Islam in West Bengal

2026-04-27T05:28:03Z

82.132.227.179:

{{Short description|none}} 
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox religious group
| group = Muslims in West Bengal
| image = Nakhoda Masjid Courtyard Top View.jpg
| caption = [[Nakhoda Mosque|Nakhoda Masjid, Kolkata]]
| total =
| regions = '''Majority''' {{plainlist| [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]] (66.3%) • [[Maldah district|Maldah]] (51.3%) • [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]] (50%)}}
'''Significant minority''' {{plainlist|[[Birbhum district|Birbhum]] (37.1%) • [[South 24 Parganas]] (35.6%) • [[Nadia District|Nadia]] (26.76%) • [[Howrah District|Howrah]] (26.20%) • [[North 24 Parganas]] (25.82%) }}
| langs = Majority [[Bengali language|Bengali]], Minority [[Urdu]], [[Surjapuri]], and others
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| religions = [[File:Star and Crescent.svg|15px|link=]] [[Sunni Islam]]
| related_groups =
| rawimage =
|population=24,654,825 (2011 census) <br /> (27% of the state population){{increase}}<ref name="indiaonlinepages-population">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiaonlinepages.com/population/west-bengal-population.html|title = Population of West Bengal - West Bengal Population 2021}}</ref><ref name="india-census">{{cite web | url=https://www.indiacensus.net/states/west-bengal | title=West Bengal Population 2022 }}</ref><ref>[http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/India_at_glance/religion.aspx Census of India - Religious Composition]</ref>}}
{{Islam}}
[[File:Motijheel Masjid 1.jpg|thumb|Motijheel Mosque, the oldest mosque of West Bengal, located in [[Murshidabad district]]]]

According to the 2011 census, [[West Bengal]] has over 24.6 million [[Muslims]], making up 27% of the state's population. The vast majority of Muslims in West Bengal are ethnic [[Bengali Muslims]], numbering around over 22 million and comprising 24.1% of the state population (mostly they reside in Rural areas). There also exists an [[Urdu-speaking people|Urdu]]-speaking Muslim community numbering 1.66 million, constituting 2.9% of the state population and mostly resides in Urban areas of the state.<ref>[https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/]</ref>

Muslims form the majority of the population in three districts: [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]], [[Malda district|Malda]] and [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]].<ref name="Saibal">{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bengal-beats-India-in-Muslim-growth-rate/articleshow/48675987.cms |title=Bengal beats India in Muslim growth rate |author=Saibal Sen |date=26 August 2015}}</ref> Among these, Uttar Dinajpur is notable as ethnic Bengali Muslims comprise 28% of the district's population, with the remaining 22% being Urdu and [[Surjapuri language|Surjapuri]] speakers.<ref>{{Cite web|last=hajarduar|date=2013-10-22|title=The curious case of the Surjapuri people|url=https://alalodulal.org/2013/10/22/the-curious-case-of-the-surjapuri-people/|access-date=2022-01-22|website=আলাল ও দুলাল {{!}} ALAL O DULAL|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|Bengal Sultanate}}{{See also|Nawabs of Bengal and Murshidabad}}
[[File:Zafar Khan Ghazi Mosque And Dargah at Tribeni in West Bengal.jpg|thumb|The Gazi Dargah (গাজী দরগা) of Tribeni (ত্রিবেনী) in West Bengal. This is one of the oldest Islamic heritage structures of Bengal]]
[[File:Hussain_Shahis_of_Bengal.png|thumb|Historical Bengal sultanate]]

