeated every year until Sher Ahmad reached the fourth grade.
In the autumn of 1327 Solar Hijri, all military and civilian officials of Qataghan and Badakhshan were informed that His Majesty King Al-Mutawakkil Allah Muhammad Zahir Shah would undertake an informational and investigative visit to the provinces of Qataghan and Badakhshan, during which he would meet and converse with the people of these lands in person.
At that time, Juma Gul Khan Sediqi was the Governor-General of Badakhshan.
The royal ceremonial delegation, which had arrived in Badakhshan beforehand, selected a place for the King's rest and reception in the district of Kashm, in the locality of Jar Shah Baba, within the Kangoorchi area, which had historically been a residence of the Mirs.
The Governor-General of Badakhshan ordered that a welcoming address be written and recited upon the King's arrival in the town of Mashhad, in the district of Kashm, by one of the outstanding and courageous students.
It was at this point that Sher Ahmad, at the age of eleven, succeeded in this test and was selected for the task.
When His Majesty the King entered the district of Kashm, he immediately proceeded towards the Jar Shah Baba area, and those accompanying him followed him all the way to the locality of Jar Shah Baba, a distance of approximately twelve kilometres or even more.
This action by His Majesty meant that the welcoming address remained unread.
Since His Majesty was scheduled to continue his journey towards Wakhan, Khandud, and Langar the following day, an opportunity arose for the welcoming address to be recited by Sher Ahmad.
The text of the address began with the following verses:
O Crowned King, young sovereign who cherishes the homeland, We welcome you, as we place the dust beneath your feet upon our eyes.
O Sultan, noble in character, wise and compassionate, We welcome you as your radiant light illuminates the land of Badakhshan.
After listening to the address, His Majesty, accompanied by his entourage, including Ahmad Shah Khan, the Minister of the Royal Court, Chief Secretary Abdul Hadi Khan Dawi, and others, turned towards the people and asked:
"Whose son is this young man?"
Juma Gul Khan Sediqi, the Governor-General of Badakhshan, replied:
"He is the son of Wakil Sahib Nizamuddin Khan, the representative of the people of Kashm."
The King then placed his hand affectionately upon Sher Ahmad's head and asked:
"My son, what grade are you in?"
This time, Sher Ahmad himself answered:
"I am the first-ranking student in the fourth grade."
The King again asked the Governor of Badakhshan:
"Do students continue their education after the fourth grade?"
Juma Gul Khan Sediqi replied:
"No, Your Majesty. After completing the fourth grade, we employ the students for two years in government offices as honorary clerks."
At this moment, Ahmad Shah Khan, the Minister of the Royal Court, who was also the father-in-law of His Majesty the King, turned towards the King and said:
"If it is possible..."
He then suggested that Sher Ahmad be taken with them to Kabul so that he could study alongside Nader (referring to Prince Nader, the King's third son), particularly because the English language was introduced in the fourth grade.
His Majesty the King paused briefly and then turned towards Wakil Nizamuddin Khan.
He asked:
"Wakil Sahib, would you agree to Sher Ahmad studying in Kabul alongside Nader?"
Wakil Nizamuddin Khan stepped forward and said:
"Our lives and souls are sacrificed for His Majesty!"
With these words, everything took a completely different turn, and the King continued his journey towards Wakhan.
However, the members of the Royal Administration, under the leadership of Chief Secretary Abdul Hadi Khan Dawi, remained behind in Jar Shah Baba.
Sher Ahmad was permitted to return to his family and relatives to say goodbye and prepare for his journey to Kabul.
A few days later, His Majesty the King returned from the district of Wakhan to Kashm and once again stayed overnight in Jar Shah Baba. The following day, he set out on his journey towards Kabul, visiting the province of Qataghan along the way.
He entrusted Sher Ahmad to Abdul Hadi Khan Dawi and said:
"We shall see each other again in Kabul."
To ensure that Sher Ahmad would not feel homesick in Kabul, and considering that he was still very young, it was suggested that one of his relatives accompany him.
