Editing Afghans (section)

==Etymology==
{{main|Afghan (ethnonym)}}
The earliest mention of the name ''Afghan'' (''Abgân'') is by [[Shapur I]] of the [[Sassanid Empire]] during the 3rd century CE,<ref name="Britannica-Abgan">{{Cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7798/Afghanistan/129450/History?anchor=ref261360|title=History of Afghanistan|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Online|access-date=2010-11-22}}</ref><ref name="Habibi">{{Cite web |url=http://www.alamahabibi.com/English%20Articles/Afghan_and_Afghanistan.htm |title=Afghan and Afghanistan |work=[[Abdul Hai Habibi]]|publisher=alamahabibi.com|year=1969|access-date=2010-10-24}}</ref><ref name="Abgan">{{Cite book|title=Afghanistan -a country without a state?|last1=Noelle-Karimi|first1=Christine|author2=Conrad J. Schetter|author3=Reinhard Schlagintweit|year=2002|publisher=IKO|location=[[University of Michigan]], United States|isbn=3-88939-628-3|page=18|quote=''The earliest mention of the name 'Afghan' (Abgan) is to be found in a Sasanid inscription from the 3rd century, and it appears in India in the form of 'Avagana'...''|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eo3tAAAAMAAJ|access-date=2010-09-24}}</ref> In the 4th century, the word "Afghans/Afghana" (αβγανανο) as reference to the Pashtun people is mentioned in the [[Bactria]]n documents found in Northern Afghanistan.<ref name="Barkhuis">{{cite book |last1=Balogh |first1=Dániel |title=Hunnic Peoples in Central and South Asia: Sources for their Origin and History |date=12 March 2020 |publisher=Barkhuis |isbn=978-94-93194-01-4 |pages=144 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=frnVDwAAQBAJ&q=bunukan&pg=PA144 |language=en |quote=[ To Ormuzd Bunukan, ... greetings and homage from ... ), Pithe ( sot ] ang ( ? ) of Parpaz ( under ) [ the glorious ) yabghu of [ Heph ] thal, the chief ... of the Afghans}}</ref><ref name="Bactrian documents from northern Af">{{cite book |last1=Sims-Williams |first1=Nicholas |title=Bactrian documents from northern Afghanistan |date=2000 |publisher=The Nour Foundation in association with Azimuth Editions and Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=1-874780-92-7}}</ref> The word 'Afghan' is of [[Persian language|Persian]] origin and refers to the Pashtun people.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Definition of AFGHAN|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Afghan|access-date=2020-11-25|website=www.merriam-webster.com|language=en}}</ref> Some scholars suggest that the word "Afghan" is derived from the words ''awajan/apajan'' in [[Avestan]] and ''ava-Han/apa-Han'' in [[Sanskrit]], which means "killing, striking, throwing and resisting, or defending." Under the [[Sasanians]], and possibly the [[Parthian Empire]], the word was used to refer to men of a certain Persian sect.{{sfn|Fikrat|Umar|2008}} In the past, several scholars sought a connection with "horse", Skt.aśva-, Av.aspa-, i.e. the Aśvaka or Aśvakayana, the name of the ''[[Aśvaka]]n'' or ''Assakan'', the ancient inhabitants of the [[Hindu Kush]] region. Some have theorized that the name of the ''Aśvakan'' or ''Assakan'' has been preserved in that of the modern [[Pashtun]], with the name Afghan being derived from [[Aśvaka|Asvakan]].<ref>''"The name Afghan has evidently been derived from Asvakan, the Assakenoi of Arrian... "'' (Megasthenes and Arrian, p 180. See also: Alexander's Invasion of India, p 38; J.W. McCrindle).</ref><ref>Indische Alterthumskunde, Vol I, fn 6; also Vol II, p 129, et al.</ref><ref>Etude Sur la Geog Grecque & c, pp 39–47, M. V. de Saint Martin.</ref><ref>The Earth and Its Inhabitants, 1891, p 83, Élisée Reclus – Geography.</ref><ref>''"Even the name Afghan is Aryan being derived from Asvakayana, an important clan of the Asvakas or horsemen who must have derived this title from their handling of celebrated breeds of horses"'' (See: Imprints of Indian Thought and Culture abroad, p 124, Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan).</ref><ref>cf: ''"Their name (Afghan) means "cavalier" being derived from the [[Sanskrit]], ''Asva'', or ''Asvaka'', a horse, and shows that their country must have been noted in ancient times, as it is at the present day, for its superior breed of horses. Asvaka was an important tribe settled north to Kabul river, which offered a gallant resistance but ineffectual resistance to the arms of Alexander "''(Ref: Scottish Geographical Magazine, 1999, p 275, Royal Scottish Geographical Society).