[[Islam]] first arrived in Bengal in the year 1204.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eaton |first1=Richard M. |title=The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204-1760 |date=1993 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-20507-9 |edition=1 |url=https://archive.org/details/riseofislambenga00eato |url-access=registration}}</ref> The establishment of the first Muslim state in Bengal, the [[Bengal Sultanate]], in 1352 by [[Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah]] is credited to giving rise to a Bengali socio-linguistic identity.<ref name="Ahmed, ABM Shamsuddin">{{cite Banglapedia|article=Iliyas Shah|author=Ahmed, ABM Shamsuddin}}</ref> The Sultanate's influence was expansive, with the Hindu-born sultan [[Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah]] funding the construction of Islamic institutions as far as [[Makkah]] Al Mukarramah and [[Madinah]] Al Munawwarah, which came to be known as [[Banjaliyah Madrasah|al-Madaris al-Banjaliyyah]] (''Bengali madrasas''). [[Sufism|Sufis]] also became prominent in this period, such as [[Usman Serajuddin]], also known as ''Akhi Siraj Bengali'', who was a native of [[Gauḍa (city)|Gaur]] in western Bengal and became the Sultanate's court scholar during [[Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah|Ilyas Shah]]'s reign.<ref>{{cite book |author=[['Abd al-Haqq al-Dehlawi]] |title=Akhbarul Akhyar}}</ref><ref name="bpedia">{{cite Banglapedia|article=Shaikh Akhi Sirajuddin Usman (R)|author=Abdul Karim}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Hanif, N |title=Biographical Encyclopaedia of Sufis: South Asia |publisher=Prabhat Kumar Sharma, for Sarup & Sons |year=2000 |page=35}}</ref> Alongside Persian and Arabic, the Sultanate also used the [[Bengali language]] to gain patronage and support, contrary to previous states which exclusively favored [[liturgical language]]s such as [[Sanskrit]] and [[Pali]].<ref name="banglalang">"What is more significant, a contemporary Chinese traveler reported that although Persian was understood by some in the court, the language in universal use there was Bengali. This points to the waning, although certainly not yet the disappearance, of the sort of [[Cosmopolitanism|cosmopolitan]] mentality that the Muslim ruling class in Bengal had exhibited since its arrival over two centuries earlier. It also points to the survival and eventual dominance of [[Parochialism|parochial]] Bengali culture at the highest level of official society." {{harvcol|Eaton|1993|p=60}}</ref><ref name="jol">{{cite journal |last=Rabbani |first=AKM Golam |date=7 November 2017 |title=Politics and Literary Activities in the Bengali Language during the Independent Sultanate of Bengal |url=https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/DUJL/article/view/3344 |url-status=live |journal=Dhaka University Journal of Linguistics |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=151–166 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011123110/https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/DUJL/article/view/3344 |archive-date=11 October 2017 |access-date=7 November 2017 |via=www.banglajol.info}}</ref> [[Islam]] became especially widespread when the region was under [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] rule from 1576 to 1765 and was commonly known as [[Bengal Subah]].{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} The [[Mughal Emperor]]s considered Bengal their most prized province. The [[Mughal emperors|Mughal emperor]] [[Emperor Akbar|Akbar]] is credited with developing the modern [[Bengali calendar]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Shoaib Daniyal |url=http://scroll.in/article/720351/bengali-new-year-how-akbar-invented-the-modern-bengali-calendar |title=Bengali New Year: how Akbar invented the modern Bengali calendar |website=Scroll.in |date=15 April 2015 |access-date=7 November 2016}}</ref>

== Population ==
{{Historical populations
|title = Historical Muslim Population in West Bengal
|type =
|footnote =
|align = right
|width =
|state =
|shading =
|pop_name =
|percentages =
|source = <ref name="BPSR_2019">{{cite news |url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2342/1/U615290.pdf |title=The Population Trajectories of Bangladesh and West Bengal During the Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study |author=Nahid Kamal}}</ref>
|1901 | 3,954,776
|1911 | 2,955,098
|1921 | 4,101,516
|1931 | 4,521,313
|1941 | 5,506,442
|1951 | 4,402,330
|1961 | 5,515,348
|1971 | 7,983,963
|1981 | 9,743,209
|1991 | 12,050,000
|2001 | 18,240,543
|2011 | 24,654,825
}}

As per as Indian Census figures, The Muslim population in West Bengal has increased from 19.85 per cent in 1951 to 27 per cent in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bhattacharya |first=Snigdhendu |date=12 May 2023 |title=The Politics of Demography in Assam and West Bengal |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/national/politicising-demography-magazine-284973 |website=Outlook}}</ref>

===Partition and immigration===
{{See also|Partition of Bengal (1947)}}
The Muslim population in West Bengal before 1947 partition was around 33%.<ref name="core.ac.uk">{{cite news |title=Muslims of West Bengal |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/144521229.pdf |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=core.ac.uk}}</ref> After [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partition of Bengal]] in 1947, some Muslims from [[West Bengal]] left for [[East Pakistan]], (Present-Day-[[Bangladesh]]). Estimates show that 1,634,718 Muslim refugees from West Bengal settling permanently in East Pakistan during 1947–1951.<ref name="Chatterji-2007">{{cite book |last=Chatterji |first=Joya |date=2007 |title=The Spoils of Partition: Bengal and India, 1947–1967 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FjQ0iWSq2R0C |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-46830-5}}</ref>

