On the 24th of September 2021, academics, journalists, ambassadors, and military people gathered in Cambridge to discuss “Ahmad Shah Massoud and the Future of Afghanistan”, with elements of the region’s rich history and religious ties. Prof. John Casey of Gonville and Caius College, where the conference took place, welcomed speakers and participants. Prof. Casey reflected on the conference’s scholarly ambitions of becoming an annual/biennial event in Cambridge. About 60 people were present in
Cambridge, many of whom were from the diaspora community of Afghanistan in the UK, and many more from different parts of the world joined online.
The Cambridge Conference could not have come at a more desperate time for
Afghanistan, just weeks after the collapse of the government of Afghanistan, the Taliban takeover, and the chaos at Kabul Airport. Ahmad Massoud made his address to participants in a pre-recorded audio message sent from his hiding place somewhere inside the country as he heads the National Resistance Front. Ahmad Wali Massoud compared the current situation of terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan to that of 20 years ago, before the death of Commander Massoud. He explained that as long as freedom and resistance are alive, then Massoud is alive. Viscount Cranborne then reminisced on the 40-year friendship between his family and Ahmad Massoud’s, reminding the audience that the original purpose of the conference was to find a home
for Ahmad Shah Massoud’s archives because the past must not be rubbed out,
especially such a hopeful one. Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles similarly ended his keynote speech on a hopeful note after a few examples of the West’s incompetence in Afghanistan, particularly the lack of American and British communication with local and regional powers; “what was needed was a long-term political strategy”.

These contributions in the first hour of the Cambridge Conference paved the way for the planned four panels, two on the life and legacy of late Commander Massoud and another two on Afghanistan, the region, and Islam. Between the four panels, there was a book launch: Sandy Gall’s biography Afghan Napoleon: The Life of Ahmad Shah Massoud. The first panel, chaired by Dr. Timothy Nunan, began with a contribution from Prof Michael Barry who gave anecdotes of his encounters with Ahmad Shah Massoud and lately Ahmad Massoud; he heavily critiqued the West’s latest involvements in Afghanistan, particularly the USA’s, by pointing out the state of the Kabul River. Ms

Dr Shivan Mahendrarajah chaired the final panel which began with a leap back in time with James Pickett’s remarks about Islamic education in Central Asia in the long 19th century, focusing on Bokhara madrasa curriculums. Making parallels with the current Western university system, Pickett explained how madrasa education at the time was a rigorous process that could lead to a life-time of learning for some. Thomas Barfield then analysed the present situation in Afghanistan with reflections from the past 40 years of the country’s history, commenting on Commander Massoud’s unique positions on issues such as knowing when to retreat; how to stand up to patrons; and putting the
good of the people of Afghanistan before any private gain. To round off the panel, Chris Alexander clearly outlined the elephant in the room: Pakistan’s malicious interference in Afghanistan, earlier hinted at by Peter Tomsen, and which had been the subject of many questions from the audience.

To close off this first Cambridge Conference of what will hopefully be many, Rory Stewart remarked on the international community’s involvement with the presidents of Afghanistan; this could have been managed in a more disinterested fashion. Better choices could have been made, such as supporting leaders like Ahmad Shah Massoud who had a vision for Afghanistan and strong values to support it.

Carlotta Gall read excerpts from her father’s book, which gave intimate insights into the character of Commander Massoud from his diaries: his self-questioning; fearlessness; faith in God, and love of the Panjshir Valley. Mr. Peter Tomsen, the former US presidential envoy to Afghanistan, similarly shared his personal encounters with Commander Massoud, giving details about the National Commander’s Shura or council Massoud supported which brought together the Mujahedeen to discuss strategy in the 1990s as well as his last meeting with Massoud in Dushanbe in 2001, months before his assassination.

After the break, Sandy Gall and Abdullah Anas introduced their recent publications (Afghan Napoleon: The Life of Ahmad Shah Massoud and To The Mountains: My life in Jihad, from Algeria to Afghanistan) and each read excerpts from their books. This was followed by a message of support to the conference from Sir Christopher Clarke, read out by Zalmai Nishat, the conference organiser. MP Patrick Grady also declared his support for the day’s event.

To begin the 2nd Panel, a pre-recorded video from Steve Coll was shared with the audience in which he touched upon five specific aspects of Ahmad Shah Massoud which illuminate the man: that he was definitely not provincial; he was well educated and an intellectual; a skilful politician in terms of his strategic alliances and skilful negotiations of contradictions; he created alliances which strengthened his independence and therefore the country’s independence; and finally his tolerance and clarity in knowing the enemies of Afghanistan. This was followed by an intervention from the Italian journalist, Fausto Biloslavo, who had just returned from a three-week trip to Afghanistan. He described finding the lower Panjshir Valley deserted of its inhabitants,
who were making their way to Kabul on foot with all their belongings, and that the Taliban governor had not wanted to speak to him or let him visit Massoud’s mausoleum.

To finish the session, Bernard-Henri Lévy gave his insights about Ahmad Massoud and his struggle for an independent and inclusive Afghanistan, initiated by his father in the last century. Not only does Ahmad Massoud’s determination to follow in his father’s footsteps bode well for the future, BHL explained, but also the “organic mix” of the older and younger generation of commanders and the support he has from other regions of Afghanistan are significant factors.

The second session, focusing on Afghanistan: the region and Islamic scholarship, was launched by an impromptu poetry reading by Mitra Savari about being a woman in Afghanistan today. Dr Dagikhudo Dagiev, as chair, then introduced the speakers of the third panel. Sir Nicholas Barrington described the successive leaders of Afghanistan from Zahir Shah to the Taliban takeover in the 1990s and recalled life in Kabul during his time at the British embassy there in the 1960s. Tim Winter (Sheikh Abdal Hakim Murad) explained how the Maturidi Islamic tradition of Central Asia has nothing to do
with the modern extremism that has been imported into Afghanistan lately; this comes from other parts of the world and has a dangerous tendency to eliminate the pluralism in Islam to establish unified orthodoxy and therefore eradicate tradition. Contrary to this, for Prof Winter, late Commander Massoud, who was steeped in Persian classic and tassawuf, represented tolerant Islam. To conclude this third panel, Nasir Ahmad Andisha shared notes of a conversation that had been recorded between Commander Massoud and Mullah Omar in 1998 from which he elaborated on two aspects of the
Commander’s policy: a multi-party parliamentary democracy as a system of governance (“a pluralistic, publicly-accountable government”) for Afghanistan, and a balanced foreign policy in terms of good economic relationship all round but no military alliances.