Momin Ansari

Moman Ansari
Regions with significant populations
 Pakistan •  India •    Nepal
Languages
Urdu • Hindi
Religion
Islam 100%
Related ethnic groups
Kori • Behna • Khumra

The Momin Ansari (Urdu: مومن أنصاري ) or Ansari, are a Muslim community, found mainly in West and North India, and the province of Sindh in Pakistan. A small number of Ansaris are also found in the Terai region of Nepal. In North India, the community are known as Ansari, while in Maharashtra the community is known as Momin. The name or title of Ansari ("supporters") originated in Arabia at the time of the prophet Mohammed.

The community are found throughout West and North India, but Varanasi District, in Uttar Pradesh, is always regarded by most Momin as the centre of their community. In that city, the Ansari are said to make up a third of the city's population. Important Ansari neighbourhoods in the city include Madanpura, Adampura and Jaitpura.[1]

Present circumstances

The Ansaris of North India are mainly a landless community, but some are small- and medium-scale farmers. They have always been connected with the art of weaving. Some many members of the community have entered private or government service. Their relationship with the Sadh community is of some importance, as they supply the Momins with the cotton cloth used for printing.[2]:985

The Ansaris do not have any traditional social councils, but have an India-wide community organization, the All India Momin Conference. They are an endogamous community, only rarely marrying out of their group. There is no system of clans, and cross and parallel cousin marriages are common.

The Ansaris are Muslims of the Sunni Hanafi fiqh, and are fairly orthodox, but are divided along sectarian lines between the Barelwis and Deobandis. Historically, the community produced the sage and philosopher, Kabir, and some members of the community had been Kabirpanthi. The Ansari are an Urdu-speaking community, although the Ansari clan of Gujarat have Gujarati as their mother tongue.[2]:984

In Bihar

The Ansari community is found throughout Bihar and Jharkhand. In Bihar, they are found in all the districts. They are active in politics. Their socio-economic condition has constantly improved. They play active roles in all walks of life in Bihar. In Jharkhand, they are mainly found in Koderma, Aurangabad, Hazaribagh, Gumla, Ranchi, Lohardaga and Singhbhum districts. They speak the Sadri dialect, which is distinctive to the community, although most have knowledge of Urdu. The community is endogamous, and marry within a close kin group. Like other Ansaris, they were historically weavers, although most of them are medium- and small-scale farmers. Many are market gardeners, and grow and sell potatoes, cabbages and other vegetables, and sell them in Calcuta and Patna. The Momin Conference was founded in Bihar, and the Bihar Ansaris have played a key role in the organization.[3]

Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz (Urdu: "Marginalised Muslim Front"‎) is an Indian Muslim social reform organization dedicated to the emancipation of the Dalit Muslims belonging to the Arzal community in the South Asian Muslim clan system. It was founded by Ali Anwar in Patna, Bihar.[4]

In Gujarat

In Gujarat, there are two distinct communities commonly known as Momin, the native Gujarati-speaking Garana Ansari, and the immigrant Ansari community, originally from North India. The Garana Ansari community in Gujarat are found mainly in the districts of Junagarh, Ahmedabad, Surat and Kutch. They are also known as Turia and Tari. The Momin have eight clans, the Dhoralia, Mehetar, Mithwani, Rajbani, Kora, Chutani, Arbani and Dhorijiwala. They speak Gujarati with substantial Urdu loanwords.

In addition to membership in the Momin Conference, the Gujarat Ansaris also have their own clan association, Garana Sayed Fari Jamaat.

The traditional occupation of the Ansari is still weaving. Many of them are engaged in zari work, which involves sari embroidery. This is especially the case in the towns of Jamnagar and Dhoraji, which each have traditional quarters inhabited by the Ansaris. Most Surat and Ahmadabad Ansari are now employed in the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited clerk post, and local textile mills.[5]:972–976

The Shaikh Ansari are an Urdu-speaking community, and are said to have immigrated from Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh some three hundred years ago. In Baroda, they were invited by the ruling dynasty to help in the construction of public buildings from Rajasthan. The Shaikh Ansari are divided into four endogamous groups, the Bijnor Ansari, originating from the city of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh; the Ganga Parvala, originating from the village of Gomtipur and its surroundings in Uttar Pradesh; the Delhiwala, originally from Delhi; and the Pratapgarh Ansari originating from the city of Pratapgarh and surrounding areas in eastern Uttar Pradesh. They are mainly distributed in the cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Bharuch, Baroda, and Rajpipla.[5]:69–73

Weaving was the traditional occupation of the Ansari, and at present those in Ahmadabad still engage in this activity. Many Ahmadabad Ansari are now power loom owners. But many Shaikh Ansari have also diversified, and now own hotels and bakeries. They are among the more successful Muslim communities in the state, having made the transition from their traditional occupation to becoming successful businessmen. The level of literacy is steadily increasing, and many Ansari are now graduates.