=== Population by district (2011) ===

[[File:Percentage of Muslim population in West Bengal.svg|thumb|Percentage share of Muslims in the districts of West Bengal, 2011 Census]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Muslims in West Bengal by district (2011)<ref name="census_2011">[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW19C-01%20MDDS.XLS Population by religious community: West Bengal]. 2011 Census of India.</ref>
! # || District || Total population || Muslim population || %
|-
| 1 || [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]] || 7,103,807 || 4,707,573 || 66.27%
|-
| 2 || [[South 24 Parganas district|South 24 Parganas]] || 8,161,961 || 2,903,075 || 35.57%
|-
| 3 || [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]] || 10,009,781 || 2,584,684 || 25.82%
|-
| 4 || [[Malda district|Malda]] || 3,988,845 || 2,045,151 || 51.27%
|-
| 5 || [[Bardhaman district|Bardhaman]] || 7,717,563 || 1,599,764 || 20.73%
|-
| 6 || [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]] || 3,007,134 || 1,501,170 ||49.92%
|-
| 7 || [[Nadia district|Nadia]] || 5,167,600 || 1,382,682 || 26.76%
|-
| 8 || [[Birbhum district|Birbhum]] || 3,502,404 || 1,298,054 || 37.06%
|-
| 9 || [[Howrah district|Howrah]] || 4,850,029 || 1,270,641 || 26.20%
|-
| 10 || [[Kolkata district|Kolkata]] || 4,496,694 || 926,414 || 20.60%
|-
| 11 || [[Hooghly district|Hooghly]] || 5,519,145 || 870,204 || 15.77%
|-
| 12 || [[Purba Medinipur district|Purba Medinipur]] || 5,095,875 || 743,436 || 14.59%
|-
| 13 || [[Cooch Behar district|Cooch Behar]] || 2,819,086 || 720,033 || 25.54%
|-
| 14 || [[Paschim Medinipur district|Paschim Medinipur]] || 5,913,457 || 620,554 ||10.49%
|-
| 15 || [[Jalpaiguri district|Jalpaiguri]] || 3,872,846 || 445,817 || 11.51%
|-
| 16 || [[Dakshin Dinajpur district|Dakshin Dinajpur]] || 1,676,276 || 412,788 || 24.63%
|-
| 17 || [[Bankura district|Bankura]] || 3,596,674 || 290,450 || 8.08%
|-
| 18 || [[Purulia district|Purulia]] || 2,930,115 || 227,249 || 7.76%
|-
| 19 || [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]] || 1,846,823 || 105,086 || 5.69%
|}

=== Linguistic groups ===
According to the census, there were around 24.6 million [[Bengali Muslims|Muslims]] living in [[West Bengal]], comprising 27% of the state's population. Nearly most of them, about 22 million are native [[Bengali Muslims]], constituting around 90% of the total Muslim population in the state, and are mostly concentrated in rural and Semi Urban areas. The [[Urdu-speaking]] [[Muslims]] from [[Bihar]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]] constitute rest, numbering around 2.6 million and are mainly concentrated in [[Kolkata]], [[Asansol]], [[Islampur subdivision]] of West Bengal.[https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/]

==Notable Muslims from West Bengal==
*[[Murshid Quli Khan]], the first [[Nawab of Bengal]], Murshidaabad.
*[[Siraj ud-Daulah]], last independent [[nawab of Bengal]], Murshidaabad.
*[[Alivardi Khan]], [[Nawab of Bengal]], Murshidaabad.
*[[Titumir]], Indian Bengali Revolutionary, Barasat, North 24 Parganas
*[[Kazi Nazrul Islam]], Bengali poet and music lyricist composer, writer known as Bidrohi Kobi, Aasansol.
*[[Begum Rokeya]], Bengali feminist thinker, writer, Philanthropist in Pre Independent India, Belgharia.
*[[Alimuddin Ahmad]], Bengali Freedom Fighter in Pre Independent India, Kolkata
*[[Syed Badrudduja]], [[List of mayors of Kolkata|Mayor of Kolkata]]
*[[Syed Mustafa Siraj]], Indian Bengali Writer, Murshidaabad
*[[Masudur Rahman Baidya]], First physically disabled Asian swimmer to cross the English Channel.
*[[Mohammed Ali Qamar]] is a first Bengali Indian to win a gold medal in [[Commonwealth Games]], Kolkata.
*[[Abu Sayeed Ayyub]], [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] winner Writer, literary critic, Educator in Kolkata.
*[[Abul Bashar]], [[Banga Bhushan]] winner Novelist, Poet
*[[Farha Khatun]] is a National Awarded [[documentary film]]maker, Kolkata
*[[Muhammad Mohsin]], Philanthropist and Educator.

