Bihari Muslims


Bihari Muslims are those adherents of Islam who identify linguistically, culturally, and genealogically as Biharis. They are geographically native to the region comprising the Bihar state of India, although there are significantly large communities of Bihari Muslims living elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent due to the partition of India in 1947, which prompted the community to migrate en masse from Bihar to the dominion of Pakistan.
Bihari Muslims make up a significant minority in Pakistan under the diverse community of Muhajirs, and largely began arriving in the country following the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, which led to the secession of East Pakistan from the Pakistani union as the independent state of Bangladesh.
The majority of Bihari Muslims adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam and the adoption of the religion by Biharis traces back to the 14th century, when Afghan traders and Sufi missionaries began to arrive in the region a century prior to the Mughal conquest of India. There are also a significant minority of Biharis who adhere to the Shia branch of Islam, largely residing in Patna and Gopalpur in Siwan, tracing their religious descent to Shia Muslim settlers of distant Persian ancestry from Lucknow in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, who arrived in the region during the 19th century.

History

The large-scale arrival of Muslims in Bihar began in the 14th century, when Turk traders and Sufi saints-warriors settled in the South Bihar plains and furthered the process of agricultural colonisation while also spreading Islam among the local populace. Muslims were not the only new immigrants to Bihar during this period. Inscriptions in Bihar Sharif tell of a Sufi warrior by the name of Malik Ibrahim Bayu who came to Bihar and defeated the non-Hindu Kol tribe who had been oppressing the local Muslims. He conquered many Kol chiefdoms.
Some of the kings and chieftains of medieval Bihar were Muslim. The chieftaincy of Kharagpur Raj in modern-day Munger district was originally controlled by Hindu Rajputs. In 1615 after a failed rebellion by Raja Sangram Singh, his son, Toral Mal converted and he changed his name to Roz Afzun.
The Faujdars of Purnea created an autonomous territory for themselves under the leadership of Saif Khan and ruled in parts of Eastern Bihar in the early 1700s. They were engaged in a protracted conflict with the neighbouring Kingdom of Nepal.
Many Bihari Muslims migrated to West Pakistan and East Pakistan after the partition of India in 1947. In the context of the 1971 war in Bangladesh, Biharis were seen as collaborators of the Pakistan Army and subjected to violence of all sorts. They then sought refuge in Pakistan. While the 1973–74 Delhi Agreement facilitated the repatriation of some refugees, only 144,800 non-Bengalis were repatriated to Pakistan, with over 258,000 left awaiting relocation. In Pakistan, many settled in Karachi's low-income neighborhoods such as Orangi Town, Korangi Town, Musa Colony, and others. However, these communities remained vulnerable, particularly during ethnic conflicts like the Qasba-Aligarh Colony Massacre in 1986. Repatriation efforts slowed significantly after 1982, with only 15,000 Biharis resettled in Pakistan by then. A brief resumption in 1993 resulted in the transfer of just 53 families before protests halted the process again. This has led to the issue of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, Biharis faced legal and social barriers to citizenship. It was not until a 2008 Supreme Court ruling that Biharis born after 1971, or who were minors at the time, were granted Bangladeshi citizenship and voting rights.

Distribution by district

The following table shows the Muslim population of Bihar by district:
NumberDistrictPopulation Muslim populationPercentage
1Kishanganj1,796,3481,123,45668%
2Katihar2,392,6381,024,67843%
3Araria2,158,608887,97242%
4Purnia2,543,942935,23938%
5Darbhanga3,295,789748,97123%
6Sitamarhi2,682,720568,99221%
7West Champaran3,043,466646,59721%
8East Champaran3,939,773755,00519%
9Bhagalpur2,423,172423,24618%
10Madhubani3,575,281941,57918%
11Siwan2,714,349494,17618%
12Gopalganj2,152,638367,21917%
13Supaul1,732,578302,12017%
14Sheohar515,96180,07616%
15Muzaffarpur4,746,714752,35815%
16Saharsa1,508,182217,92214%
17Begusarai2,349,366313,71313%
18Banka1,608,773190,05112%
19Gaya3,473,428403,43913%
20Jamui1,398,796170,33412%
21Nawada1,809,696204,45711%
22Madhepura1,526,646173,60511%
23Aurangabad2,013,055221,43611%
24Kaimur1,289,074123,04810%
25Khagaria1,280,354131,44110%
26Rohtas2,450,748246,76010%
27Samastipur3,394,793355,89710%
28Saran3,248,701337,76710%
29Vaishali2,718,421259,15810%
30Jehanabad1,514,315124,1498%
31Munger1,337,79798,7917.4%
32Patna4,718,592366,1648%
33Bhojpur2,243,144163,1937%
34Nalanda2,370,528176,8717%
35Sheikhpura525,50237,7557%
37Buxar1,402,39686,3826%
38Lakhisarai802,22535,3784%

