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Stanikzai (Stanizai)

ستانکزی / ستانیزی
Regions with significant populations
Afghanistan: Logar, Kabul, Nangarhar, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Zabul, Balkh, Samangan, Kandahar,Helmand, Herat, Laghman, Khost, Paktia, Paktika,Kunduz, Takhar
Languages
Central Pashto language
Religion
Suni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Other Pashtun tribes, especially Ghilzai, Sulaimankhel, Ahmadzai,Hotak,Andar

Stanikzai (alternatively Stanizai or Istānzai) is a prominent Pashtun tribe, part of the larger Ghilzai confederation. Stanikzai communities are found across various provinces in Afghanistan. They have historically been involved in agriculture, pastoralism, and trade, and have provided notable figures in political and military affairs.

Etymology

The term Stana in Persian signifies “a sacred place,” “shrine,” or “revered person,” and in Pashto likewise. In Arabic, it corresponds to “Hazrat.” Thus, Stanikzai literally means “sons of the sacred.” Variants include:

• Stanikzai
• Stanizai
• Istānzai

The name Stanikzai is generally analyzed as a Pashtun tribal name consisting of Stanik and the Pashto lineage suffix -zai, which denotes descent or offspring.Under this interpretation,Stanikzai means “descendants of Stanik.” The precise origin and meaning of the element Stanik, however, are uncertain.

A possible historical-linguistic connection has been proposed with Eastern Iranian languages.

Subtribes (Khels)

Prominent subtribes of the Stanikzai include:

• Payinda Khel
• Ilyas Khel
• Shahi Khel
• Kutub Khel
• Ghafur Khel ( Sadat Khil , Nabo Khil, Mansorkhil, Atayi Khil )
• Awal Khel
• Ismail Khel
• Akbar Khel
• Asghar Khel
• Mughal Khel
• Pai Khel
• Mirbash Khel
• Sangar Khel
• Pyaro Khel
• Speen Khel (Spin Khil )
• Bayazid Khel or Bazod Khel
• Malik Khel
• Alo Khel
• Rustam Khel
• Mullah Khel
• Ali Khel
• Aido Khel
• Qalandar khel
• Zareen khel

Geographic Distribution

Stanikzai populations are located in the following Afghan provinces:

• Stanizai Stanikzai Communities in Logar Province

Residents in Pul-e-Alam District

• 1. Mangokhel Village
• 2. Elias Baba Village
• 3. Lower Elias Baba Village (Eliaskhel)
• 4. Shaghasi Qala
• 5. Ahsark Village
• 6. Honi Sayedan Area
• 7. Harunkhel Village
• 8. Shahidan Village
• 9. Piyarokhel Village
• 10. Purak Village
• 11. Babus Greater Area, Alwaziyo Zone
• 12. Kamalkhel Village
• 13. Padkhwab Shana Greater Village

Residents in Baraki Barak District

• 1. Cheheltan Village,Alukhel Village
• 2. Kutabkhel Village
• 3. Rustamkhel Village
• 4. Bazidkhel Village
• 5. Ghazi Naib Hafizullah Khan Logari Village
• 6. Qalandarkhel Village

Residents in Mohammad Agha District

• 1. Abazak Village, Ismailkhel Village
• 2. Moghul khel Greater Area
• 3. Zakaryakhel Village
• 4. Kutabkhel Greater Area
• 5. Gamran Village
• 6. Shahi Qala Village
• 7. Piyarokhel Village
• 8. Taj Khan Qala Village
• 9. Ghaznikhel Village
• 10. Abdakhel Village
• 11. Kandahari Pul Village
• 12. Shah Mazar Village
• 13. Bani Sherwagan Village

Residents in Khoshi District

Stanizai (Stanikzai) communities are also present in Khoshi District.

Residents in Charkh District

• 1. Bazidkhel Village
• 2. Mangokhel Village

• Kabul– Char Asyiab, Surobi, Mosai,
• Nangarhar– Surkhrod, Kama, Rodat،
• Maidan Wardak– Nirkh, Jalrez, Chak
• Ghazni– Andar, Deyak, Qarabagh, Gelan
• Zabul– Qalat, Pai Sang
• Balkh – Northern districts near Mazar-e-Sharif, khulum District and Balkh District

Historical Record

Genealogical tradition

According to traditional Pashtun genealogical accounts, including those recorded in Makhzan-i-Afghani and Hayat-i-Afghani, Stana is described as the son of Sulaiman, the grandson of Ahzab (or Hizb), and the great-grandson of Ibrahim.These genealogical traditions trace Stana's lineage to the Ghilji branch of the Pashtuns. Ahmad, who is traditionally associated with the Ahmadzai lineage, is described in these accounts as the brother of Stana.

According to Captain J.A. Robinson in *Notes on Nomad Tribes of Eastern Afghanistan* (1934), several key Stanikzai khels had identifiable population sizes and leadership:

Khel name	# of families	Region(s)	Leadership / Remarks
Payinda Khel	~500	Chaharbagh, Behsud (Wardak)	Agriculturalists, camel herders; traded with British India.
Ghafur Khel	~500	Sakhabi desert	Farmers, little trade.
Ilyas Khel	~300	Local farmland	Led by Malik Hazrat Gul Khan; British trade restrictions.
Shahi Khel	~200	Seasonal nomads	Winter – Nangarhar; Summer – Hazarajat.
Kutub Khel	~800	Logar (500) & Surobi (300)	Farmers, no trade with British India.
Awal Khel	~140	Nirkh	Non-trading.
Asmin Khel	~280	Ghazni & Maidan Shahr	Led by Malik Shahzada Khan.
Jabar Khel	~600	Qalat (Zabul)	Led by Maliks Ghulam Haidar & Agha Jan; involved in trade.
Akbar Khel	–	Balkh	Led by Malik Mehrdil Khan.
Asghar Khel	~150	Deyak (Ghazni)	Led by Malik Kakar Khan.

Many more subbranches were also mentioned by Robinson.

Notable Figures

• Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai– Former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS); Acting Defense Minister of Afghanistan.
• Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai– Deputy Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate (Taliban); senior negotiator at the Doha talks.
• Mohammad Saber Stanikzai – Deputy head of the Central Statistics Organization.
• Asghar Afghan , Afghan former cricketer
• Karim Janat , Afghan Cricketer
• Abdul Jabar Sabet, former Attorney general of Afghanistan 2006
• Commander Abdul Baqi Mazlumyar , Soviet Afghan war , war with Northern Alliance and conqueror of Takhar province against Ahmad Shah Masood.
• Abdul Majid Bachah Khan — an Afghan mujahideen commander from Ismail Khel village in Khulm District, Samangan Province. He was active during the Soviet–Afghan War and later maintained links with the Taliban movement.

References

• Robinson, J.A. (1934). Notes on Nomad Tribes of Eastern Afghanistan.
• Hayat al-Afghani (in Farsi).
• Makhzal Afghani.
• Harry Burnett Lumsden (The Mission to Kandahar ) Page no 93 The Ghilzai