Dhund (tribe)

The Dhund Abbasi (also written Dhund; ) is a sub tribe of the Abbasi Tribe in Northern Pakistan. They are mainly settled in Abbottabad District and Murree Hills, Along with Tehsil Kahuta and in District Rawalpindi of Punjab Province. They are also found in District Haripur and Mansehra of Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Apart from Abbottabad and Murree, there are large populations of Dhund Abbasis living in the Bagh District and Muzaffarabad District of Azad Kashmir. The tribe speaks the Dhundi-Kairlali hill dialect of Pahari-Pothwari.
The word Dhund was an honorary name given to one of their forefathers.
Origins
The tribe traces its roots back to Al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle of Prophet Mohammad. The Dhund Abbasis are progeny of the Abbasid dynasty, who ruled over the Muslim empire from the Umayyads in 750 CE, and were known as the Abbasid Caliphate. The dynasty governed for 500 years from Baghdad, Iraq. The rule of the Abbasids extended eastwards across Afghanistan into the South Asian subcontinent, covering the eastern part of modern-day Pakistan.
The ancestor of the tribe, Ghayyas Ud Deen Zorab Shah, also known as, Sardar Zorab Khan Abbasi (998 AD - 1070 AD) was Governor General and Commander of Armed Forces in parts of Afghanistan during the reign of Mehmood Ghaznavi of Ghaznavid Empire. He came to the subcontinent in 1020 AD with Mehmood Ghaznavi during the reign of Abbasi Caliph Al Qadir Billah (990 AD to 1031AD) and attacked on the state of Kashmir. When Zorab Khan reached Kashmir along with his Army, the King of Kashmir agreed to pay tax to him as well as offering his daughter in an arranged marriage. Zorab Khan settled in Kashmir state as an Ambassador of Abbasid Dynasty. His Grave is in Darkot, a village in the Kohota Tehsil of District of Rawalpindi. Sardar Zorab Khan was the son of Taif Shah who was an Abbasid Commander in Khurasaan during the reign of Abbasi Caliph Al Ta'eh Li'Amr'illah, who ruled from 974 to 991 AD. He later joined Subgtageen (the father of Mehmood Ghaznavi) in Khurasaan.
Sardar Zorab Khan Abbasi had only one son named Ghai Mohammad Akbar, also known as, Sardar Akbar Ghai Khan Abbasi, whose grave is next to his father's grave in Darkot, Kahuta. Sardar Akbar Ghai had five sons name as Kanwar Khan (Kahundar Khan), Sardar Khan (Sarrara Khan), Salim Khan, Sana Wali Khan (Tanawali Khan) and Molam Khan. He was the forefather of Dhund, Jaskam, Ghayyal, Sarrara and Tanoli Abbasi Tribes. Kanwar Khan had three sons named Firadam Khan, Bahadur Khan and Kalo Khan (Kalo Raey Khan). Firadam Khan, who's progeny was inhabited in Rajori, Indian Occupied Kashmir, and Bahadur Khan who's sons live in Qaseer, Indian Occupied Kashmir. Kalo Khan (1083 AD - 1150 AD) moved from Poonch Region to Chalhaar, Palandari now Azad Kashmir, he married the the daughter of Raja Rustam Raey Khan, a Kashmiri King and became his successor. He gets the title of "Raey" so Kalo Khan name becomes Kalo Raey Khan. He married to the daughter of Raja Dhani Raey Khan of Kashmir. Dhund, Jasgam and Ghayyal Abbasi Tribes of Murree, Hazara and Azad Kashmir back their family roots to Kalo Raey Khan (Kalo Khan). Kalo Khan had son named Qudrat Ullah Khan (Qound Khan) and Qudrat Ullah Khan had Naik Mohammad Khan (Nakodar Khan) and Naik Mohammad Khan had Daleel Mohammad Khan and Daleel Mohammad Khan had Rasib Khan. Rasib Khan had two sons named Shah Wali Khan Abbasi (Dhund Khan) and Bagh Wali Khan Abbasi (Bagh Khan). The Dhund Abbasi's of Murree, Hazara Divison and Azad Kahmir back their roots to Shah Wali Khan (Dhund Khan) while the Ghayyal & Jaskam Abbasi of Azad Kashmir & Kahuta trace their roots back to Bagh Wali Khan Abbasi (Bagh Khan). This incident is recorded in Ansaab Zafarabad Hind 1800 AD & Abbasiyan E Hind written in 1819 AD by Mufti Najam Ud Deen Samarqandi. Many historical references to Dhund's Abbasi are in old Kashmir History books, written in 16th and 17th century.
