Bihari Muslims

Bihari Muslim
Total population
13,722,048[1]
Regions with significant populations
•  India •  Pakistan• Bangladesh •  United States •  Canada •  Australia
Languages
• Urdu • Hindi • Bihari
Religion
• Islam •
Related ethnic groups
• Bihari peoples

Bihari Muslims are people originating and tracing descent from the Indian State of Bihar, who practice Islam as their religion. Bihari Muslims mainly practice Sunni Islam of the Hanafi creed, though a small Shia minority exists.

Origin

Islam in Bihar is said to have been established in the 9-15th century with the arrivals of Sufi missionaries as well as Sunni rulers.

About 3 millions of Bihari Muslims migrated to Pakistan and Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) after independence.

Society

The majority of educated Bihari Muslims formally speak Urdu, while in the vernacular speak in the Bihari dialect. The Muslims of Bihar have wealth rates comparable to rest of India.

Muslims are spread throughout the State of Bihar, but are mainly concentrated in some Districts of Bihar, especially Kishanganj, Katihar, Araria, Purnia, Bhagalpur, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Champaran, Samastipur, Madhepura, Darbhanga, Begusarai, Nawada, Gaya, Jehanabad and Muzaffarpur.

Distribution by district

[2]

Number District Headquarters Population (2001) Muslim population Percentage
1 Kishanganj Kishanganj 1,296,3481,011,151 78%
2 Katihar Katihar 2,392,638 1,017,495 43%
3 Araria Araria 2,158,608 887,972 41%
4 Purnia Purnia 2,543,942 935,239 37%
5 Darbhanga Darbhanga 3,295,789 748,971 23%
6 Sitamarhi Sitamarhi 2,682,720 568,992 21%
7 West Champaran Bettiah 3,043,466 646,597 21%
8 East Champaran Motihari 3,939,773755,005 19%
9 Bhagalpur Bhagalpur 2,423,172 423,246 18%
10 Madhubani Madhubani 3,575,281 641,579 18%
11 Siwan Siwan 2,714,349 494,176 18%
12 Gopalganj Gopalganj 2,152,638 367,219 17%
13 Supaul Supaul 1,732,578 302,120 17%
14 Sheohar Sheohar 515,961 80,076 16%
15 Muzaffarpur Muzaffarpur 3,746,714 573,951 15%
16 Saharsa Saharsa 1,508,182 217,922 14%
17 Begusarai Begusarai 2,349,366 313,71313%
18 Banka Banka 1,608,773 190,051 12%
19 Gaya Gaya 3,473,428 403,439 12%
20 Jamui Jamui 1,398,796 170,334 12%
21 Nawada Nawada 1,809,696 204,457 11%
22 Madhepura Madhepura 1,526,646 173,605 11%
23 Aurangabad Aurangabad 2,013,055 221,436 11%
24 Kaimur Bhabua 1,289,074 123,048 10%
25 Khagaria Khagaria 1,280,354131,441 10%
26 Rohtas Sasaram 2,450,748 246,760 10%
27 Samastipur Samastipur 3,394,793 355,897 10%
28 Saran Chhapra 3,248,701337,767 10%
29 Vaishali Hajipur 2,718,421 259,158 10%
30 Jehanabad Jehanabad 1,514,315 124,149 8%
31 Munger Munger 1,337,797 987,791 30%
32 Patna Patna 4,718,592 366,164 8%
33 Bhojpur Arrah 2,243,144163,193 7%
34 Nalanda Bihar Sharif 2,370,528 176,871 7%
35 Sheikhpura Sheikhpura 525,502 37,755 7%
37 Buxar Buxar 1,402,39686,382 6%
38 Lakhisarai Lakhisarai 802,225 35,378 4%

Diaspora

During the Partition of India in the summer of 1947 many Bihari Muslims migrated to both Pakistan and Bangladesh. The majority (approx 3 million) went to Pakistan and settled down in the Province of Sindh, especially in Karachi. The Pakistanis of Bihari origin are classed under Muhajirs. Those that went to Bangladesh lived in Dhaka where they remain till now. Many of them have gained voting rights and many are termed as Stranded Pakistanis.

See also

Stranded Pakistanis

References

  1. ↑ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/Basic_Data_Sheet.aspx
  2. ↑ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/errorStatus.htm?aspxerrorpath=/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/CensusDataOnline_Login.aspx

External links