2607:9880:4030:A8:959A:ACD2:36FB:CC8E at 22:02, 3 July 2021

2021-07-03T22:02:37Z

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{{Short description|Adherents of Islam who identify linguistically, culturally, and genealogically as Biharis}}
{{for|Bihari Muslims who settled in Pakistan|Muhajir people}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{infobox ethnic group|
| group = Bihari Muslims
| image =
| caption =
| population =
| popplace = Across [[Bihar]], predominantly in [[Karachi]] and other large cities across [[List of cities in India by population|India]] and [[List of most populous cities in Pakistan|Pakistan]]
| langs = [[Urdu]], [[Hindustani language|Hindi]], various [[Bihari languages]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Case of Bhojpuri and Hindi in Mauritius|url=http://www.lexpress.mu/article/case-bhojpuri-and-hindi-mauritius|publisher=lexpress.mu|date=27 July 2007|access-date=26 September 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927140853/http://www.lexpress.mu/article/case-bhojpuri-and-hindi-mauritius|archive-date=27 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| rels = [[File:Star and Crescent.svg|15px|link=]] [[Islam]]
| related = Other [[Biharis]]
}}
'''Bihari Muslims''' are adherents of [[Islam]] who identify [[Ethnic language|linguistically]], [[Culture|culturally]], and [[Genealogy|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|Partition of British India]] in {{Date|1947}}, which prompted the community to migrate en masse from Bihar to [[East Pakistan]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Khan|first=Engr Imtiaz Alam|date=2019-12-15|title=HISTORY: THE FALL OF DHAKA FROM BIHARI EYES|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1522385|access-date=2021-05-04|website=DAWN.COM|language=en}}</ref> Bihari Muslims make up a significant minority in [[Pakistan]] under the diverse community of [[Muhajir people|Muhajirs]] ({{Literal translation|migrants}}), and largely began arriving in the country following the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] of {{Date|1971}}, which led to the secession of East Pakistan from the Pakistani union as the independent state of [[Bangladesh]]. Since {{Date|1971}}, Bihari Muslims residing in Bangladesh are widely referred to as [[Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh]] who are awaiting repatriation to Pakistan,<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Pictures: Plight of Biharis in Bangladesh|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2014/3/26/in-pictures-plight-of-biharis-in-bangladesh|access-date=2021-05-04|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Zakaria|first=Anam|title=Remembering the war of 1971 in East Pakistan|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/12/16/remembering-the-war-of-1971-in-east-pakistan|access-date=2021-05-04|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref> and have [[Persecution of Biharis in Bangladesh|faced heightened persecution]] in the country due to their collaboration with [[West Pakistan|West Pakistani]] forces in perpetrating the [[1971 Bangladesh genocide]] against [[Bengalis]] and [[Hindus]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Report Submitted to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives and Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate by the Department of State in Accordance with Sections 116(d) and 502B(b) of the Foreign Assistance 1961, as Amended S. prt|publisher=[[United States Department of State|U.S. Department of State]]|year=1998|location=United States|pages=1869|quote=Approximately 240,000 Bihari Muslims live in various camps around the country; they have remained in the country since 1971 awaiting settlement in Pakistan. Biharis are non-Bengali Muslims who emigrated to what was formerly East Pakistan during the 1947 partition of British India. Most supported Pakistan during Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence. They later declined to accept Bangladesh citizenship and asked to be repatriated to Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan historically has been reluctant to accept the Biharis. During a visit to Dhaka in January, the Pakistani Prime Minister announced that Pakistan would be willing to assist in their repatriation, but no repatriation occurred during that year.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Times|first=Kasturi Rangan Special to The New York|date=1971-12-22|title=Bengalis Hunt Down Biharis, Who Aided Foe|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/22/archives/bengalis-hunt-down-biharis-who-aided-foe.html|access-date=2021-05-04|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Biharis|url=https://minorityrights.org/minorities/biharis/|access-date=2021-05-04|website=Minority Rights Group|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Jacob|first=Frank|date=2019|title=Genocide and Mass Violence in Asia – Bangladesh|url=https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/id/37dd3ed8-2728-428e-a188-2945d2bb8e0c/1006594.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=4 May 2021|website=OAPEN Online Library and Publication Platform}}</ref>