The word Dhund was an honorary name given to their forefather Hazrat Shah Wali Ullah Khan Abbasi (1192 AD - 1258 AD), Also Known as Dhund Khan Abbasi by their Spritual Sheikh Hazrat Baha'ud Deen Zakria Multani. Sardar Shah Wali Ullah Khan Abbasi was also a Sufi Saint. He was the Great Grand Son of Sardar Zorab Khan Abbasi. Shah Wali's Brother name was Bagh Wali Khan (Forefather of Ghayyal & Jaskam Abbasi Tribe) living in Poonch and Bagh Districts of Azad Kashmir, along with Tehsil Kahuta of District Rawalpindi.
One of the famous members of the Dhund Abbasi Tribe is Peer Nehmat Shah, also known as Dada Dhummat Khan Abbasi (1295 AD - 1370 AD). Dada Dhummat Khan Abbasi was a Sufi Saint and his shrine is in Ghora Gali, Murree. He moved from Poonch Region of Kahsmir to Murree Hills in mid fourteenth century. He was the GrandFather of All Abbasi Tribes of Murree Hills & Hazara KPK Region adjacent to Murree Hills and also GrandFather of Abbasi Tribe's of Tehsil Dheerkot, District Bagh & District Muzzaffarabad of Kashmir.
One of Famous Spritual Grandsons of Peer Nehmat Shah's is Hazrat Sardar Abdul Rehman Khan Abbasi (1406 AD - 1480 AD) locally Known as Dada Rattan Khan Abbasi and Hazrat Sardar Qasim Khan Abbasi (Chand Khan Abbasi), who's Shrine is in Chamankot, Tehsil Dheerkot District Bagh Azad Kashmir. They are forefathers of Ratnaal & Chandaal Dhund's Abbasi clan, living in Circle, Bakote, KPK, Murree Hills, and Azad Kashmir.
Dhunds are the largest and most prominent tribe of Murree. Historically, besides Murree, the lands of the Dhund Abbasis include parts of present day Islamabad Capital Territory, Tehsil Kahuta and Kotli Sattian of Rawalpindi, District Abbottabad, Haripur and Mansehra of KPK and Deerkot tehsil in the Bagh district of Azad Kashmir. Besides there is a large population of Dhund tribe in Kahuta tehsil, who are known as Jasgam. According to Gazetteer Rawalpindi 1893-4 they had thirteen villages in Tehsil Kahuta to at the time.
According to Census of India 1881, the total population of Dhund Abbasis, excluding Abbasis tribes of Kashmir, in Rawalpindi and Hazara districts was 32,690 of which 18,268 lived in Rawalpindi and 14,412 in Hazara. Furthermore, Abbasis constitute overwhelming majority the population of Dheerkot Tehsil in the Bagh district of Azad Kashmir.
Current data is not available but the total population of all Abbasi Tribes in Murree and the surrounding areas of Rawalpindi, Islamabad, the Hazara division of KPK and Azad Kashmir is thought to be around 2 to 3 million.
The predecessors of the tribe and the reverend Saint Dada (affectionately called grandfather in the area) and Hafiz Siraaj Ud Deen, locally known as Peer Dada Malak Sooraj Oliya. Abbasi of Potha Sharif was a contemporary of Hazrat Bari Imam, another great saint whose mausoleum is in present day Islamabad. Dada Malik Sooraj Oliya was the grand son of Hazrat Abdul Rehman locally known as Dada Rattan Khan Abbasi who's shrine is in Chamankot, Tehsil Dheerkot Azad Kashmir. Bari Imam lived in the times of Mughal emperor Jahangir. This may mean that the Abbasis were present in considerable numbers at that time.