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A Talib’s Tale: The Life and Times of a Pashtoon Englishman
John Butt came to Swat in 1970 as a young man in search of an education he couldn’t get from his birthplace in England. He travels around the region, first only with friends from his home country, but as he befriends the locals and starts to learn about their culture and life, he soon finds his heart turning irrevocably Pashtoon.
Containing anecdotes from his life both before and since he shifted to Afghanistan, and with a keen and optimistic attitude towards becoming the best version of himself, John Butt tells a wonderful and heartfelt tale of a man who finds a home in the most unexpected place.
Containing anecdotes from his life both before and since he shifted to Afghanistan, and with a keen and optimistic attitude towards becoming the best version of himself, John Butt tells a wonderful and heartfelt tale of a man who finds a home in the most unexpected place.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 8, 2022
As Muslim convert myself, this was a fascinating insight to how another Englishman, from a different generation, embraced Islam. There's lots of adventure and interesting stories. A few very funny ones too. It's interesting to see how a particular incident whilst studying at Darul Uloom Deoband, seemingly changed his course of direction in his journey as a Muslim.
There's a few words of wisdom also which, I took to highlighting (something I rarely do). Particularly, when discussing the role of politics and Islam.
I thought it was good that he softly critiqued the tool of Western propaganda against the Pashtoon people and Afghanistan, as well as Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai against her bias and mockery against the madrasa education whilst acknowledging the need for upgrade of the system.
With recent events in Afghanistan this is a great book to understand, at a grass roots level, all the complications on the ground as well to appreciate the rich character and unlocked potential of the Pashtoon people. I've met many Pashtoons in the UK and they are hands-down some of the best people I've ever met.
My only criticism would be the use of the word dick when describing the male genitals. It comes more nearer the end chapters which I thought didn't fit in with the overall nature of the book.
Highly recommended!
There's a few words of wisdom also which, I took to highlighting (something I rarely do). Particularly, when discussing the role of politics and Islam.
I thought it was good that he softly critiqued the tool of Western propaganda against the Pashtoon people and Afghanistan, as well as Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai against her bias and mockery against the madrasa education whilst acknowledging the need for upgrade of the system.
With recent events in Afghanistan this is a great book to understand, at a grass roots level, all the complications on the ground as well to appreciate the rich character and unlocked potential of the Pashtoon people. I've met many Pashtoons in the UK and they are hands-down some of the best people I've ever met.
My only criticism would be the use of the word dick when describing the male genitals. It comes more nearer the end chapters which I thought didn't fit in with the overall nature of the book.
Highly recommended!
March 12, 2022
3.5 tbh, just feel like I expected so much more.
still an interesting book and an interesting life
still an interesting book and an interesting life
August 17, 2020
Just finished reading this marvellous book and feel that I am still somewhere in the Swat Valley. Not surprising perhaps as the news this morning gave an update on Afghanistan. This is a very topical book.
John Butt wrote a real gem. He describes his travels and life in the region of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India with great love and sensitivity.
He was born to British parents in the West Indies, went to a Catholic school in England and made his way, hippie-style, to Afghanistan. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he totally immersed himself into local life wherever he was, learnt the regional languages, cultures and, above all, Islam. He studied the Holy Quran at the feet of the greatest Islamic teachers and has become a devout Muslim. You get the feeling that he knows everyone and everyone knows him: he portrays the locals in wonderfully evocative detail.
Butt is not only a great scholar of the Quran, a philosopher and talented peacemaker, but clearly a true adventurer, who is always able to laugh at himself. Story-telling is in his blood – and it is not surprising that one of the highlights of his career was the setting up of an Afghan Archers programme, though one would probably not go to him to learn about handling a grumpy buffalo. Anecdotes are liberally sprinkled throughout the book.
John Butt is someone who carries his wisdom lightly, ensuring that we learn about Islam, as well as life, politics and history of the region in a thoroughly enjoyable way.
As you can tell, I loved this book very much and shall pick it up again and again. There is so much detail that warrants re-reading.
Hugely recommended.
John Butt wrote a real gem. He describes his travels and life in the region of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India with great love and sensitivity.
He was born to British parents in the West Indies, went to a Catholic school in England and made his way, hippie-style, to Afghanistan. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he totally immersed himself into local life wherever he was, learnt the regional languages, cultures and, above all, Islam. He studied the Holy Quran at the feet of the greatest Islamic teachers and has become a devout Muslim. You get the feeling that he knows everyone and everyone knows him: he portrays the locals in wonderfully evocative detail.
