Saifi
| Saifi (سیفی) | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Muslim |
| Religions | Islam |
| Languages | Hindi Urdu and Pakhto |
| Populated states | Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar |
| Related groups | Sunni Muslim |
The Saifi area Muslim community found primarily in the Uttar Pradesh, Bihar Delhi state in India. They are also known as Muslim Lohar.[1]
Other Saifi communities exist in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Many of these follow orders of Sufism from the influence of Akhundzada Saif-ur-Rahman Mubarak.
History & Origin
The Saifi is a suname of Mr. Saif Ullah Rind Baloch and Saifi are a community associated with the occupation of carpentry and ironsmithy. Their name comes from the Arabic word Saif, which means a sword. Like many other artisan communities in North India, they claim descent from Arab immigrants to India, who arrived during the period of the Delhi Sultanate[2]
They speak Urdu, Pashto as well as local dialect's of Hindi.
Present Circumstances
Saifi ancestors were migrated from Arab to subcontinent during the period of the Delhi Sultanate 1206–1526 and settled permanently.
The word Saifi comes from the Arabic dictionary it means the person who makes the sword (talwar) in the ancient time the Saifi works to make swords and other thing of iron and wood, the origin of Saifi is Arabia and Persia in the time of Mughal and or before the Saifis come to India with the army of Mughals to make swords here. They were traditionally iron and wood workers. Saifi also called Blacksmith (Lohar) The Saifi are Sunni Muslim communities. They are religious people, they visit the shrines of various Sufi saints found in India. They are also attach with Preaching (Tabligh') and Sufism. Saifis are peaceful, generous, kind and hospitable. In Pakistan, Saifi communities are found in Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Distribution
In Uttar Pradesh, they are primarily found in the Meerut Saharanpur, Moradabad, Chandausi, Sambhal, Bulandshahr, Gautam budh Nagar, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Aligarh districts, with other significant populations existing in Lucknow, Bareilly, and Gorakhpur.. They are also present in the Rohilkhand region, as well as in Ghaziabad, Faridabad Delhi.[3] in Bihar district of Saifi Motihari East champaran, Battiah, gopalganj, muzaffarpur, Patna, siwan, siwhar, sitamadhi...
Quite a few Saifi have immigrated to Pakistan, where they form an important element in the Muhajir community.
Notable Saifi's
- Nadeem Saifi, music director, part of Nadeem-Shravan
- Samim Ahmed Saifi, Engineer, president Saifi welfare Association of India "Delhi"
- Danish Akhtar Saifi, actor, played Lord Hanuman in the television series Siya Ke Ram
- Tushar Ahmed Saifi, Journalist "INVC News"
- Yakub khan saifi, district sachiv "RLD party"
- Rashid Ali Saifi, Dietician, Food Technologist, from Noida
- Mohammad Sazid Saifi, CS Trainee, Jaypee Group, from Chandausi
- Salman Saifi, Assistant Professor, Amity University, Noida
- Habib Ahmad Saifi, Retired Principal, Delhi Administration.
- M S Khan, Advocate, Delhi High Court.
- Shahnawaz Khan, Chartered Accountant.