Sum total of this table is 14,780,500 Muslims out of 83.0 million total population in 2001 census, hence Muslims were 16.5% of total population in Bihar. In 2011 census, total population grew to 103.9985 million, of which 16.9% or 17,557,809 were Muslims. During 2001–2011, Muslims grew by 33.433%, while non-Muslims grew by 23.537%. District-wise break up by religions for 2011 is not available.
Kishanganj is the only district in Bihar with a Muslim majority.

Muslim communities

In common with the rest of India, the Muslims in Bihar are largely descendants of native converts from various castes. The rise of the Indian Muslim population can be traced back to the early 12th century, with many conversions to Islam taking place during the rule of the Sur Empire, which had established its capital in Sasaram.

Statistics

As per the 2022 Bihar caste-based survey, the population of major Muslim castes in Bihar was as follows:
CasteCategorizationPopulationPopulation as a percentage of total population of Bihar
ShaikhGeneral49958973.821675389
Momin EBC46342453.545025061
Surjapuri Muslim BC24462121.871261196
Dhuniya EBC18881921.444396651
Rayeen or Kunjra EBC18285841.398798748
ShershahbadiEBC13026440.99647421
KulhaiyaEBC12537810.959095832
Pathan General9866650.754762027
Sai/Faqeer/Diwan/Madar EBC6631970.507321038
Dhobi EBC4097960.313478698
Idrisi or Darzi EBC3296610.252178404
SyedGeneral2979750.227939792
Chudihar EBC2079140.159046477
Thakurai EBC1474820.112818245
Qasab EBC1338070.102357378
Bhat BC890520.068121468
Madariya BC866580.066290147
Daphali EBC732590.05604041
Mehtar, Lalbegi, Halalkhor, Bhangi EBC699140.05348161
MorshikarEBC666070.050951878
Pamaria EBC648900.049638437
Muslim NatsEBC616290.047143893
GaddiBC576170.044074862
Mukairi EBC565220.043237228
Cheeq EBC504040.038557185
Jat Muslim BC449490.034384313
Rangrez EBC433470.033158843
Bakho EBC368300.02817358
Bhathiyara EBC272630.020855181
Saikalgarg EBC189360.014485336
QadarEBC181210.013861891
Miriyasin EBC154150.011791902
Nalband EBC119000.009103057
Madari EBC116200.008888868
AbdalEBC114330.00874582
Itfarosh/Itafarosh/Gadheri/Itpaz Ibrahimi EBC94620.007238078
QalandarEBC78730.006022552
QaghziBC23600.001805312

The Iraqi/Kalal was counted as a subset of Bania caste. Prominent members of the Kalal community had protested against the state government and demanded a separate categorization.

Culture

Traditional Dress

Among Bihari Muslims, traditional attire reflects a blend of Islamic modesty and regional cultural aesthetics. One notable example is the chaapa dress, commonly worn by Bihari Muslim women, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. The term chaapa means "print" or "stamp," referring to the block-printed or hand-stamped designs featured on these garments.
Chaapa dresses are typically made of cotton and are adorned with floral, paisley, or geometric motifs in vibrant colors. The outfit usually consists of a long tunic, a lower garment such as a salwar or lehenga, and a matching dupatta. These dresses prioritize comfort and modesty while showcasing local textile traditions. Although machine-printed versions have become common, traditional hand-block printed chaapa fabrics continue to be worn on festive and religious occasions.
The chaapa dress is an example of how Bihari Muslim clothing preserves local artisanal techniques while expressing cultural and religious identity.

Food

Bihari Muslim food culture is a part of Bihari cuisine that combines local agricultural traditions with Islamic culinary influences brought by Persian, Afghan, and Mughal contacts. It is known for its strong non-vegetarian dishes, festive and wedding foods, and everyday staples rooted in regional taste like Bihari Kabab, Pulao Gosht, Kofta, Baqer Khani, Qeemami Sewai, Zarda and Makuti.

Notable Bihari Muslims

former Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Osmania University