Butt is not only a great scholar of the Quran, a philosopher and talented peacemaker, but clearly a true adventurer, who is always able to laugh at himself. Story-telling is in his blood – and it is not surprising that one of the highlights of his career was the setting up of an Afghan Archers programme, though one would probably not go to him to learn about handling a grumpy buffalo. Anecdotes are liberally sprinkled throughout the book.
John Butt is someone who carries his wisdom lightly, ensuring that we learn about Islam, as well as life, politics and history of the region in a thoroughly enjoyable way.
As you can tell, I loved this book very much and shall pick it up again and again. There is so much detail that warrants re-reading.
Hugely recommended.
August 22, 2020
The
The very second part of the title tells an interesting story: the life and times of a Pashtoon Englishman. He is both an Englishman and a Pashtoon which is unique. He at the same time is both an outsider and insider. That is very true when you just turn some pages of the book. This outsider he has greater knowledge generally about the region and particularly regarding the Pashtoon and Pashtoon belt. Although the tale is a personal stories of the author, it provides a very rich perspective about Pashtoon and their life.
The author starts with how he came and fell in love with the region. The illustration of Pashtoonwali - unwritten codes of life of Pashtoons - has been lively described which you may not find in other books including the renowned ones - among other Louis Dupree (1980). He touched upon both extremes of the people: the rigid aspects when it comes to their conservative nature and an accommodative and big-heartedness particularly hospitality of the people.
He also meticulously noticed the nuance of the Pashtoon: the cleavage within. Pashtoon is a composition of unique contradiction; religious and conservative at one end of the spectrum, and the secular at the other. They don’t or have not compromised at least since the beginning of the 20th century. And this rift continues to wreak havoc on the Pashtoon. As an Islamic scholar, John Butt glorifies the incorporation of Islam into Pashtoonwali, meanwhile he criticizes the sectarianism that is prevalent among the conservatives and religious Pashtoons.
The author portrays himself as a religious nationalist and argues that this combination is a better way forward. He praised an iconic figure of the Pashtoons, Abdul Ghafar Khan, better known Bacha Khan or frontier Gandhi and his movement Khudai Khedmatgar, “a servant for the sake of God, not servant of God.” as he put it. Bacha Khan’s life and struggles were disrupted firstly by the government of British India and secondly more harshly too by the government of Pakistan. The author also commended Dr. Najibullah, when he was a president of Afghanistan who led a pro-communist government for 7 years; however, he didn’t go deeper when the president was leading KHAD - an intelligence organization of the country.
I would recommend reading the book for anyone interested in Pashtoon or the region; this includes, among other, the Pashtoon, Afghan and any foreigner. Personally I learned and enjoyed a lot.
The very second part of the title tells an interesting story: the life and times of a Pashtoon Englishman. He is both an Englishman and a Pashtoon which is unique. He at the same time is both an outsider and insider. That is very true when you just turn some pages of the book. This outsider he has greater knowledge generally about the region and particularly regarding the Pashtoon and Pashtoon belt. Although the tale is a personal stories of the author, it provides a very rich perspective about Pashtoon and their life.
The author starts with how he came and fell in love with the region. The illustration of Pashtoonwali - unwritten codes of life of Pashtoons - has been lively described which you may not find in other books including the renowned ones - among other Louis Dupree (1980). He touched upon both extremes of the people: the rigid aspects when it comes to their conservative nature and an accommodative and big-heartedness particularly hospitality of the people.
He also meticulously noticed the nuance of the Pashtoon: the cleavage within. Pashtoon is a composition of unique contradiction; religious and conservative at one end of the spectrum, and the secular at the other. They don’t or have not compromised at least since the beginning of the 20th century. And this rift continues to wreak havoc on the Pashtoon. As an Islamic scholar, John Butt glorifies the incorporation of Islam into Pashtoonwali, meanwhile he criticizes the sectarianism that is prevalent among the conservatives and religious Pashtoons.
The author portrays himself as a religious nationalist and argues that this combination is a better way forward. He praised an iconic figure of the Pashtoons, Abdul Ghafar Khan, better known Bacha Khan or frontier Gandhi and his movement Khudai Khedmatgar, “a servant for the sake of God, not servant of God.” as he put it. Bacha Khan’s life and struggles were disrupted firstly by the government of British India and secondly more harshly too by the government of Pakistan. The author also commended Dr. Najibullah, when he was a president of Afghanistan who led a pro-communist government for 7 years; however, he didn’t go deeper when the president was leading KHAD - an intelligence organization of the country.