</ref><ref>''"Afghans are Assakani of the [[Greeks]]; this word being the [[Sanskrit]] [[Ashvaka]] meaning 'horsemen' " ''  (Ref: Sva, 1915, p 113, Christopher Molesworth Birdwood).</ref><ref>Cf: ''"The name represents Sanskrit Asvaka in the sense of a ''cavalier'', and this reappears scarcely modified in the Assakani or Assakeni of the historians of the expedition of [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]]" '' (Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial [[Anglo-Indian]] words and phrases, and of kindred terms, etymological..by Henry Yule, AD Burnell).</ref>

As an adjective, the word Afghan also means "of or relating to Afghanistan or its people, [[Pashto|language]] or culture". According to the [[1964 Afghanistan Constitution|1964 Constitution of Afghanistan]], all Afghans citizens are equal in rights and obligations before the law.<ref>{{cite web|title=Article 1 of the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan|url=http://www.afghan-web.com/history/const/const1964.html|publisher=Government of Afghanistan|access-date=June 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917002320/http://www.afghan-web.com/history/const/const1964.html|archive-date=2011-09-17|url-status=dead}}</ref> The fourth article of the [[Constitution of Afghanistan|Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]], which was valid until 2021, states that citizens of Afghanistan consist of Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen, Baloch, Pashayi, Nuristani, Aimaq, Arab, [[Kyrgyz people|Kyrgyz]], [[Afghan Qizilbash|Qizilbash]], [[Gurjar]], [[Brahui people|Brahui]], and members of other ethnicities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Constitution of Afghanistan|url=http://www.embassyofafghanistan.org/page/constitution|quote=National sovereignty in Afghanistan shall belong to the nation, manifested directly and through its elected representatives. The nation of Afghanistan is composed of all individuals who possess the citizenship of Afghanistan. The nation of Afghanistan shall be {{sic|comprised |hide=y|of}} Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkman, Baluch, Pachaie, Nuristani, Aymaq, Arab, Qirghiz, Qizilbash, Gujur, Brahwui and other tribes. The word Afghan shall apply to every citizen of Afghanistan. No individual of the nation of Afghanistan shall be deprived of citizenship. The citizenship and asylum related matters shall be regulated by law.|year=2004|access-date=2013-02-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804082548/http://www.embassyofafghanistan.org/page/constitution|archive-date=2016-08-04|url-status=dead}}</ref> There are political disputes regarding this: there are members of the non-Pashtun ethnicities of Afghanistan that reject the term Afghan being applied to them, and there are Pashtuns in Pakistan that wish to have the term Afghan applied to them.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-afghanistan-politics-idUKKBN1FS1WH|title=Who is an Afghan? Row over ID cards fuels ethnic tension|newspaper=Reuters|date=February 8, 2018|via=www.reuters.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/2/6/qa-afghanistans-tajiks-plea-for-federalism|title=Q&A: Afghanistan's Tajiks plea for federalism|first=Hashmatallah|last=Moslih|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theglobepost.com/2018/05/25/afghanistan-identity-politics/|title=Identity Politics in Afghanistan: Nation-State or State-Nation?|date=May 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nikvalentini.medium.com/nation-identity-and-the-future-of-afghanistan-aa47d6f17bf2|title=Nation, identity and the future of Afghanistan|first=Nicole|last=Valentini|date=July 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbNyrg83Q0A|title=Miranshah PTM Jalsa Lar Ao bar Nary لر او بر یو افغان|date=15 November 2020 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

===Usage as an ethnonym===
