This period was dominated by poetry, but prose also held an important place. Similarly Abdul Qadir Khattak, Ashraf Khan Hijri, Kazim Khan Shaida, Ma`azullah Khan, Ahmad Shah Abdali and many others have left valuable treasure of literature in Pashto. The Sufism of Hafiz Shirazi found an echo in Rahman BabaвЂ™s works. The Persian ghazal, rubai and masnavi influenced the Pashto poets and writers of this period. He introduced new forms and modern trends in Pashto literature. Khushal Khan Khattak (1613-89), father of Pashto, is the central figure of this period. The second period is perhaps the most prolific and glorious one. He and his disciples have enriched the Pashto language and literature by writing several books of prose. Akhund Darweza (1533- 1615), a popular religious leader and scholar gave a powerful counterblast to BayazidвЂ™s movement in the shape of Makhzanul Islam. Among his disciples are some of the most distinguished poets, writers, scholars and sufis, like Arzani, Mukhlis, Mirza Khan Ansari, Daulat and Wasil, whose poetic works are well preserved. Khair-ul-Bayan, oft-quoted and bitterly criticized thesis, is most probably the first book on Sufism in Pashto literature. He gave Pashto prose and poetry a new and powerful tone with a rich literary legacy. However, the first recorded period begins with Bayazid Ansari (1526-74), who founded his own Sufi school of thoughts and began to preach his beliefs. The history of Pashto literature spreads over five thousands years having its roots in the oral tradition of tapa.

Pashto history books