The Ansari have no traditional clan association, but are members of the All India Momin Conference. Historically, each of the four sub-divisions would have had their own informal clan association, headed by a chaudhary. These have all but disappeared.

In Rajasthan

The Ansari of Rajasthan claim that they were once warriors, who, after a defeat, took to the occupation of weaving. They are also known as Deswali Shaikh, and speak the Madri dialect, which is a mixture of Urdu and Hindi. They are one of the larger Muslim communities in Rajasthan, and re found in the districts of Tonk, Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur. The Ansari are strictly endogamous and practice both parallel and cross cousin marriages. Their main occupation is weaving, and they use both hand-held and power looms. Quite a few are now involved in tailoring and the manufacture of bidis, a local cigarette. The Rajasthan Ansari are members of the Momin Conference, as well as having local informal clan councils, which deal with inter community disputes, while the Momin Conference acts as a pressure group dealing with the state government. The Ansari are Sunni and Deobandi, and have provided many of the Ulema in Rajasthan.[6]:459–462

Momin of Maharashtra

The Momin of Maharashtra are descended from immigrants from North India. They are split into two groupings, the giyara gaonwala and the bais goanwala. The former are found in Ahmadnagar, while the latter are found near Pune. The Momin were historically a community of weavers, found mainly in the towns and cities of western Maharashtra. They are found mainly in the districts of Pune, Nasik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jaina, Osmanabad, Dhule, Nagpur, Thane, Kolhapur and Raigarh. The community speak Urdu, but the Momin are bilingual, speaking Marathi as well. They are strictly endogamous, and tend to marry close kin. The Momin are Sunni, and are a fairly orthodox community.

Their traditional occupation was weaving, and many Momin have set up handlooms. Those Momin who have set up powerlooms tend to be more successful. Many Momin are employed by other Momin in these powerlooms; this is especially the case in the towns of Bhiwandi and Nagpur. A significant number are also employed in the textile industries.

The Momin are largely an urban community, with only small number found as agriculturists. Many Momin are now successful entrepreneurs and professionals such as teachers, engineers and doctors. Like other Ansari communities, the Momin are members of the All-India Momin Conference, one of the oldest Muslim communal organizations in India. This organization acts as a welfare organization, as well as lobbying on behalf of the community.[7]:1473–1478

Pakistan

Main article: Muhajir people

After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, many members of the Momin Ansari community migrated to Pakistan and settled mainly in the Sindh province. The Momin Ansari is mainly settled in Karachi and Hyderabad cities of the Sindh province. The Momin Ansari lost their distinct group identity as they assimilated and are now integral part of the Urdu-speaking Muhajir community of Pakistan.

Notable Ansari people from South Asia

Entertainers

Sport persons

Politicians

Army officers and freedom fighters

Muslim scholars

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Artisans of Benaras Popular Culture and Identity, 1880h-1986 Orient Longman
  2. 1 2 K. S. Singh, People of India Uttar Pradesh, Volume XLII Part Two. Manohar Publications
  3. ↑ People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part One edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 70 to 74 Seagull Books
  4. ↑ For the minorities and Muslims of India, Mashhood Ahmad developed the Rashtriya Pasmanda Minority Muslim Party. The president of this is Dr. Shad Ahmad. Empowering Dalit Muslims, by Yoginder Sikand
  5. 1 2 R.B. Lal, P.B.S.V. Padmanabham, G. Krishnan & M. Azeez Mohideen (eds), People of India Gujarat Volume XXI Part Two
  6. ↑ B. K. Lavania, D. K. Samanta, S. K. Mandal & N. N. Vyas (eds.), People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part One, Popular Prakashan
  7. ↑ B. V. Bhanu, B. R. Bhatnagar, D. K. Bose, V. S. Kulkarni and J. Sreenath (editors), People of India Maharshtra, Volume XXX Part Two
  8. ↑ "Bayazid Ansari on Khyber.Org".

External links

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