Name of Afghanistan

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The name Afghānistān (

Pashto: افغانستان Afġānistān Pashto pronunciation: [avɣɒnisˈtɒn, abɣɒnisˈtɒn][note 1])[1] means "land of the Afghans",[2] the name "Afghan" originally referred to a member of the Pashtuns.[3] which originates from the ethnonym Afghan. Historically, Pashtuns were referred to as Afghans, the largest ethnic group of Afghanistan.[2][4] The earliest reference to the name is found in the 10th-century geography book known as Hudud al-'Alam.[5] The last part of the name, -stān is a Persian suffix
for "place".

In the early 19th century, Afghan politicians adopted the name Afghanistan for the entire Durrani Empire after its English translation had already appeared in various treaties with Qajarid Persia and British India.[6] The first time the word Afghanistan was officially used was during signing of Treaty of Gandamak, after defeat of Afghan Emir Yaqoob Khan during Second Anglo-Afghan War.

Afghan dynasties

Main articles:
Sur dynasty
The Afghan Lodi dynasty of North India

According to Ta'rikh-i Yamini (author being secretary of

Sur dynasty of Delhi were both made up of Afghans, whose rule stretched to as far as what is now Bangladesh in the east. Other Afghan dynasties emerged during the 18th century, namely the Hotak dynasty and the Durrani Empire
which covered huge swathes of Central and South Asia.

Early references to Afghanistan

See also: Afghan (ethnonym)

The word Afghan is mentioned in the form of Abgan in the third century CE by the

Varahamihira.[4] A people called the Afghans are mentioned several times in a 10th-century geography book, Hudud al-'Alam, particularly where a reference is made to a village: "Saul, a pleasant village on a mountain. In it live Afghans."[10]

Moroccan scholar visiting the region in 1333, writes: "We travelled on to Kabul, formerly a vast town, the site of which is now occupied by a village inhabited by a tribe of Persians called Afghans. They hold mountains and defiles and possess considerable strength, and are mostly highwaymen. Their principle mountain is called Kuh Sulayman."[12]

The earliest mention of the term "Afghanistan" appears in the 13th century in Tarikh nama-i-Herat of Sayf ibn Muhammad ibn Yaqub al-Herawi, mentioning it as a country between

Shamsuddin.[13]

Furthermore the name "Afghanistan" is mentioned in writing by the 16th century

Pashāis, Parāchis, Tājiks, Berekis, and Afghans. In the hill-country to the west, reside the Hazāras and Nukderis. Among the Hazāra and Nukderi tribes, there are some who speak the Moghul language. In the hill-country to the north-east lies Kaferistān, such as Kattor and Gebrek. To the south is Afghanistān.[14]

— Babur
, 1525

The name "Afghanistan" is also mentioned many times in the writings of the 16th century historian,

Ferishta
, 1560-1620

The coined term of Afghanistan came into place in 1855, officially recognized by the British during the reign of

execution of Wazir Fateh Khan Barakzai.[16]

Last Afghan empire

Main articles: Hotak dynasty and Durrani Empire
A Lithography collection made by James Rattray in the early 1800s shows the name Afghaunistan on the front cover.

Regarding the modern

M. T. Houtsma