Muslim Gujjars or Musalmān Gujjars (Punjabi: مُسَلمَان گُجَّر) are an ethno-social subgroup of Gujjars, predominantly found in the North-Western regions of South Asia. They are followers of Islam, primarily converting from tribal religion from the medieval period onwards.[1]
 A Muslim Gujjar chief from Hazara in the 1800's | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 Pakistan,  Afghanistan,  India | |
| Languages | |
| Urdu, Hindi, Panjabi, Pahari-Pothohari, Gujjari | |
| 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 tribals religion.[2]
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.[3] By the 15th century, the vast majority of the Gujjars of Kashmir, Punjab and regions to its west were Muslims, while most conversions of Gujjars of tribal religion occurred during the Mughal era.[4]
Muslim Gujjar dynasties
editNawabs of Dera Ghazi Khan
In 1739, Nadir Shah made the Mirani Wazir Mahmud Khan Gujar ruler of Dera Ghazi Khan. Nawab Mahmud Khan died in 1772 and was succeeded by his nephew Barkhurdar Khan, who ruled the area till 1779.[5]
Sangu dynasty
editThe Sangu dynasty succeeded the Rathore dynasty in ruling Poonch. It was founded in 1797 by Wazir Ruhullah Khan, who ruled the region till his death in 1819. Ruhullah Khan, his son Amir Khan and grandson Mir Baz Khan ruled Poonch for over two decades.[6]
Demographics
editIn 1988, it was estimated that Muslim Gujjars constitute 60 to 65 percent of the total Gujjar population.[7]
Notable people
edit- Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, 19th century Sufi poet[8]
- Chaudhari Rahmat Ali, Pakistan movement activist[9]
- Shoaib Akhtar, fastest bowler in cricket history[10]
- Akhtar Ali Vario, King Maker, Politician from Sialkot
References
edit- ^ Gandhi, Rajmohan. Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Rahi, Javed. The Gujjars.
- ^ Population Geography: A Journal of the Association of Population Geographers of India, Volumes 10-12, 1988, Page 6.
- ^ "Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, a great Punjabi Sufi poet".
- ^ Aziz, K. K. Chaudhari Rahmat Ali A Biography. p. 32.
- ^ Shoaib Akhtar; Anshu Dogra, Controversially Yours: An Autobiography.
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