Muslim Gurjars
Muslim Gurjars also spelled Gujjar, Gujar, or Gojar, are an ethno-religious group of the larger Gurjar ethnic community, who follow Islam and are native to the north-western regions of South Asia. They are primarily found in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and also in various regions of northern India. They embraced Islam from the medieval period onwards. They are divided into several sub-groups and clans. In Pakistan, they traditionally belong to the agricultural class of the country and are a politically influential community.
Muslim Gujars are a large ethnic group in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab and Azad Kashmir, and the third-largest ethnic group in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Jammu and Kashmir. They are also found as a minority group in Afghanistan, Nepal and other parts of north India.
In the Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, most of them are nomads with some settled communities. In Indian Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh they traditionally belong to agricultural class. Based on their occupation nomad Muslim Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and HP are divided into subgroups like Van Gujjar, Bakarwal, Banjara, and Dodhi Gujjars.
In north India, Muslim Gujjars live in complete geographical and biosocial isolation from Hindu Gurjars, with whom they have not maintained relationships, and marriages between the two groups are restricted. In contrast, intermarriages are common among Muslim Gujjars of Himachal Pradesh and Muslim Van Gujars of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
History
In Sikh traditions, a story about Bhai Sahib Singh suggests that there were many Muslim Gujjars lived in north India and some may have become Muslim in the 16th or 17th centuries. Story mentions a Gujjar chief named Jamatullah in Bidar, Karnataka; his Muslim name support this idea. The conflict between the Gujjars and Sikhs suggests there were many Gujjars in the region.Muslim Gujjar dynasties/states
Swat (princely state)
In 1849, Saidu Baba a Muslim saint of the Gujjar community, established the Swat in present-day Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The state existed as an autonomous region until it was dissolved and merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 1969. After Saidu Baba's death in 1877, swat didn't have a clear leader until 1915, when Abdul Jabbar became the leader. Later in 1918, Miangul Abdul Wadudu, Saidu's grandson, took over as the ruler of Swat. The British government soon recognized Swat as a princely state.Sangu dynasty
In the 18th century a Gujjar of Sangu clan Rooh Ullah Khan established Sangu dynasty or state in Poonch region of Kashmir. During the reign of Raja Bahadur Khan, Ruhullah rose to such prominence that he was appointed the post of Wazir. In 1797, Abdullah Khan, the Nazim of Kashmir, attacked Poonch and appointed Wazir Ruhullah Khan as its ruler in 1798. Ruhullah Khan died in 1819 and was succeeded by his grandson Mir Baz Khan. Kashmiri historian Muhammad Din Fauq described Ruhullah Khan as a remarkable and brave ruler.In June 1814 Ranjit Singh's army moved towards Poonch and Rajauri. But Ruhulla Khan, the ruler of Poonch stopped Mazhar Ali's artillery from passing through. A fight broke out and about 500 people were wounded or killed on both sides. Aghar Khan then helped Ruhullah and told people the Sikhs were losing. This made locals attack the Sikhs, stealing their supplies, including many guns and swords. After this the two local leaders started attacking the Sikhs with their armies.
Jagir of Kot Najibula
In the early 18th century, a Gujjar of the Khatana clan in the Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the chief of Jagir of Kot Najibula. Later, he lost his Jagir to Tareen tribe. In the 18th century, Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire, again granted Muqaddam Musharaf, the Jagir of Kot Najibula consisting of eight villages in the Hazara region in exchange for 15,000 rupees. The villages comparised Kokalia, Pandori, Jharr, Dedra, Dingi, Chamba Pind-Gujran, Kot Najibullah and some other.After the death of Muqaddam General Sir James Abbott gave the Jagir to his son, Mir Muqaddam Ahmad. Mir Ahmad died on 12 October 1849. After Ahmad's death, Jagir was given to his elder son, Mir Ghulam Muhammad. Ghulam Ahmad died on 1 May 1880, and later his jagir was given to his elder son, Mir Abdullah.
