PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Mal Muslim

The Mal Muslims are a Muslim community found in north east India and Bangladesh. They are a Muslim converts from the Hindu Mal caste. The community is also known as Besati Mal or Churiwala.[1] Mal Muslim are listed as Other Backward Classes by the Government of India and Government of West Bengal.[2]

Origin

The community is traditionally associated with selling bangles and other traditionally jewellery. Little is known about the circumstances of their conversion to Islam, although according to traditions took place some nine centuries ago. There relation to the Bisati community of North India is also unclear, although both groups are traditionally involved in peddling and hawking. The community is found mainly in the districts of Malda, Murshidabad, 24 Parganas, Midnapore, Birbhum and Howrah. They speak Bengali and belong to the Sunni sect of Islam. The Mal are also found in western Bangladesh.[3]

Present circumstances

The Besati Mal are a landless community, involved mainly in hawking. Smaller groups have taken to agriculture. The community buys its wares from Kolkata, and then sells in the local markets. The Mal Besati live in multi-caste villages, although they occupy their own quarters known as paras. They are strictly endogamous, but have so system of clans. Each settlement includes a panchayat or caste council, that deals with community issues.[4]

References

  1. ^ Marginal Muslim Communities in India edited by M.K.A Siddiqui pages 357-370
  2. ^ "Other Backward Classes State". anagrasarkalyan.gov.in.
  3. ^ Marginal Muslim Communities in India edited by M.K.A Siddiqui pages 331-344
  4. ^ Marginal Muslim Communities in India edited by M.K.A Siddiqui pages 331-344

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.