About the Shaikh Mohammadi tribe

The Shaikh Mohammadi is a tribe, who live in all  Afghanistan and surrounding countries.  They are originally nomads, (Kutschi) until last century the largest part of them had no constant domicile. The Shaikh Mohammadi  regard themselves  as children of Shaikh Mohammad, (peace be upon him) well know  as Rohani Baba, whose burial place is in Zormat by Paktia.  Rohani Baba was not only a holy and a mental leader in east Afghanistan, but also a welfare practical man, his mental power and knowledge over healing of diseases announced him all over the country, some of his children  inherited this art of the healing and  practice it even today .they belong to a  sub-group of Sheich Mohammadi (Kabila) , which is called  Faqir . Although the Sheikh Mohammadi are as nomads moving poeple, they prove two substantial differences to the classical nomads  in Afghanistan: 

1. The first substantial difference of Shaikh Mohammadi to the classical nomads is the fact that the Shaikh Mohammadi  earn their money all the time by doing business and not like the classical nomads in Afghanistan by cattle breeding.

2.  The second substantial difference of Sheikh Mohammadi to the classical nomads is the kind of their living, many Scheikh Mohammadi lived in owned or rented Houses, as soon as they were able to pay such a accommodation, the classical nomads live only in tents.

The movement from Shekh Mohammadi in winter and in summer had much more an economic background and not a climatic like by nomads who operated cattle breeding,

 For example they bought fabrics  and household article from Jalalabad and Kabul to sell them in Sarai Khawaja , there they could buy dried fruits and rice, which were sold on the  way again in Kabul, from there they could buy   imported goods from China and India, which they could sell in Jalalabad.  Many commodity which the Sheikh Mohammadi sold in remote villages,  were also available on the bazaars, but the  Sheihk Mohammadi did  not sold  their commodity on the bazaars , they go from the house to house, so they could sell their commodity directly to the housewives, who were not usually in many regions allowed to go on the bazaar. 

Although Shaikh Mohammadi traveled as nomads to all over  Afghanistan and offered  their goods, they are in terms of numbers not particularly large, therefore they are to the average Afghans  little well-known, this is also the reason, why they found a little attention by scientific research  in Afghanistan and  by foreign institutes.

As the Shaikh Mohammadi  live in different regions , they  have  little contact among themselves,  there was no organization, which could bring them together, this lack is  now eliminated by  the establishment of the council  of Shaikh Mohammadi tribe

The Shaikh Mohammadi  are organized in sub groups (Kabila), which are  usually named according to the way of their living or residence or profession,  here we see some sub groups of Sheikh Mohammadi and a short explanation of their names::

  Faqir:  This group practices like Rohani  Baba the healing of humans

Charabaghi:  Refers to Shaikh Mohammadi in region of Charabagh in  province Laghman

  Nadaf Khel:  This group is called according to their profession, a Nadaf clean with the help of a special instrument the cotton and give it more volume.

  Kolukhi:  Designates Shaikh Mohammadi, who had built their houses from loam (= Koluch).

 Maskurahi:  Designates the Shaikh Mohammadi, who live in Maskurah province Laghman

 Patragar:  Designates Shaikh Mohammadi, which followed the occupation of repairing.

Babar Khel:  Babar means hairy, hereby are designated Shaikh Mohammadi, who carried very  long hair. 

Tela Khel:  Tela  means gold, there is no  explanation, why this group designated by Shaikh Mohammadi in such a way. 

The sub-groups of Shaikh Mohammadi are used only for the internal identification and affiliation, outward it has  no meaning.

The Sheikh Mohammadi has a secret language named Adurgahri.

 The life of Sheikh Mohammadi today does not differ any longer from all other Afghans , during the war  it was no longer possibility  for travelling, therefore they became today nearly all established, the largest part operate today in large cities wholesale and /or.  Retail trade, the new generations have however studied, they  are Doktors,  physician, attorney, architect, economist etc.