2402:3A80:CB2:1327:A457:1923:DE27:5B8F at 08:48, 24 June 2021

2021-06-24T08:48:04Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
|group=Goan Muslims
|image=
|caption =
|pop =
|rels = [[Islam]]
|languages = [[Urdu]] and [[Konkani]]
|related = [[Goans]], [[Nawayath]], [[Konkani Muslims]]
}}
{{Islam in India}}
{{anchor|Exonym}}
The '''Goan Muslims''' are a minority community who follow [[Islam]] in the western [[India]]n coastal state of [[Goa]]. They are native to Goa, unlike recent Muslim migrants from mainland India.
They are commonly referred as ''Moir'' ({{lang-knn|मैर}}) by [[Goan Catholics]] and [[Hindu]]s.{{Ref label|a|a|none}} ''Moir'' is derived from the [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] word ''mour''. The Portuguese called them ''Mouros'' because they (and the [[Spaniards]]) were in contact with the [[Moors|Muslims of Morocco]], who had conquered the Iberian Peninsula.<ref name=ASI>{{cite book|last1=Śiroḍakara,Mandal, Anthropological Survey of Indi|first1=Pra. Pā ,H K.|title=People of India: Goa|date=1993|publisher=Anthropological Survey of India|isbn=9788171547609|page=167}}</ref>

==History==
Although the advent of Muslims in Goa occurred later in history, [[Arab people|Arab]] geographers referred to Goa as ''Sindabur'' and believed that Goa had one of the best ports in [[western India]]. In 554 AH (1159 AD), Sidi Ali Kodupon wrote the [[Turkic languages|Turkish-language]] book ''Mohit''. In the book, Goa is referred to as ''Kuvah-Sindabur'': a combination of the names ''Kuvah'' (Goa) and ''Sindabur'' ([[Chandor]]).<ref name=kuvah>{{cite journal|title=Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bombay|journal=Asiatic Society of Bombay|volume= 11|page=292}}</ref>

The copper plate of [[Kadambas of Goa|Kadamba]] Jayakesi I refers to the Muslim Minister named ''Chadma''. While Kadamba ruler Gullhadeva I was sailing towards [[Somanath]], his ship got involved in a naval accident and the mast of his ship broke. His grandson Jayakesi I gave Chadma, the privilege of levying the taxes on small and big boats. The amount collected by way of taxes was utilized for the maintenance of the mosques built in Goa at [[Merces, Goa|Merces]]).<ref name=madhumada>{{cite book|last1=Moraes|first1=George M.|title=The Kadamba Kula|date=1995|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=9788120605954|page=400}}</ref> Later Muslim sultans from North India migrated to Goa by force of conquest and established their society; this was the first major influx of Muslims into Goa, which led some local Hindus to migrate elsewhere.<ref name=arab>{{cite book|last1=Kurzon|first1=Dennis|title=Where East Looks West: Success in English in Goa and on the Konkan Coast Volume 125 of Multilingual matters|date=2004|publisher=Multilingual Matters|isbn=9781853596735|page=76}}</ref> After Malik Kafur invasion and subsequently during the rule of Sultanate, there were Muslim Officers in Goa like Malik Bahadur. After the downfall of the Goa Kadamba, some Muslims might have migrated to [[Bhatkal]] and [[Honavar]]. The [[Nawayath]]s of Bhatkal are the descendant of Muslim community and once lived in Goa.<ref name=mitra>{{cite book|last1=Mitragotri|first1=Vithal Raghavendra|title=A socio-cultural history of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara|date=1999|publisher=Institute Menezes Braganza|pages=74–75}}</ref>

