---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Pashto, Afghanistan’s second official…"
description: "\"“In Pashto, Afghanistan’s second official language, there is even a deprecating name for a man who has no sons: He is a meraat, referring to the system..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/jenny-nordberg-31717_quote_in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official_2043812.jpg"
---

#  In Pashto, Afghanistan’s second official language, there…

![“In Pashto, Afghanistan’s second official language, there is even a deprecating name for a man who has no sons: He is a meraat, referring to the system where an inheritance, such as land assets, is almost exclusively passed on through a male lineage.” quote by Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/jenny-nordberg-31717_quote_in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official_2043812.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/jenny-nordberg-31717_quote_in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official_2043812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/jenny-nordberg-31717_quote_in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official_2043812.jpg)

> ““In Pashto, Afghanistan’s second official language, there is even a deprecating name for a man who has no sons: He is a meraat, referring to the system where an inheritance, such as land assets, is almost exclusively passed on through a male lineage.””

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A cultural term “mera­at” highlights gendered inheritance practices that marginalize men without sons.

**In simple terms:** Inheritance favors sons, leaving others excluded.

Key Takeaway

Challenge gendered inheritance norms.

Themes

gender inequality inheritance law cultural tradition

Mood

critical empathetic

Type

sociological analytical

When to use this quote

- family law reform
- advocacy campaigns
- community education
- policy analysis

Key Concepts

patriarchy social justice

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this term affect family dynamics?
- What reforms could ensure equitable inheritance?

A Different Perspective

Changing deep‑rooted customs can be slow and meet resistance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Male Lineage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/male-lineage-3817502/) [Meraat Referring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meraat-referring-3817501/) [Pashto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pashto-3817500/) [Pashto Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pashto-afghanistan-3817499/) [Sons Meraat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons-meraat-3817498/)

## Related quotes

> [Whenever I have visited Afghanistan, I have spoken in Pashto. It's like a second home to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-kumar/whenever-i-have-visited-afghanistan-i-have-spoken-in-pashto-it-s-like/)

[Manoj Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-kumar/)

> [I am a peace supporting Jew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-am-a-peace-supporting-jew/)

[Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/)

> [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/)

[Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/)

[Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/)

> [A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/a-strong-responsible-israel-can-become-a-stabilizer-in-such-a/)

[Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/)

> [“Hitler invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Much to the bafflement of the Allies, however, Pope Pius XII said nothing. He refused to condemn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-shahrad/hitler-invaded-poland-on-1-september-1939-much-to-the-bafflement-of/)

[Cyrus Shahrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-shahrad/)

> [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/)

[Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/)

> [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/)

[Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/)

[Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/)

> [In the Green Zone in Iraq you have your radio, you have your food, you have your own electricity, your own toilets. Everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/in-the-green-zone-in-iraq-you-have-your-radio-you-have-your-food-you/)

[Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/)

> [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/)

[Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/)

> [Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/humanitarian-goods-and-people-must-flow-in-both-directions-gaza/)

[David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/)

