The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia, by Surgeon General Edward Balfour, vol. I, Third Edition (Bernard Quaritch, London 1885)
page 31 (Under the heading ‘Afghanistan’): ‘Pukhtun is the national appellation of the Afghans proper; but Afghans and Pathans also designate themselves Ban-i-Israel, and some claim direct descent from Saul, king of Israel. Pukhtun is the individual, and Pukhtana the collective name of the Afghans. This word is described as of Hebrew (Ibrani) origin, though some of them say it has a Syrian (Suriani) source, and signifies delivered, set free. The term Afghan is also said to have the same signification. One tradition is that the mother of Afghan or Afghana, on his being born exclaimed, ‘Afghana’, ‘I am free,’ and gave him this name; another tradition is that in the pangs of labour she exclaimed: ‘Afghan, Afghan,’ or ‘Fighan, Fighan,’ words which in the Persian mean woe! grief! alas! Afghan is claimed as the designation only of the descendants of Kais. The term Pathan is said to be from Pihtan, a titular appellation alleged to have been bestowed by Mahomed on an Afghan called Kais.
Their origin is involved in obscurity. But several writers consider them to be descendants of one of the ten tribes of Israel; and this is an opinion of some Afghans themselves. A few authors consider that this nation is not of Jewish origin, but that those who introduced the Mahomedan religion amongst them were converted Jews.’
Page 34. ‘Among the Yusufzai, no man sees his wife till the marriage ceremonies are completed; and with all the Bardurani there is great reserve between the time when the parties are betrothed and the marriage. Some of them live with their future father-in-law, and earn their bread by their services, as Jacob did Rachel, without ever seeing the object of their wishes.....
Among the Afghans, as among the Jews, it is thought incumbent on the brother of the deceased to marry his widow, and it is a mortal affront to the brother for any other person to marry her without his consent.’