Muslim Gujjars or Musalmān Gujjars (Panjabi: مُسَلمَان گُجَّر) are an ethno-social subgroup of Gujjars, found mostly in the North-Western regions of the South Asia. They are followers of Islam, and converted from Hinduism to Islam from the medieval period onwards.[1] Today, Muslim Gujjars can be found in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Northwest India, and are further divided into different clans.
In 1988 it was Muslim Gujjars constitute 53% of total population of Gujjar India and Muslim Gujjar 76.5% of the Indian subcontinent's total Gujjar population.[2]
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 India,  Pakistan,  Afghanistan | |
| Languages | |
| Hindi, Urdu, Panjabi, Gujari, Pahari-Pothwari | |
| Religion | |
 Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Muslim Rajputs, Jat Muslim |
History
editGujjars are an Indo-Aryan agro-pastoral people, believed to be of Scythian origins. They settled in the North-Western regions of South Asia around the third century where they adopted Hinduism.[3]
Conversion to Islam
editConversions of Gujjars to Islam started in the 10th century with the arrival of Islam in the subcontinent. Numerous clans of Gujjars embraced Islam during the times of Shaykh Farid.[4] By the 15th century, the vast majority of the Gujjars of Punjab and regions to its west were Muslims, while most conversions of Gujjars of Hindustan occurred during the Mughal era.[5]
Muslim Gujjar dynasties
editKhatana dynasty of Dera Ghazi Khan
In 1739, Nadir Shah acquired all the territory west of the Indus and made the Mirani Vizier Mahmud Khan Gujar governor of Dera Ghazi Khan. Nawab Mahmud Khan and later his nephew Barkhurdar Khan ruled the area till 1779.[6]
Sangu dynasty
editThe Sangu dynasty that ruled Poonch was founded by Wazir Ruhullah Khan in 1797[7] after Raja Bahadur Khan's assassination by the Afghan governor of Kashmir, Abdullah Khan. Ruhullah Khan appointed his son Amir Khan as the Raja while he managed the affairs of the state as the de-facto ruler. In 1814, Ranjit Singh asked Ruhullah for co-operation in his invasion of Kashmir but the Poonch Raja declined and sided with the Afghans instead. In July 1814, the Sikhs invaded Kashmir and advanced towards Poonch but were defeated at Tosa Maidan Pass by Ruhullah Khan and many of their men slain. Ranjit Singh was forced to flee back to Lahore. Ruhullah kept harassing Sikhs during their retreat causing further damage to the invaders.[8] Ruhullah Khan died in 1819 and was succeeded by his grandson Mir Baz Khan, who also opposed the Sikhs.[9]
Notable people
edit- Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, renowned Sufi poet of the 19th century[10]
- Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistani cricketer and the fastest bowler in cricket history[11]
References
edit- ^ Gandhi, Rajmohan. Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten.
- ^ Population Geography: A Journal of the Association of Population Geographers of India, Volumes 10-12, 1988, Page 6.
- ^ Brief View of the Caste System of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh.
- ^ "Journal of the Asiatic society of Bengal - Volume 6, Part 1".
- ^ Gandhi, Rajmohan. Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten.
- ^ Final Report on the First Regular Settlement of the Dera Ghazi Khan.
- ^ Fauq, Muhammad Din. "Tarikh-i-Aqwam-i-Poonch".
- ^ History of the Punjab, and of the Rise, Progress & Present Condition of the Sect and Nation of the Sikhs.
- ^ Griffin, Lepel Henry. The Panjab Chiefs. p. 151.
- ^ "Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, a great Punjabi Sufi poet".
- ^ Shoaib Akhtar; Anshu Dogra, Controversially Yours: An Autobiography.
