Pakhtoon Media

Biography of Rahman Baba (Abdur Rahman Mohmand)

Abdur Rahman Mohmand, widely known as Rahman Baba, came from the Baezai sub-tribe of the Mohmand clan. He lived in the village of Hazar Khani, located in the Mohmand region. Though he was a man of deep knowledge and learning, Rahman Baba chose a humble and spiritual path, living like a darvesh—a mystic detached from worldly matters. His interaction with others was minimal, limited only to what was needed for basic survival.

He had a deep appreciation for Qawali—devotional music associated with the Chishti order of Sufism—and often found solace in these spiritual songs. Over time, Rahman Baba began writing poetry and mystical odes. His reclusive nature grew more intense, and he was often found in tears by close friends. According to accounts, his frequent weeping left visible marks on his cheeks.

Rahman Baba

His deep seclusion eventually led to criticism from some local religious leaders. Driven by jealousy or misunderstanding, they accused him of abandoning orthodox religious practices and even labeled him a heretic. This was largely because Rahman had ceased attending congregational prayers at the mosque. Under pressure—and with the encouragement of trusted friends—he eventually resumed public worship and began participating again in religious duties, though he remained inwardly withdrawn.

It is believed that Rahman Baba would share his verses with close friends, and after his death, these poems were collected into a diwan (poetic compilation). Some additions made by others were mistakenly included in earlier collections, but later efforts ensured that only Rahman Baba’s authentic poetry remained in the final volume.

Rahman Baba

There has been some historical debate regarding Rahman Baba’s contemporaries. Some sources have claimed that he engaged in poetic exchanges with Khushal Khan Khattak, the famous warrior-poet. However, this seems unlikely. While Rahman Baba may have lived during the final years of Khushal Khan’s life, he was still quite young at the time and is more accurately considered a contemporary of Afzal Khan Khattak, Khushal’s grandson and literary successor.

Evidence supporting this view includes Rahman Baba's poem mourning the deaths of Gul Khan and Jamal Khan—an event that occurred in 1711 CE, more than two decades after Khushal Khan's death. Furthermore, Rahman Baba’s modest lifestyle contrasts sharply with Khushal Khan’s influential status as a tribal chief and celebrated poet, making the idea of poetic debates between them even more doubtful.
Today, descendants of Rahman Baba through his daughter are said to live in the small village of Deh-i-Bahadur in the Mohmand area. His direct male lineage, however, is considered extinct. Rahman Baba’s tomb still stands in the cemetery of his native village and is visited by admirers of his spiritual legacy.
Historical Note:
An artistic depiction from an illustrated manuscript dated October 14, 1798, commissioned by Sardar Abdullah Khan Barakzai in Kashmir, shows Rahman Baba praying by a pond, with figures of Hazrat Ilyas and Hazrat Khizr seated nearby—reflecting the spiritual reverence his memory has inspired in the centuries since.
Source Reference: Adapted and rewritten from History of the Pathans, Vol. 2, by Haroon Rashid, pp. 461–462.

Rahman Baba

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