His step-uncle, whose name was Muhammad Hassan, was selected for this purpose.
Eventually, Sher Ahmad was brought to Kabul and enrolled in the prestigious Esteqlal High School.
Every day, he attended school alongside Prince Nader, and together they pursued their elementary education.
In 1335 Solar Hijri, he graduated from Esteqlal High School with the highest distinction in the Mathematics Department.
At that time, students who graduated with the highest or excellent grades were not required to take any further examinations.
For this reason, Sher Ahmad was considered a suitable candidate for a scholarship to Lebanon, where he could pursue further studies and gain knowledge and experience in the fields of Law and Political Science.
Since His Majesty the King regarded Sher Ahmad as his fifth son, and according to royal regulations, every member of the Royal Family was required to complete two years of military service and obtain an academic qualification in military affairs, failure to do so would constitute a violation of the law.
For this reason, one day His Majesty summoned Sher Ahmad and discussed the matter with him.
He asked whether he would agree to pursue military studies as a son of the King or whether he preferred to travel to Lebanon to study Political Science.
Sher Ahmad declined the prospect of travelling to Lebanon for two reasons.
First, he did not wish to be separated from Prince Nader, who was both his friend and brother.
Second, being regarded as a son of the King held greater value for him.
For these reasons, he wholeheartedly accepted the King's wish and enrolled in the Military Academy (Harbi Pohantoon).
At the beginning of 1339 Solar Hijri, Sher Ahmad, who suffered from a heart condition (Heart Murmur), experienced a heart attack during military training.
He was immediately transferred to hospital, and His Majesty the King personally contacted the embassies of Germany and Britain to inquire about the medical facilities and assistance available in their respective countries.
Within a short time, the German Embassy announced that it would spare no effort and would arrange for the patient to be transferred from Kabul to Germany as urgently as possible.
Within a few days, Sher Ahmad travelled to Bonn, Germany, accompanied by a small medical team, where preliminary medical procedures began.
At that time, Sher Ahmad was the first person from Asia to undergo open-heart surgery.
The operation was performed by Professor Sinker and Professor Schudik and lasted eight hours. It was successfully completed.
Following the operation, he was required to remain there for some time so that his medical examinations could be carried out continuously.
This meant that Sher Ahmad stayed in Germany for more than a year.
During this period, in addition to receiving medical treatment, he also underwent advanced military training in the field of INTERPOL policing at a German military academy and obtained his graduation certificate with the highest distinction.
After completing his medical examinations and military training, he returned to his homeland and was received by His Majesty the King.
His Majesty was exceedingly delighted to see his spiritual son again.
A few days later, he went to the Military Academy and took his oath of allegiance.
From there, he went directly, together with his friend and brother, Prince Nader, to visit the King. Both were dressed in military uniforms, intending to perform their first formal military salute and honour before His Majesty.
However, when they arrived at the Royal Palace, the Commander of the Ceremonial Guard informed them that His Majesty had travelled to the province of Parwan to visit the Gulbahar Textile Factory.
Consequently, both of them, Prince Nader and Sher Ahmad, proceeded to the Gulbahar Textile Factory.
When they entered the corridor, His Majesty was present with his companions.
There, for the first time, both of them performed their formal military salute and honour before the King.
They then accompanied His Majesty from Gulbahar back to Kabul.
That very evening, the entire Royal Family had gathered at Koti Baghcha.
Such gatherings were generally customary on Friday nights, as after spending an entire week apart, family members would meet and spend time together, away from political matters.
Present on this evening were Ahmad Shah Khan, the Minister of the Royal Court; Sardar Abdul Wali Khan; Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan; Sardar Mohammad Naeem Khan; Crown Prince Sardar Ahmad Shah; some of the companions of Ustad Khalilullah Khalili, including Mohammad Rahim Panjshiri; and other high-ranking members of the royal family and officials.
During this gathering, His Majesty Al-Mutawakkil Allah Muhammad Zahir Shah raised an important matter.