I would recommend reading the book for anyone interested in Pashtoon or the region; this includes, among other, the Pashtoon, Afghan and any foreigner. Personally I learned and enjoyed a lot.
April 17, 2022
Really enjoyed this book, there's so much to like about it. A real page turner, easy on the eye and easy to follow. He writes about places that are sacred and beloved to me, (Surrey, Lancashire, Delhi, Deoband etc.) as they are very much a part of my life as they are the author's. I only wish more scholars of his generation wrote memoirs, for so much is destined to fade into oblivion.
Really appreciated his discussion on the Panjpiris, this is perhaps the most detailed account of them I have read to date. The book excels with the author pausing throughout the narrative to share reflections/observations on various topics. Some of which is very astute, like what exacerbated ethnic tensions in Afghanistan between Pashtoons and Tajiks, contrasts between Amanullah and Dr. Najeeb, Afghans taking to rumour like there's no tomorrow and spreading it wildfire. His command of Pashto is also impressive.
Much like the proverbial cat having 9 lives, the author has been blessed to have lived a number of lives. And yet I find myself putting much of this down to white privilege. I ask myself whether there can be a Desi equivalent of John Butt? I don't think so. He simply would not have had as many doors readily open to him, nor afforded the opportunities.
Then there's the author's politics and his criticism of political Islam/Islamism. I don't disagree, nor totally agree, but there's not a single word on Empire/British imperialism which is responsible for the current design and subsequent reaction, as well as his understanding of the West being just. Again, putting this down to privilege :)
This should not dissuade from the book.
Highly recommended.
Really appreciated his discussion on the Panjpiris, this is perhaps the most detailed account of them I have read to date. The book excels with the author pausing throughout the narrative to share reflections/observations on various topics. Some of which is very astute, like what exacerbated ethnic tensions in Afghanistan between Pashtoons and Tajiks, contrasts between Amanullah and Dr. Najeeb, Afghans taking to rumour like there's no tomorrow and spreading it wildfire. His command of Pashto is also impressive.
Much like the proverbial cat having 9 lives, the author has been blessed to have lived a number of lives. And yet I find myself putting much of this down to white privilege. I ask myself whether there can be a Desi equivalent of John Butt? I don't think so. He simply would not have had as many doors readily open to him, nor afforded the opportunities.
Then there's the author's politics and his criticism of political Islam/Islamism. I don't disagree, nor totally agree, but there's not a single word on Empire/British imperialism which is responsible for the current design and subsequent reaction, as well as his understanding of the West being just. Again, putting this down to privilege :)
This should not dissuade from the book.
Highly recommended.
May 24, 2024
Some parts (mostly the first half) I liked, other parts didn't enjoy that much. Nevertheless, it was an interesting read about the extraordinary life of the Pashtoon Englishman
October 18, 2023
The author of this book is John Butt who shares his journey as a wayfarer. This book is biography genre. From Trinidad, he migrated to England with his family before travel to Swat. In Swat, he converted to Islam and start his education in madrasah as talib or knowledge seeker. Throughout the chapter, he shared a lot about culture, language, islamic practices, politics, geography and more in India, Afghanistan dan Pakistan. He went through a lot in life. I also got to know about big figure in those old days such as Mohd Ali Jinnah, Wahiduddin Khan, Bacha Khan, Mulla Omar and some of other mullas. He also shared his journey in journalism, then as BBC Pashto service as well as storyteller at The Archers clone for Afghanistan. Honestly, I am inspired by his determination and remarkable changes that he made throughout the services in each occupation he involved. He share his lesson to learn from spent lifetime amongst Pashtoon is to heal the rift between progressive and conservatives. He claim on how he start his journalistic education is by studying Hadith in madrasah.
This book is worth my time and money. I think I can get back to this book if I feel want to or when I feel unmotivated.
This book is worth my time and money. I think I can get back to this book if I feel want to or when I feel unmotivated.
September 14, 2024
Must-read for anyone interested in Afghanistan, Pakistan, or the human cost of war.
This book is a captivating memoir that offers a unique perspective on the tumultuous history of Afghanistan. Author John Butt, an Englishman who became deeply immersed in Pashtoon culture, provides a firsthand account of his experiences living among the people of the region.
This book is a captivating memoir that offers a unique perspective on the tumultuous history of Afghanistan. Author John Butt, an Englishman who became deeply immersed in Pashtoon culture, provides a firsthand account of his experiences living among the people of the region.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews