Bihari Muslims

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Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Short description Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Bihari Muslims are adherents of Islam who identify linguistically, culturally, and genealogically as Biharis. They are geographically native to the region comprising the Bihar state of India, although there are significantly large communities of Bihari Muslims living elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent due to the partition of India in 1947, which prompted the community to migrate en masse from Bihar to the dominion of Pakistan (both West Pakistan and East Pakistan).[1][2]

Bihari Muslims make up a significant minority in Pakistan under the diverse community of Muhajirs (Template:Literal translation), and largely began arriving in the country following the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, which led to the secession of East Pakistan from the Pakistani union as the independent state of Bangladesh.

The majority of Bihari Muslims adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam and the adoption of the religion by Biharis traces back to the 14th century, when Afghan traders and Sufi missionaries began to arrive in the region a century prior to the Mughal conquest of India.[3] There are also a significant minority of Biharis who adhere to the Shia branch of Islam, largely residing in Patna and Gopalpur in Siwan, tracing their religious descent to Shia Muslim settlers of distant Persian ancestry from Lucknow in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, who arrived in the region during the 19th century.[4]

History

File:Sher Shah Suri Tomb.jpg
Sher Shah Suri Tomb in Sasaram. He was the founder of the Sur Empire and was born in Bihar to Pashtun parents.

The large-scale arrival of Muslims in Bihar began in the 14th century, when Turk traders and Sufi saints-warriors settled in the South Bihar plains and furthered the process of agricultural colonisation while also spreading Islam among the local populace. Muslims were not the only new immigrants to Bihar during this period. Inscriptions in Bihar Sharif tell of a Sufi warrior by the name of Malik Ibrahim Bayu who came to Bihar and defeated the non-Hindu Kol tribe who had been oppressing the local Muslims. He conquered many Kol chiefdoms.[5]

Some of the kings and chieftains of medieval Bihar were Muslim. The chieftaincy of Kharagpur Raj in modern-day Munger district was originally controlled by Hindu Rajputs. In 1615 after a failed rebellion by Raja Sangram Singh, his son, Toral Mal converted and he changed his name to Roz Afzun.[6]

The Faujdars of Purnea (also known as the Nawabs of Purnea) created an autonomous territory for themselves under the leadership of Saif Khan and ruled in parts of Eastern Bihar in the early 1700s. They were engaged in a protracted conflict with the neighbouring Kingdom of Nepal.[7]

Many Bihari Muslims migrated to West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) after the partition of India in 1947.[2][8] In the context of the 1971 war in Bangladesh, Biharis were seen as collaborators of the Pakistan Army and submitted to violence of all sorts. They then sought refuge in Pakistan. While the 1973–74 Delhi Agreement facilitated the repatriation of some refugees, only 144,800 non-Bengalis were repatriated to Pakistan, with over 258,000 left awaiting relocation. In Pakistan, many settled in Karachi's low-income neighborhoods such as Orangi Town, Korangi Town, Musa Colony, and others. However, these communities remained vulnerable, particularly during ethnic conflicts like the Qasba-Aligarh Colony Massacre in 1986. Repatriation efforts slowed significantly after 1982, with only 15,000 Biharis resettled in Pakistan by then. A brief resumption in 1993 resulted in the transfer of just 53 families before protests halted the process again.[9] This has led to the issue of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, Biharis faced legal and social barriers to citizenship. It was not until a 2008 Supreme Court ruling that Biharis born after 1971, or who were minors at the time, were granted Bangladeshi citizenship and voting rights.[10]

Distribution by district

The following table shows the Muslim population of Bihar by district:[11]Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Number District Population (2001) Muslim population Percentage
1 Kishanganj 1,796,348 1,123,456 68%
2 Katihar 2,392,638 1,024,678 43%
3 Araria 2,158,608 887,972 42%
4 Purnia 2,543,942 935,239 38%
5 Darbhanga 3,295,789 748,971 23%
6 Sitamarhi 2,682,720 568,992 21%
7 West Champaran 3,043,466 646,597 21%
8 East Champaran 3,939,773 755,005 19%
9 Bhagalpur 2,423,172 423,246 18%
10 Madhubani 3,575,281 941,579 18%
11 Siwan 2,714,349 494,176 18%
12 Gopalganj 2,152,638 367,219 17%
13 Supaul 1,732,578 302,120 17%
14 Sheohar 515,961 80,076 16%
15 Muzaffarpur 4,746,714 752,358 15%
16 Saharsa 1,508,182 217,922 14%
17 Begusarai 2,349,366 313,713 13%
18 Banka 1,608,773 190,051 12%
19 Gaya 3,473,428 403,439 13%
20 Jamui 1,398,796 170,334 12%
21 Nawada 1,809,696 204,457 11%
22 Madhepura 1,526,646 173,605 11%
23 Aurangabad 2,013,055 221,436 11%
24 Kaimur 1,289,074 123,048 10%
25 Khagaria 1,280,354 131,441 10%
26 Rohtas 2,450,748 246,760 10%
27 Samastipur 3,394,793 355,897 10%
28 Saran 3,248,701 337,767 10%
29 Vaishali 2,718,421 259,158 10%
30 Jehanabad 1,514,315 124,149 8%
31 Munger 1,337,797 98,791 7.4%
32 Patna 4,718,592 366,164 8%
33 Bhojpur 2,243,144 163,193 7%
34 Nalanda 2,370,528 176,871 7%
35 Sheikhpura 525,502 37,755 7%
37 Buxar 1,402,396 86,382 6%
38 Lakhisarai 802,225 35,378 4%