The majority of Bihari Muslims adhere to the [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] branch of Islam, and the adoption of the religion by Biharis traces back to the {{Date|14th century}}, when [[Afghan]] traders and [[Sufism in India|Sufi]] missionaries began to arrive in the region a century prior to the [[Mughal Empire]]'s conquest of the subcontinent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=znJuAAAAMAAJ&q=sunni+shia+bihar|title=Bihar|first=Ram Chandra|last=Prasad|date=7 November 1983|publisher=National Book Trust, India|via=Google Books}}</ref> There are also a significant minority of Biharis who adhere to the [[Shia Islam|Shia]] branch of Islam, largely residing in [[Patna]] and tracing their religious descent to Shia Muslim settlers from [[Lucknow]] who arrived in the region in the {{Date|19th century}}.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gCnRzJwcqSQC&q=shia+muslims+in+patna&pg=PA26|title=Bihar Through the Ages|first=Ritu|last=Chaturvedi|date=7 November 2018|publisher=Sarup & Sons|via=Google Books|isbn=9788176257985}}</ref>

==Origin==
In common with the rest of [[India]], the overwhelming majority of [[Muslims]] in [[Bihar]] are descendants of native converts from various [[Caste system in India|castes]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cmhDAAAAYAAJ&q=bihari+muslims+native+converts|title=Bihar Information|date=7 November 1984|publisher=Director, Public Relations|via=Google Books}}</ref> The rise of the [[Islam in India|Indian Muslim]] population can be traced back to the early 12th century, with many [[Conversion to Islam|conversions to Islam]] taking place during the rule of the [[Sur Empire]], which had established its capital in [[Sasaram]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MoAyDwAAQBAJ&q=bihari+muslims+native+converts&pg=PT117|title=Religion, Community, and Education: The Case of Rural Bihar|first=Mohd Sanjeer|last=Alam|date=27 January 2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9780199088652}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Sher Shah Suri Tomb.jpg|thumb|[[Sher Shah Suri Tomb]] in [[Sasaram]]. Sher Shah Suri founded the [[Sur Empire]] and was born in Bihar]]
The large-scale arrival of Muslims in Bihar began in the 14th century, when [[Afghan]] 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 as many upper-caste Hindus arrived also including Rajput and Bhumihar clan chiefs who cut down the forested areas and drove the indigenous [[Adivasi]]s out of the region. 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 people|Kol]] tribe who had been oppressing the local Muslims. He conquered many Kol chiefdoms.<ref name="Prakash2003">{{cite book|author=Gyan Prakash|title=Bonded Histories: Genealogies of Labor Servitude in Colonial India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MQFvks7lahoC&pg=PA63|date=30 October 2003|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-52658-6|pages=63–65}}</ref>

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 [[Rajput]]s. In 1615 after a failed rebellion by Raja Sangram Singh, his son Toral Mal converted and he changed his name to Roz Afzun.<ref name=Roy1992>{{cite journal | title=Tahawar Singh-A Muslim Raja of Kharagpur Raj (1676 - 1727) | author= Yogendra P. Roy | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 53| year=1992 | pages= 333–334|jstor = 44142804}}</ref>

The [[Faujdars of Purnea]] (also known as the [[Nawab]]s 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]].<ref name="Marshall2006">{{cite book|author=P. J. Marshall|title=Bengal: The British Bridgehead: Eastern India 1740-1828|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lIZrfokYSY8C&pg=PA50|date=2 November 2006|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-02822-6|pages=50}}</ref>