The [[Delhi Sultanate]] took over Goa in 1312, destroying the city of [[Goa Velha|Govapuri]] and demolishing shrines.<ref name=teotonio>{{cite book|last1=De Souza|first1=Teotonio R.|title=Essays in Goan History|date=1989|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=9788170222637|pages=13–14}}</ref><ref name=arab1>{{cite book|last1=Bradnock|last2=Bradnock|first1=Robert W.|first2= Roma|title=Goa handbook|year=2000|publisher=Footprint Handbooks|isbn= 9781900949453|pages=214, 253}}</ref> In turn, they were forced to surrender Goa by 1370 to [[Harihara I]] of [[Vijayanagara]]. The Vijayanagara monarchs ruled Goa for the next hundred years (until 1469), before it passed to the [[Bahamani Sultanate|Bahmani sultans]] of [[Gulbarga]]. After the Bahmani Sultanate collapsed the [[Adil Shah]]is of Bijapur took over, making [[Velha Goa]] their ancillary capital. During this era, Muslim pilgrims from all over India embarked on their journey to [[Mecca]] from Goa.<ref name=mecca>{{cite book|last=Kurzon|first=Dennis|title=Where East looks West: success in English in Goa and on the Konkan Coast|url=https://archive.org/details/whereeastlookswe00kurz|url-access=limited|year=2004|publisher=Multilingual Matters|isbn= 9781853596735|page=[https://archive.org/details/whereeastlookswe00kurz/page/n89 76]}}</ref> Thus by this time Muslim community evolved in Goa as a combination conversions and intermarriage with local converts.<ref name=force>{{cite book|last1=D'Souza|first1=Bento Graciano|title=Goan Society in Transition: A Study in Social Change|date=1975|publisher=Popular Prakashan|page=54}}</ref>

By the time the Portuguese arrived in 1510, the population of [[Tiswadi]] had a Muslim majority due to mass immigration from Bijapur.<ref name="Prabhu">
{{cite book
|title=Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians
|first=Alan
|last=Machado Prabhu
|publisher=I.J.A. Publications
|date=1999}}</ref> [[Afonso de Albuquerque]] took the help of [[Timoji]] and defeated the ruling Bijapur king [[Yusuf Adil Shah]] during the [[Portuguese conquest of Goa]]. The Bijapur Muslim residents of Goa were exiled (e.g. [[Fort of São Tiago of Banastarim|Benastarim]]) or killed (e.g. [[Velha Goa]]) by the Portuguese and the local Hindus. All the mosques (which were previously built on temples) were destroyed and churches were built on them.<ref>{{cite book
|first=Roger
|last=Crowley
|year=2015
|title=Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire
|publisher=Faber & Faber
|location=London}}</ref>

From 1560 to 1821, the [[Goa Inquisition]] was established. One of its primary targets were crypto-Muslims of North African origin who had immigrated to Goa from the Iberian peninsula following the Portuguese conquest. Of the 1,582 persons convicted between 1560 and 1623, 45.2% were convicted for offenses related to Judaism and Islam.<ref>{{cite book
|first=João
|last=Delgado Figueira
|date=1623
|publisher=Biblioteca National
|place=Lisbon
|title=Listas da Inquisição de Goa (1560-1623)
}}</ref> However, a compilation of the auto-da-fé statistics of the Goa Inquisition from 1560 to 1821 revealed that a grand total of only 57 persons were burnt in the flesh and 64 in effigy (i.e. a statue resembling the person). All the burnt were convicted as relapsed heretics or for sodomy.<ref>{{cite book
|first=Fortunato
|last=de Almeida
|title=História da Igreja em Portugal, vol. IV
|location=Porto
|publisher=Portucalense Editora
|date=1923
}}</ref>

==Demography==
Native Goan Muslims are concentrated in the [[Novas Conquistas]] regions of [[Sattari]], [[Bicholim]], [[Sanguem]], [[Ponda, Goa|Ponda]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Śiroḍakara|first=Pra. Pā|title=Goa's external relations: seminar papers|year=1992|publisher=Rajhauns Vitaran}}</ref> Their language parallels [[Dakhini]] of the [[Deccan Plateau]]. This dialect of [[Urdu language|Urdu]] has heavy [[Konkani language|Konkani]] influence and may be considered the "Konkani slang" of Goan Muslims.<ref name=kon>{{cite book|last=Śiroḍakara|first=Pra. Pā|title=Goa's external relations: seminar papers|year=1992|publisher=Rajhauns Vitaran|page=12}}</ref> Goan Muslims are [[bilingual]] (speaking Konkani outside the home); some are educated in [[Marathi language|Marathi]],<ref name=goa>{{cite book|last=Śiroḍakara, Mandal|first=Pra. Pā , H. K.|title=People of India: Goa|year=1993|publisher=Anthropological Survey of India|isbn= 9788171547609|pages=167, xviii}}</ref><ref name=urdu>{{cite web|last=Fatihi|first=A. R.|title=URDU IN GOA|url=http://www.languageinindia.com/july2003/urduingoa.html|work=LANGUAGE IN INDIA|access-date=2 February 2012}}</ref> and they use the [[Perso-Arabic]] and [[Devanagari]] scripts for written communication.<ref name=goa /> Muslims resident in Goa constituted 8.33% of Goa population in 2011, but of these only a tiny minority are native Goans.<ref name="THReligion">{{cite news
|url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/religious-communities-census-2011-what-the-numbers-say/article7582284.ece
|title = India's religions by numbers
|date = 29 March 2016
|publication-date = 26 August 2015
|work = [[The Hindu]]
|access-date = 6 September 2017
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160110201326/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/religious-communities-census-2011-what-the-numbers-say/article7582284.ece#
|archive-date = 10 January 2016
|url-status = live
}}</ref>