Sum total of this table is 14,780,500 Muslims out of 83.0 million total population in 2001 census, hence Muslims were 16.5% of total population in Bihar. In 2011 census, total population grew to 103.9985 million, of which 16.9% or 17,557,809 were Muslims.[12] During 2001–2011, Muslims grew by 33.433%, while non-Muslims grew by 23.537%. District-wise break up by religions for 2011 is not available.

Kishanganj is the only district in Bihar with a Muslim majority.

Muslim communities

In common with the rest of India, the Muslims in Bihar are largely descendants of native converts from various castes.[13] The rise of the Indian Muslim population can be traced back to the early 12th century, with many conversions to Islam taking place during the rule of the Sur Empire, which had established its capital in Sasaram.[14]

Statistics

As per the 2022 Bihar caste-based survey, the population of major Muslim castes in Bihar was as follows:

Caste Categorization Population Population as a percentage of total population of Bihar
Shaikh General 4995897 3.821675389
Momin (Muslim) (Julaha/Ansari) EBC 4634245 3.545025061
Surjapuri Muslim (except Shaikh, Syed, Mallick, Mirza, Baig, Mughal, Pathan) (only for Purnia, Katihar, Kishangunj and Araria districts) BC 2446212 1.871261196
Dhuniya (Muslim) EBC 1888192 1.444396651
Rayeen or Kunjra (Muslim) EBC 1828584 1.398798748
Shershahbadi EBC 1302644 0.99647421
Kulhaiya EBC 1253781 0.959095832
Pathan (Khan) General 986665 0.754762027
Sai/Faqeer/Diwan/Madar (Muslim) EBC 663197 0.507321038
Dhobi (Muslim) EBC 409796 0.313478698
Idrisi or Darzi (Muslim) EBC 329661 0.252178404
Syed General 297975 0.227939792
Chudihar (Muslim) EBC 207914 0.159046477
Thakurai (Muslim) EBC 147482 0.112818245
Qasab (Qasai) (Muslim) EBC 133807 0.102357378
Bhat (Muslim) BC 89052 0.068121468
Madariya (Muslim) (only for Sanhaul block of Bhagalpur and Dhoriya block of Banka) BC 86658 0.066290147
Daphali (Muslim) EBC 73259 0.05604041
Mehtar, Lalbegi, Halalkhor, Bhangi (Muslim) EBC 69914 0.05348161
Morshikar EBC 66607 0.050951878
Pamaria (Muslim) EBC 64890 0.049638437
Nat (Muslim) EBC 61629 0.047143893
Gaddi BC 57617 0.044074862
Mukairi (Muslim) EBC 56522 0.043237228
Cheeq (Muslim) EBC 50404 0.038557185
Jat Muslim (Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Khagaria and Araria) BC 44949 0.034384313
Rangrez (Muslim) EBC 43347 0.033158843
Bakho (Muslim) EBC 36830 0.02817358
Bhathiyara (Muslim) EBC 27263 0.020855181
Saikalgarg (Muslim) EBC 18936 0.014485336
Qadar EBC 18121 0.013861891
Miriyasin (Muslim) EBC 15415 0.011791902
Nalband (Muslim) EBC 11900 0.009103057
Madari (Muslim) EBC 11620 0.008888868
Abdal EBC 11433 0.00874582
Itfarosh/Itafarosh/Gadheri/Itpaz Ibrahimi (Muslim) EBC 9462 0.007238078
Qalandar EBC 7873 0.006022552
Qaghzi BC 2360 0.001805312

The Iraqi/Kalal was counted as a subset of Bania caste. Prominent members of the Kalal community had protested against the state government and demanded a separate categorization.

Notable Bihari Muslims

File:Maulvi Khuda Bakhsh.jpg
Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh

References

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External links

Template:Indian Muslim Template:Muhajir communities

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