Nawab of Dera Ghazi Khan
In the 18th century, Mahmud Khan Gujjar served as the de facto ruler and governor of the Dera Ghazi Khan from around 1738 to 1772. He was the son of Yusuf Khan. Previously he served as a grand wazir under Mirranis. He teamed up with the Durranis to overthrow Mirranis and then initiated a project to build and restore canals in D.G Khan. Punjab Government Gazetteer credit him with founding the settlement of Mahmud Kot and initiating canal works in the region.Nawabs of Gujrat
During the 1857 unrest, Sultan Ali, a Gujjar leader of the Kalas clan in Ajnala, Gujrat, kept his area safe from looters. The British government rewarded him with land and the title of Safed Posh for his bravery. His son, Fazal-e-Ali, continued doing good work by building schools, hospitals, and banks. People loved and respected him so much that the British government gave him the title of Nawab. He was popularly known as Sir Syed of the Punjab region. Nawab Fazal Ali had two sons Nawab Mehdi Ali and Nawab Asghar Ali. Nawab Mehdi Ali died in 1958. Nawab Asghar Ali held several positions, including chairman of the District Board and Central Co-operative Bank. He also contributes to education by developing Zamindara High school into a degree college.Chiefs of Poonch region
In the 17th century Abdur Razzak Khan was a Gujjar chief of the Poonch region of Kashmir. He was the son of Abdul Fateh Khan Zamindar of Poonch. In the early 18th century Muslim Gujjars with Bomba and Khakha tribes from the lower Jehlum valley, would often attack Kashmir. They'd raid the valley when the central government of Mughal Empire was weak, killing and looting. These attacks terrified the people of Kashmir and the tribes names became synonymous with terror. During Ali Muhammad Khan's rule, the Bomba chief with Gujjar chief Abdur Razzak of Poonch region started causing trouble in Karna and Baramulla areas. Ali Muhammad Khan stopped this trouble arrested Gujjar chief and Haibat Khan grandson of Bomba Chief. In 1732 during rule of Abu Barakat Khan again and Haibat Khan raided but Abu Khan personally stopped him.Inayat Ullah Khan noble of the Mughals lost control of Kashmir, and Abu Barakat Khan became new ruler of Kashmir. However, Inayat Ullah Khan didn't give up. He formed an alliance with Bomba and Khakha tribes and attacked Abu Brakat Khan. Abu Brakat Khan then formed an alliance with the Gujjars of Poonch and counterattacked in which they succeeded to kill Inayat Ullah Khan. Many people died on both sides the fierce battle, and ultimately after Inayat Ullah's death conflict was ended.
In 1740s, Babar Ullah Khan district commissioner of Baramulla, wanted to be independent and with the support of Gujjar, Bomba and Khakha tribes he started rebellion against Abu Brakat Khan. Violence continued in the valley until new governor Abu Mansur Khan was appointed in 1745. Gujjars, Bombas and Khakhas tribes continued raiding until 1846, when Maharaja Gulab Singh with the help of the British army stopped them.
Zamindars in Haryana
Before partition, Muslim Gujjar were zamindars in some parts of Indian Punjab and Haryana. They were zamindars in areas like Toda Bhim Pargana and villages including Umri, Umrah, Ujinah, Pur, and Pinangwan in Haryana.British period
During the British Raj era, Gurjars were classified as a martial race and enlisted in class company regiments.According to William Crooke, Gujjars are an important agricultural and pastoral tribe. They are found in many areas including: Gujjar Khan, Gujrat and Gujranwala, which are named after Gujjar ethnic community. They are also found in areas like Rawalpindi and Jalandhar where they mainly work as farmers.
Different British-colonial era writers praise the Gujjars for their farming skills and good behavior. David Thomson says the Gujjars in Jhelum District are skilled farmers. Carolyn Stedman describes the Gujjars in Rawalpindi district as excellent as cultivating. In Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, India Gujjars are known for being peaceful and well-behaved.
Evenly Brikeley Howell notes that after 30 years of British Raj, Gujjars are likely no more prone to crime than other farming groups. While many Gujjars focus on herding animals rather than farming, this doesn't apply to all of them.
In the British colonial era, the Gujjar community was divided into various clans that played an important role in their social organization. British administrator Denzil Ibbetson, in his work "Castes of Punjab", notes a total of nineteen notable clans of Gujjars in British Punjab. These clans include: Tanwar, Chokhar, Rawal, Kalsian, Khatana, Kasana, Kalas, Gorsi, Chechi, Dhodar, Poswal, Lawi, Bijar, Khaindar, Melu, Thakaria, Chauhan, Monana, and Bhumls. According to Horace Arthur Rose, Chechi and Kasana were the major clans of Gujjars in the region of British Punjab.
1857 Rebellion
In Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Muslim Gujjars of Ludhiana district of Punjab, India took arms against British Raj in India. Some Muslim Gujjars from Muzaffarnagar, and Saharanpur districts of Western Uttar Pradesh also participated in the 1857 war of independence. Gujjars actively participated in the 1857 rebellion against the British government. Due to their involvement, they were classified by Britishers as a "criminal tribe" in the 1871 Criminal Tribes Act. They were denotified from criminal tribe list in 1949.According to British orientalist William Crooke, Gujjars were always against the British government, who they saw as unfair. When the British power wreaked in Indian subcontinent during the Indian rebellion of 1857, Gujjars took advantage and looted and burned British areas. He viewed Gujjars as having criminal nature.
The Britishers believed that nomadic groups like Gujjars of Himalayas survived mainly by stealing because they didn't have a fixed way to earn a living. However, this view ignored the fact that these communities made a living through herding animals. British officials claimed that these groups were a "Criminal class" that needed to be stopped because they were openly stealing.
The Britishers had several reasons to target Nomad Gujjars of Himalayas and similar groups. They were worried because, Gujjars were monadic and hard to control. Their nomadic lifestyle conflicted with British plans for farming and land ownership. They might rebel, like they did in Indian Rebellion of 1857, which threatened the British rule in Indian subcontinent. According to David Arnold, the Britishers wanted to control these groups socially through Criminal Tribe Act rather than because they were truly criminal.