He said:
"I have decided to appoint Sher Ahmad as my Military Aide and as the aide and assistant to the Crown Prince, Sardar Ahmad Shah.
Do you all agree?"
All those present accepted the decision with great pleasure and congratulated Sher Ahmad.
It was from this point onwards that Sher Ahmad's name and title changed to Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar.
He remained in this position until a few months before the coup d'état led by Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan.
During the period when he served as the King's personal aide, Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar played an important and valuable role in the establishment of the Afghan Red Crescent Committee.
He served voluntarily as the Deputy Head of the Red Crescent Society.
The important point here is that, a few months before the coup, Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar became aware that an important development was taking shape within the Royal Family.
According to Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar himself, he used to say:
"From time to time, I would visit Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan at his residence to inquire about his health and well-being. Of course, His Majesty the King was aware of these visits."
Sometimes, I would go to Customs Street, Qala-e-Wazir, and Hud Khel, because Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan would go there daily.
He would park his Volkswagen car beside the road and then walk for a distance of approximately one kilometre away from his vehicle.
Whenever I arrived there, I would park my car at a distance from Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan's vehicle.
After exchanging greetings, we would walk together and talk.
He would tell me many stories from his past. However, from between his words, it was apparent that he carried a great resentment in his heart and had a major plan in his mind.
When I shared this awareness with the Crown Prince, Sardar Ahmad Shah, I noticed that he did not pay much attention to the matter.
Eventually, I was compelled to bring this important issue directly to the attention of His Majesty the King.
One day, we were at the Qariz Mir Garden.
His Majesty had gone there to zero in his hunting rifles.
He was walking around, while special officials placed distance-marking cards at designated points along the King's walking route.
After firing several shots, he turned towards me and asked:
"My son, what news is there outside?"
I replied:
"Your Majesty, there appears to be some dissatisfaction within the government system and the Royal Family."
He fell silent for a moment, deep in thought, and then said:
"I shall speak to Abdul."
By Abdul, he meant Sardar Abdul Wali.
Following the coup d'état of 26 Saratan 1352 Solar Hijri, precisely on the third day, Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar (the fifth spiritual son of His Majesty King Muhammad Zahir Shah) was summoned by Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan.
According to Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar himself:
"It was the 29th of Saratan, 1352 Solar Hijri. A telephone call was made from the Office of the Prime Minister to the Ministry of Defence, informing them that President Sahib had summoned Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar to the Prime Minister's Office."
"When I received the message, I immediately set out for the Prime Minister's Office.
I went inside the building and noticed several young men dressed in military uniforms talking among themselves. I did not recognise any of them, so I stopped.
One of the young men called out:
'Please, come upstairs.'
When I reached the second floor, I saw Dr Hassan Sharq coming downstairs with several men from Farah Province.
When Dr Sharq saw me, he embraced me and said:
'How are you, Sher Jan?'
I replied:
'I am well.'
He then said:
'Go quickly, the Sardar is alone.'
I proceeded forward and entered the office.
I noticed that the Prime Minister's desk and chair were unoccupied and that nobody was sitting there.
When I looked to my left, I saw Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan seated there, studying scattered papers and documents lying on the table.
I performed the formal military salute and honour before him.
He slightly rose from his seat and said:
'Are you well, my son?'
I replied:
'Yes, Your Excellency.'
He then asked:
'Have you experienced any difficulties?'
I replied:
'No, Your Excellency.'
He said:
'Stay in contact with me.'
I replied:
'Certainly, Your Excellency.'
With these few brief words, I once again performed the formal military salute and left the office."
Although, according to information available to the author, on the second night of the coup, a number of special individuals dressed in black entered the residence of Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar.
They took away all his documents and a considerable amount of his property and belongings from his residence, which was located at Sadar Chowk.
However, they did not cause any harm to Sher Ahmad Khan Yawar himself or to his family.
End of Part One
From Birth to ... Passing
Author:
احمد محمود امپراطور Ahmad Mahmood Imperator
1st Asad 1397 Solar Hijri
Kabul / Afghanistan