## More by Jenny Nordberg

> [“Afghanistan, believed by anthropologists to be one of the original historical meeting places between the East and the West, has in fact seen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/afghanistan-believed-by-anthropologists-to-be-one-of-the-original/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“I hear her smiling when she describes her outfit: “I made myself fashionable. And diplomatic. They all took my picture. The BBC, Voice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/i-hear-her-smiling-when-she-describes-her-outfit-i-made-myself/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“In Afghanistan, not much is for certain other than an open sky and eventual death. In between the two is family.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/in-afghanistan-not-much-is-for-certain-other-than-an-open-sky-and/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“Since many donor countries required development projects—from agriculture to politics—to consider specifically how the lives of Afghan women were to be improved, Kabul had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/since-many-donor-countries-required-development-projects-from/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“The harem could not be supervised by men because they posed a potential threat to the women’s chastity and the king’s bloodline. These women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/the-harem-could-not-be-supervised-by-men-because-they-posed-a/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“Nancy had neither seen nor heard of girls who dressed as boys and could think of no documentation on the topic through all her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/nancy-had-neither-seen-nor-heard-of-girls-who-dressed-as-boys-and/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“Tell me,” I ask Siddiqua, “what is the secret to being married for so long?” She looks at me like I am clueless. “It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/tell-me-i-ask-siddiqua-what-is-the-secret-to-being-married-for-so/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“She could be dismissed as a dokhtar zai, or “she who only brings daughters.” Still, this is not as grave an insult as what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/she-could-be-dismissed-as-a-dokhtar-zai-or-she-who-only-brings/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“Those hundreds of “gender projects” funded by aid money might have been more effective if they had also included men. The fact that Westerners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/those-hundreds-of-gender-projects-funded-by-aid-money-might-have-been/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“It is not just a human rights argument, it is the Warren Buffett argument and the Christine Lagarde argument: Countries that want to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/it-is-not-just-a-human-rights-argument-it-is-the-warren-buffett/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“Louis Duprée described this contradiction in his work on Afghanistan: “Islam, in essence, is not a backward, anti-progressive, anti-modern religion, although many of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/louis-dupr-e-described-this-contradiction-in-his-work-on-afghanistan/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“When one gender is so unwanted, so despised, and so suppressed in a place where daughters are expressly unwanted, perhaps both the body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/when-one-gender-is-so-unwanted-so-despised-and-so-suppressed-in-a/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“The old Afghan expression zan, zar waa, zamin summarizes the ever-present threat against men’s personal property, which was always the main reason for taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/the-old-afghan-expression-zan-zar-waa-zamin-summarizes-the-ever/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“the gains of women in Afghanistan once again directly contributed to war, as their fate was mixed into the powder keg of tension between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/the-gains-of-women-in-afghanistan-once-again-directly-contributed-to/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

> [“The majority of marriages are still forced, honor killings are not unusual, and any involvement of the justice system in a rape case usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/the-majority-of-marriages-are-still-forced-honor-killings-are-not/)

[Jenny Nordberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

[Explore all 16 Jenny Nordberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/)

## More Israel quotes

> [Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/humanitarian-goods-and-people-must-flow-in-both-directions-gaza/)

[David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/)

> [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/)

[Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/)

> [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [In the Green Zone in Iraq you have your radio, you have your food, you have your own electricity, your own toilets. Everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/in-the-green-zone-in-iraq-you-have-your-radio-you-have-your-food-you/)

[Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/)

> [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/)

[Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/)

[Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/)

> [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/)

[Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/)

> [“Hitler invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Much to the bafflement of the Allies, however, Pope Pius XII said nothing. He refused to condemn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-shahrad/hitler-invaded-poland-on-1-september-1939-much-to-the-bafflement-of/)

[Cyrus Shahrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-shahrad/)

> [A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/a-strong-responsible-israel-can-become-a-stabilizer-in-such-a/)

[Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/)

> [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/)

[Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/)

[Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/)

> [I am a peace supporting Jew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-am-a-peace-supporting-jew/)

[Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/)

> [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/)

[James Cross Giblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cross-giblin/)

[Browse all 16,724 Israel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“In Pashto, Afghanistan’s second official language, there is even a deprecating name for a man who has no sons: He is a meraat, referring to the system where an inheritance, such as land assets, is almost exclusively passed on through a male lineage.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jenny Nordberg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official-language-there-is-even-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Israel"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official-language-there-is-even-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/jenny-nordberg-31717_quote_in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official_2043812.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/jenny-nordberg-31717_quote_in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official_2043812.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/jenny-nordberg-31717_quote_in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official_2043812.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In Pashto, Afghanistan’s second official language, there is even a deprecating name for a man who has no…” — Jenny Nordberg",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jenny Nordberg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-nordberg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“In Pashto, Afghanistan’s second official language,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official-language-there-is-even-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-nordberg/in-pashto-afghanistan-s-second-official-language-there-is-even-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