Many Bihari Muslims migrated to [[Pakistan]] and [[Bangladesh]] (then East Pakistan) after independence in 1947.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VxpBDwAAQBAJ&q=bihari+muslims+migrants&pg=PT43|title=Migrants, Refugees and the Stateless in South Asia|first=Partha S.|last=Ghosh|date=23 May 2016|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|via=Google Books|isbn=9789351508533}}</ref>

==Society==

Bihari Muslim society has traditionally been divided by caste and clan affiliations. Muslims refer to these distinctions as ''biraderi'' and they are not as rigid as those followed by Hindus, but intermarriage remains rare.<ref name="Alam2004">{{cite book|author=Jawaid Alam|title=Government and Politics in Colonial Bihar, 1921-1937|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BSceVSL-3C8C&pg=PA20|date=1 January 2004|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-979-9|pages=20–21}}</ref>
The ''Ashraf'' groups are equivalent to upper castes <ref>{{Cite book|last=Karna|first=Mahendra Narain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X-w7cazQezwC&q=studies+in+bihar+economy+and+society+by+MN+karna&pg=PP7|title=Studies in Bihar's Economy and Society|date=1981|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|language=en}}</ref> and include groups like [[Pathans of Bihar|Pathans]], [[Sayyid]] , [[sheikh]] , [[Malik clan (Bihar)|Mallick]] and [[Mirza]]. The Pathans of Bihar are mostly the descendants of [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]] settlers with some being descended from local high-caste [[Bhumihar]] and [[Rajput]] converts. The Mirzas claim descent from the [[Mughal people|Mughals]] and are found mainly in the area around [[Darbhanga]] and [[Muzzafarpur]].
The Ajlaf Muslims are mostly the descendants of low-caste Hindu converts. Among the largest Ajlaf groups are the [[Momin Ansari|Ansari]]s who form 20% of the Muslim population in Bihar. Their traditional occupation is weaving.<ref name="Alam2004" />

== Distribution by district ==
The following table shows the Muslim population of Bihar by district:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/errorStatus.htm?aspxerrorpath=/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/CensusDataOnline_Login.aspx|title=Error Value|website=www.censusindia.gov.in|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408124158/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/errorStatus.htm?aspxerrorpath=%2FCensus_Data_2001%2FCensus_Data_Online%2FCensusDataOnline_Login.aspx|archive-date=8 April 2016|df=dmy-all|access-date=11 May 2018}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" width=98% style="border:1px solid black"
|- bgcolor=#99ccff
| width="20%" | '''Number'''
| width="20%" | '''District'''
| width="20%" | '''Population (2001)'''
| width="20%" | '''Muslim population'''
| width="10%" | '''Percentage'''
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|1 || [[Kishanganj District|Kishanganj]]|| 1,296,348||1,123456
||99%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 2|| [[Katihar District|Katihar]]|| 2,392,638 ||1,024,678 || 49%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 3 || [[Araria District|Araria]]|| 2,158,608 || 887,972|| 45%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 4 || [[Purnia District|Purnia]]|| 2,543,942 ||935,239 || 38%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 5|| [[Darbhanga District|Darbhanga]]|| 3,295,789 ||748,971 || 29.7%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|6 || [[Sitamarhi district|Sitamarhi]]|| 2,682,720 || 568,992|| 29%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|7 || [[West Champaran district|West Champaran]]|| 3,043,466 || 646,597 || 26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|8 || [[East Champaran district|East Champaran]]|| 3,939,773||755,005 ||26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|9 || [[Bhagalpur District|Bhagalpur]]|| 2,423,172 ||423,246 || 26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|10 || [[Madhubani District|Madhubani]]|| 3,575,281 || 941,579|| 26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|11 || [[Siwan District|Siwan]]|| 2,714,349 ||494,176 ||26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 12 || [[Gopalganj District, India|Gopalganj]]|| 2,152,638|| 367,219 || 26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|13 || [[Supaul district|Supaul]]|| 1,732,578 || 302,120 || 26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|14 || [[Sheohar District|Sheohar]]|| 515,961 ||80,076 || 26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 15 || [[Muzaffarpur District|Muzaffarpur]]|| 4,746,714 ||752,358 || 26%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|16 || [[Saharsa District|Saharsa]]|| 1,508,182 ||217,922 || 25%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|17 || [[Begusarai District|Begusarai]]|| 2,349,366 || 313,713||24%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|18 || [[Banka District|Banka]]|| 1,608,773 ||190,051 || 23%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|19 || [[Gaya District|Gaya]]|| 3,473,428 ||403,439 ||22%