===Kolkata===
* [[Wajid Ali Shah]], last king of calcutta from Lucknow.
* [[Abu Sayeed Ayyub]], Indian philosopher, teacher, literary critic and writer.
* [[Altamas Kabir]], Indian former [[Chief Justice of India]]
* [[Alimuddin Ahmad]], Indian Freedom Fighter
* [[Abdul Masood]], Indian Former cricketer.
* [[Gauri Ayyub]], Indian Teacher and Social activists
* [[Hashim Abdul Halim]], Indian Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly
* [[Mohammed Ali Qamar]], [[Boxer (boxing)|boxer]], medalist in [[Commonwealth Games]].
* [[Mohammad Hamid Ansari]], former [[Vice President of India]]
* [[Mohammed Salim (footballer)]], Indian footballer
* [[Mohammed Salim (politician)]], The Minister for Technical Education and Training, Youth Welfare
* [[Muzaffar Ahmad]], Indian journalist, essaist, and a co-founder of the Communist Party of India.
* [[Nusrat Jahan]], Indian Bengali Actress.
* [[Firhad Hakim]], [[Mayors of Kolkata|Mayor]] of [[Kolkata]], MIC Urban Development and Municipal Affairs
* [[Begum Rokeya]], Bengali feminist thinker, writer, Philanthropist
* [[Farha Khatun]], [[67th National Film Awards]] Winner [[Documentary film|Documentary Filmmaker]]
* [[Sultan Ahmed (Indian politician)|Sultan Ahmed (politician)]], Indian politician and former Union Minister of State Tourism.
* [[Noor Alam Chowdhury]], Former Minister of Animal Resources Development.
* [[Mohammed Rafique (footballer)]], Indian footballer
* [[Sahil Khan]], Indian gymnast and model of India
* [[Nafisa Ali]], Indian actress, politician and social activist
* [[Pinky Lilani]], Indian author, motivational speaker, food expert and women's advocate
* [[Rupam Islam]], Founder of Bengali rock music band [[Fossils (band)|Fossils]]
* [[Kabir Suman]], Indian Musician, lyricist, Former Journalists & Actor
* [[Kazi Masum Akhtar]], Educator and writer and [[Padma Shri]] winner.
* [[Shehla Pervin]], Indian Scientist

===Malda===
* [[Shahzada Barbak]], the [[Sultan of Bengal]]
* [[Saifuddin Firuz Shah]], the [[Sultan of Bengal]]
* [[Alaul Haq]], Bengali Islamic scholar
* [[Ghulam Husain Salim]], Historian
* [[Usman Serajuddin]], Bengali Islamic scholar
* [[A B A Ghani Khan Choudhury]], former [[Railways Minister (India)]]
* [[Mausam Noor]] former [[Member of Indian Parliament|M.P]] of [[Maldaha Uttar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Maldaha Uttar]]
* [[Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury]] [[Member of Indian Parliament|M.P]] of [[Maldaha Dakshin (Lok Sabha constituency)|Maldaha Dakshin]] and Ex-State Health Minister
* [[Isha Khan Choudhury]] current [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly|M.L.A]] of [[Sujapur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)]]
* [[Abu Nasar Khan Choudhury]] Ex-[[West Bengal Legislative Assembly|M.L.A]] of [[Sujapur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)]] and Ex-Minister of Science and Technology
* [[Sabina Yeasmin]] current [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly|M.L.A]] of [[Mothabari]] and Minister of North Bengal Development, Irrigation Department
* [[Rubi Noor]] former three times [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly|M.L.A]] of [[Sujapur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)]]

===Murshidabad===
*[[Murshid Quli Khan]], the first [[Nawab of Bengal]]
*[[Alivardi Khan]], [[Nawab of Bengal]]
*[[Amina Begum]], Princess of Bengal.
*[[Siraj ud-Daulah]], last independent [[nawab of Bengal]]
*[[Abul Hayat]], actor
*[[Mir Afsar Ali]], radio jockey, actor
*[[Abdul Alim]], folk singer, songwriter
*[[Rabiul Alam]], actor
*[[Baby Islam]], cinematographer and director
*[[Syed Mustafa Siraj]], Bengali writer
*[[Mujibar Rahaman]], Bengali Documentary Filmmaker
*[[Moinul Hassan]], writer, member of [[Parliament of India]]
*[[Mabinul Haq]], Bengali writer
*[[Moniruddin Khan]], Bengali poet and writer
*[[Abul Bashar]], Bengali writer
*[[Syed Badrudduja]], Former [[mayor of Kolkata]]
*[[Jahanara Imam]], writer and political activist
*[[Zainal Abedin]], politician and four time former MP of Jangipur
*[[Niamot Sheikh]], M.L.A of Hariharpara, [[Hariharpara]]
*[[Babar Ali (teacher)]], "youngest headmaster in the world" by BBC