==Culture==
===Castes===
The majority of Goan Muslims follow [[Sunni Islam]],<ref name=goa /> the predominant groups being that of:
* Mullas (Mulam in Portuguese),
* Muzawars (Muzavor in Portuguese),
* [[Sayyid]]s (Soiada in Portuguese),
* [[Shaikhs in South Asia|Shaikhs]] (Xec in Portuguese),
* [[Pashtun diaspora|Khans]] (Can in Portuguese),
* [[Khoja]]s (Coja in Portuguese),
* [[Dawoodi Bohra|Bhoras]] (Bori in Portuguese).
* The [[Mesquita (surname)|Mesquitas]] are descendants of Muslim converts to Christianity.

===Festivals===
They observe all Muslim holidays and festivals such as [[Ramadan]], [[Eid al-Fitr]], [[Eid al-Adha]] and [[Eid-e-Milad]].

===Inter-Communal Relations===
Goans have had a history of relative peace and harmony for hundreds years, without religious violence.
One exception was the [[Goan Hindu-Muslim riot of 2006]]. A riot had erupted after a mob demolished a madrassa on March 2-3, 2006, which was allegedly constructed illegally on the outskirts of [[Sanvordem]]-[[Curchorem]]. The violence, which continued for three days before the Central Industrial Security Force stepped in, saw property worth crores of rupees destroyed.<ref name=violance>{{cite news|title=Communal violence in Goa|newspaper=Gomantak Times|date=3–4 March 2006|page=1}}</ref>

===Law===
Goan Muslims as well as [[Goans]] from other religions are governed by a [http://statutory-law.knoji.com/statutory-lawthe-portuguese-civil-code-of-1867-is-valid-in-goa-and-the-sharia-takes-a-back-seat/ Portuguese Civil code] based on the progressive old Portuguese Family Laws. Unsuccessful attempts were made for a change towards enforcing [[Shariat|Muslim personal law]] since the early 1970s.<ref name=law>{{cite book|last=Siddiqi,Zuberi|first=Zakia A., Anwar Jahan|title=Muslim women: problems and prospects|year=1993|publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.|isbn= 9788185880044|page=31}}</ref> Personal law of Hindus and Muslims is not recognized in Goa.

==Cuisine==
Like Goans of other faiths, Goan Muslims' staple foods are rice and fish. Sea food is preferred to [[mutton]] and [[biryani]] is a delicacy only during festivals like Eid.<ref name=food>{{cite book|last=Chapman|first=Pat|title=India: Food & Cooking: The Ultimate Book on Indian Cuisine|year=2009|publisher=New Holland Publishers|isbn= 9781845376192|page=38}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{note label|a|a|none}}...''Hindu Kristao '''Moir''' sogle bhau''- Hindus, Christians and Muslims are all brothers...<ref name=moir>{{cite book|last=Furtado|first=A. D.|title=Goa, yesterday, to-day, tomorrow: an approach to various socio-economic and political issues in Goan life & re-interpretation of historical facts|year=1981|publisher=Furtado's Enterprises|page=xviii}}</ref>
*{{note label|b|b|none}}...अरबांशी विवाह्....बळजबरिने बाटवून...स्वेच्छेने इस्लाम स्विकारुन...<ref>''Gomantak:Prakruti ani Sanskruti-Goa:Nature and Culture'', volume I, by Satoskar B.D</ref>
{{refend}}

==Citations==
{{reflist}}
{{Ethnic and social groups of Goa and Konkan}}
{{Indian Muslim}}

[[Category:Konkani]]
[[Category:Social groups of Goa]]
[[Category:Muslim communities of India]]

Goan Muslims - Revision history

2402:3A80:CB2:1327:A457:1923:DE27:5B8F at 08:48, 24 June 2021