The pre-nation state, historical ethnonym [[Afghan (ethnonym)|Afghan]] was used to refer to a member of the Pashtun ethnic group. Due to the changing political nature of the state, the meaning has changed, and the term has shifted to refer to the [[national identity]] of people from Afghanistan of all ethnicities.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/johnson/2011/09/21/ask-johnson-afghans-afghanis-afghanistanis|title=Ask Johnson: Afghans, Afghanis, Afghanistanis|date=September 21, 2011|newspaper=The Economist}}</ref><ref name="Kieffer">{{cite web |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/afgan-in-current-political-usage-any-citizen-of-afghanistan-whatever-his-ethnic-tribal-or-religious-affiliation |title=Afghan |first=Ch. M. |last=Kieffer |publisher=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |quote=From a more limited, ethnological point of view, "Afḡān" is the term by which the Persian-speakers of Afghanistan (and the non-Paṧtō-speaking ethnic groups generally) designate the Paṧtūn. The equation Afghans = Paṧtūn has been propagated all the more, both in and beyond Afghanistan, because the Paṧtūn tribal confederation is by far the most important in the country, numerically and politically. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116233835/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/afgan-in-current-political-usage-any-citizen-of-afghanistan-whatever-his-ethnic-tribal-or-religious-affiliation |archive-date=16 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="ABCBBCARD">{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1083a1Afghanistan2009.pdf |title=ABC NEWS/BBC/ARD poll – Afghanistan: Where Things Stand |pages=38–40 |work=ABC News |location=Kabul, Afghanistan |access-date=29 October 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628130800/https://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1083a1Afghanistan2009.pdf |archive-date=28 June 2011}}</ref>

From a more limited, ethnological point of view, "''Afḡhān''" is the term by which the [[Dari|Persian]]-speakers of Afghanistan (and the non-Pashtō-speaking ethnic groups generally) designate the Pashtūn. The equation Afghans = Pashtūn has been propagated all the more, both in and beyond Afghanistan, because the Pashtūn tribal confederation has maintained its hegemony in the country, numerically and politically.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Encyclopaedia Iranica |title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica |url=https://iranicaonline.org/ |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=iranicaonline.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Variations===
The term ''Afghani'' refers to the unit of [[Afghan afghani|Afghan currency]]. The term is also often used in the English language (and appears in some dictionaries) for a person or thing related to Afghanistan, although some have expressed the opinion that this usage is incorrect.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 4, 2001 |title=Chatterbox: More on 'Afghani' |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/chatterbox/2001/10/more_on_afghani.html |access-date=March 29, 2013 |website=[[Slate.com|Slate]]}}</ref> The reason for this usage might be because the term "Afghani" (افغانی) is in fact a valid demonym for Afghans in the overall [[Persian language]], whereas "Afghan" is derived from Pashto. Thus, "Afghan" is the [[Anglicisation|anglicized]] form of "Afghani" when translating from Dari Persian, but not from Pashto.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 2, 2001 |title=Afghan vs. Afghani, Part 3 |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2001/12/afghan-vs-afghani-part-3.html |access-date=October 1, 2021 |website=[[Slate.com|Slate]]}}</ref> Another variant is ''Afghanese'', which has been seldom used in place of Afghan.<ref>{{cite book |author=George Newenham Wright |title=A New and Comprehensive Gazetteer, Volume 3 |year=1836}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digmichnews.cmich.edu/?a=d&d=VanBurenTN18781018-01.1.7&e=-------en-10--1--txt-txIN----------|title=True Northerner 18 October 1878 — Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection|website=digmichnews.cmich.edu|accessdate=11 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 October 2017 |title=Beauty is the quiet of the self forgotten |url=https://jkrishnamurti.org/content/beauty-quiet-self-forgotten}}</ref>