===Hooghly===
* [[Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique]], was a Bengali Islamic scholar and the inaugural Pir of [[Furfura Sharif]], West Bengal
* [[Abdul Mannan (West Bengal politician)|Abdul Mannan]], politician
* [[Muhammad Mohsin]], Bengali social reformer, Islamic scholar, philanthropist
* [[Syed Rahim Nabi]], retired professional Indian international footballer who primarily played as a midfielder though he could play as a striker and defender.
* [[Abbas Siddiqui]], founder of [[Indian Secular Front]]
* [[Nawsad Siddique]], politician

===Bardhaman===
* [[Kazi Nazrul Islam]], Bengali poet and music lyricist composer, writer known as Bidrohi Kobi.
*[[Abul Hashim]], Islamic thinker and Freedom Fighter.
*[[Abdullah el Baqui]], Bengali Islamic scholar, writer, Freedom Fighter.
*[[Nawab Abdul Jabbar]], Indian bureaucrat, Social worker.
*[[Sheikh Saidul Haque]], The first and incumbent M.P. from Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency.
*[[Abu Ayesh Mondal]], Former chairman of West Bengal Minority Development & Finance Corporation.
* [[Siddiqullah Chowdhury]], politician, minister and president Of [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind]].

===Birbhum===
*[[Rezaul Karim (lawyer)|Rezaul Karim]], Nationalist.
*[[Ekram Ali]], Bengali poet
*[[Mosarraf Hossain]], Member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly
*[[Manirul Islam (Indian politician)]],

===North 24 Parganas===
* [[Titumir]] One of the First Bengali Freedom Fighter
* [[Azizul Haque (educator)]], Educationist, Education minister for Bengal .
* [[Mohammad Akram Khan]], Bengali journalist,
* [[Masudur Rahman Baidya]], Bengali swimmer.
* [[Sheikh Sahil]], Footballer
* [[Rafikul Islam Mondal]] Indian politician, MLA from the [[Basirhat Uttar]].
* [[Haji Nurul Islam]] Indian politician, MLA from the [[Haroa Assembly constituency|Haroa]].
* [[Abdur Rahim Quazi]] Indian politician, MLA from the [[Baduria Assembly constituency|Baduria]].
* [[ATM Abdullah]] Indian politician.

===South 24 Parganas===
* [[Abul Hasnat (Magrahat Paschim politician)|Abul Hasnat]], Bengali physician .
* [[Abdur Razzak Molla]], Former Minister for Land and Land Reforms
* [[Firdousi Begum]], First Lady MLA of [[Sonarpur Uttar]]

===Howrah===
*[[Azangachhi Shaheb]], Indian Sufi saint.
*[[Afsar Amed]], Writer
*[[Hannan Mollah]], social worker and MLA

===Uttar Dinajpur===
*[[Abdul Karim Chowdhury]], Bengali Former Politician, Ex Minister for Mass Education Extension and Library Services.

===Midanapur===
*[[Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy]], Bengali Educationist.
*[[Khujista Akhtar Banu]], writer, social reformer.
*[[Begum Badar un nissa Akhtar]], Indian social reformer.
*[[Zahid Suhrawardy]], jurist and lawyer.
*[[Hasan Shaheed Suhrawardy]], Translator, art critic, Diplomat.
*[[Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy]], [[Prime Minister of Bengal|Prime minister of Bengal]].

===Cooch Behar===
*[[Abbasuddin Ahmed]], Folk singer and Composer.
*[[Ferdausi Rahman]], Folk singer
*[[Hussain Muhammad Ershad]], military officer and politician who served as President of Bangladesh.

=== Jalpaiguri===
*[[Khaleda Zia]], politician who served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

===Nadia===
* [[Mohammad Mozammel Huq]], Poet, novelist
* [[I'tisam-ud-Din]], linguistic, Munshi in Mughal period.
* [[Azizunnessa Khatun]], a Bengali poet, writer, and philanthropist.
* [[Nurun Nahar Faizannesa]], Feminist.

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Islam}}
* [[Islam in Bangladesh]]
* [[Bengali Muslims]]
* [[Islam in India]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}

{{Islam in India by region}}

[[Category:Islam in West Bengal| ]]
[[Category:Islam in India by state or union territory|West Bengal]]

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Islam in West Bengal