|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|20 || [[Jamui District|Jamui]]|| 1,398,796 ||170,334 || 21%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|21 || [[Nawada District|Nawada]]|| 1,809,696 ||204,457 || 20%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|22 || [[Madhepura District|Madhepura]]|| 1,526,646 ||173,605 || 19%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|23 || [[Aurangabad District, Bihar|Aurangabad]]|| 2,013,055 || 221,436 || 18%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|24 || [[Kaimur district|Kaimur]]|| 1,289,074 ||123,048 || 17%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|25 || [[Khagaria District|Khagaria]]|| 1,280,354||131,441 || 17%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 26|| [[Rohtas District|Rohtas]]|| 2,450,748 ||246,760 || 16%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|27 || [[Samastipur District|Samastipur]]|| 3,394,793 ||355,897 || 15%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 28 || [[Saran District|Saran]]|| 3,248,701||337,767 || 14%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|29 || [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]]|| 2,718,421 ||259,158 || 14%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|30 || [[Jehanabad District|Jehanabad]]|| 1,514,315 ||124,149 || 13%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 31 || [[Munger District|Munger]]|| 1,337,797 ||98,791 || 13%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|32 || [[Patna District|Patna]]|| 4,718,592 || 366,164|| 11%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|33 || [[Bhojpur District, Bihar|Bhojpur]]|| 2,243,144||163,193 || 11%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 34 || [[Nalanda district|Nalanda]]|| 2,370,528 ||176,871 || 11%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
| 35 || [[Sheikhpura district|Sheikhpura]]|| 525,502 ||37,755 || 11%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|37 || [[Buxar District|Buxar]]|| 1,402,396||86,382 || 10%
|- bgcolor=#F4F9FF
|38 || [[Lakhisarai District|Lakhisarai]]|| 802,225 || 35,378 || 10%
|}

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.<ref name="bihar16.9">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bihar-elections-among-factors-in-religious-data-of-census-2011-release/article7579546.ece|title=Bihar elections among factors in religious data of Census 2011 release|first=Vijaita|last=Singh|date=25 August 2015|via=www.thehindu.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230200448/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bihar-elections-among-factors-in-religious-data-of-census-2011-release/article7579546.ece|archive-date=30 December 2017|df=dmy-all|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref> 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.

==Muslim communities==
*[[Muslim Bhumihar]]s
*[[Pathans of Bihar]]
*[[Kulhaiya]]
*[[Shaikh of Bihar]]
*[[Muslim Kayasths]]
*[[Muslim Rajput]]s
**[[Thakurai]]
**[[Malkana]]
**[[Khanzada]]
*[[Shershahabadia]]
*[[Malik clan (Bihar)]]
*[[Abdal (caste)|Abdal]]
*[[Muslim Chhipi]]
*[[Lal Begi]]m
*[[Turuk Pasi]]
*[[Sayyid]]
*[[Chik (social group)|Chik]]
*[[Kunjra]]
*[[Sai caste|Sai]]
*[[Muslim Rangrez]]
[[Pamaria]]
Muslim Kalwar/_Kalal/Eraqui

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E0FUhDReQo The Forgotten People: Bihari Refugees of Bangladesh, UCANews]

{{Indian Muslim}}
{{Muhajir communities}}

[[Category:Islam in India by location]]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of India|*]]
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Muhajir communities]]
[[Category:Partition of India]]

Bihari Muslims - Revision history

2607:9880:4030:A8:959A:ACD2:36FB:CC8E at 22:02, 3 July 2021