The Untold Story of Afghanistan’s Forgotten Inventors and Innovators

When the world thinks of Afghanistan, it’s usually through the lens of war, politics, or humanitarian crises. Lost in the noise are the quieter, forgotten voices of the past—brilliant minds who once pushed the boundaries of innovation, science, and creativity in ways that shaped not only Afghanistan but, at times, the broader region.

This is the untold story of Afghanistan’s forgotten inventors and innovators—men and women who contributed to mathematics, engineering, medicine, architecture, and art, but whose names rarely appear in history books or classrooms.

The Ingenious Minds of Ancient Balkh

Long before Kabul became the cultural and political center, Balkh—one of the oldest cities in the world—served as a hub of intellectual thought. Known in ancient texts as “the mother of cities,” it was home to thinkers, poets, and scholars whose ideas traveled across continents via the Silk Road.

Among them was Al-Farabi, born in the 9th century near Balkh. Although often associated with Persian intellectual tradition, Al-Farabi was an Afghan by birth who contributed enormously to philosophy, music theory, and political science. He is sometimes referred to as the “Second Teacher,” second only to Aristotle in his influence on medieval philosophical thought.

His designs for early musical instruments and treatises on sound frequencies foreshadowed aspects of modern acoustic science. But how often do Afghan students today hear his name spoken in the same breath as Einstein or Da Vinci?

The Forgotten Engineer of Herat

During the Timurid Renaissance in Herat—a time of stunning cultural revival—an inventor known simply as Mahmood Herawi was rumored to have designed an early form of windmill and irrigation system that allowed water to be lifted from underground sources. Locals passed down the knowledge orally, and though no formal records remain, remnants of his work can still be found in the rural outskirts of the region.

His designs helped farmers in dry areas irrigate crops using mechanical techniques powered by wind and animal force—centuries before such systems were documented in other parts of the world. Mahmood never wrote a book. He left no treatise. But for generations, his ingenuity fed families.

The Hidden Women of Innovation

Afghanistan’s history is not only shaped by men. Though historical bias and gender norms have erased many women’s contributions, fragments of stories remain.

One such tale is that of Bibi Rabia Balkhi, believed to be a mathematician and astronomer in the 11th century. Though written evidence of her work is rare, oral traditions from Northern Afghanistan speak of a woman who developed astronomical charts used for both navigation and agriculture. Some of her diagrams were said to have been destroyed during invasions, while others were later attributed to male scholars.

Her existence challenges the notion that Afghan women were always excluded from the sciences. Instead, she reminds us that they were often hidden—not absent.

Art Meets Innovation: The Calligraphers and Architects

While modern technology and engineering take the spotlight today, in the medieval Islamic world, artistry was a form of intellectual invention. Afghanistan’s rich architectural heritage—particularly its majestic mosques, minarets, and palaces—bears witness to that.

Take the Minaret of Jam, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Ghor province, standing since the 12th century. It rises 65 meters with intricate brickwork and Kufic inscriptions that required advanced mathematical calculations and precise craftsmanship.

Historians believe that a group of architects and mathematicians from the Ghurid Empire collaborated on its construction, using early forms of trigonometry and symmetry design to create a structure that has withstood centuries of earthquakes and conflict. Yet the names of these creators have been largely forgotten.

Innovation in the Shadows of Modern Conflict

Even in the 20th and 21st centuries, Afghan inventors have continued to rise—often in the shadows. A teenager from Kandahar once built a functioning drone prototype using scrap metal and plastic in the early 2010s. In Kabul, a young woman developed a water purification system using crushed brick and charcoal, aiming to bring clean water to rural villages.

Though their projects were rarely funded or recognized globally, they demonstrate an unbreakable spirit of creativity. What could they achieve with resources, stability, and recognition?

Why We Must Remember

To forget these inventors is to erase a vital part of Afghanistan’s identity. The narrative that positions Afghans solely as victims or warriors is incomplete. We are also builders, thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers.

Remembering these innovators does more than rewrite history—it inspires the future. When young Afghans learn that their ancestors calculated stars, irrigated deserts, and built minarets that still stand tall, they begin to see themselves not as inheritors of destruction, but of genius.

Reclaiming the Legacy

The task now is to reclaim these stories. Universities can integrate them into curricula. Artists can bring them to life through film and illustration. Communities can celebrate local inventors and reintroduce their contributions to a new generation.

Innovation doesn’t always wear a lab coat or speak at TED Talks. Sometimes, it lives in oral stories, in dusty manuscripts, in the quiet resilience of a village tinkerer.

Conclusion

Afghanistan’s future lies not just in rebuilding what was lost, but in remembering what was always ours. The inventors, thinkers, and creators of our past are not gone—they are simply waiting to be rediscovered. Their legacy is not buried in rubble, but in memory.

And memory, when honored, becomes a force of innovation in itself.