Momin Ansari

Momin or Ansari

Total population
14,909,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
Pakistan •  India •  Nepal
Languages
Urdu • Hindi
Religion
Islam 100%
Related ethnic groups
Shaikh Ansari • Kori • Shaikh • 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. The community were once known as al ansar, although the term is now obsolete. In North India, the community are known as Ansari, while in Maharashtra the community is known as Momin.^{[2]:982 [3]:1473-1478} Ansari claim descent from Muhammad's companion Syed Hazrat Abu Ayyub al-Ansari.

History and origin

The Momin Ansari, historically known as Julah/Julahas, are a community of Muslim weavers. According to some sources, they are descended ansar(ansari)kabila from saudi arub. from a number of Hindu weaving castes, principally the Kori, that at some time in the past converted to Islam. The word Julah/Julaha (جولاهه) is of Persian origin meaning weaver, originating from the word jula juha, meaning a ball of thread. They themselves claim descent from Hazrat Abu Ayub Ansari, the companion of the Prophet Mohammed. It is quite possible that Ansari are an amalgam of a number of different communities, with some descended from Arab settlers, while others being Hindu converts.^[2]:982

The community are found throughout West and North India, but Varanasi District, in Uttar Pradesh, is always looked at by most Momin as the centre of their community. In that city, the Ansari are said to make a third of the city's population. Important Ansari neighbourhoods in the city include Madanpura, Adampura and Jaitpura.^[4]

Present circumstances

The Momin (julaha)of North India are mainly a landless community, but some of them are small and medium scale farmers, and 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 of some importance, as they supply the Momins with the cotton cloth, used for printing.^[2]:985

The Momin do not have any traditional social councils, but have an India wide community organization, the All India Momin Conference. They are an edogamous community, only rarely marrying out of their group. There is no system of gotras, and cross and parallel cousin marriages are common. The community considers itself to be of Shaikh status, and if no suitable match is found is found with in the group, marriages are acceptable with in other communities in the Shaikh category.

The Momin are Muslims of the Sunni sect, and are fairly orthodox , but are divided along sectarian lines between the Barelwis and Deobandis. Historically, the community produced the famous sage and philosopher, Kabir, and some members of the community had been Kabirpanthi. The Ansari are an Urdu speaking community, although the Garana Ansari 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 been improving constantly. They are playing active roles in all walks of life in Bihar. In Jharkhand, they are mainly found in Koderma, 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 are 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 of them 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.^[5]

Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz (Urdu for "Marginalised Muslim Front") is an Indian Muslim social reform organization dedicated to the emancipation of the Dalit Muslims belonging to the "Arzal" Untouchable Caste in the Caste system among South Asian Muslims. It was founded by Ali Anwar in Patna, Bihar. Anwar himself is a Dalit Muslim belonging to the Ansari sub-Caste.^[6]

In Gujarat

In Gujarat, there are two distinct communities that are commonly known as Momin, the native Gujarati speaking Garana Ansari, and the immigrant Shaikh 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 of the Momin Conference, the Gujarat Ansaris also have their own caste 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 embroidary. This is especially the case in the towns of Jamnagar and Dhoraji, each which have traditional quarters inhabited by the Ansaris. Most Surat and Ahmadabad Ansari are now employed in the local textile mills.^{[7]: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 sarrounding in Uttar Pradesh, the Delhiwala, originally from Delhi and finally the Pratapgarh Ansari originating from the city of Pratapgarh and sarrounding areas in eastern Uttar Pradesh. They are mainly distributed in the cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Bharuch, Baroda, and Rajpipla.^[7]:69–73

Weaving was the traditional occupation of the Ansari, and at present those in Ahmadabad are still enngaged 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 community 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 caste association, but are members of the All India Momin Conference. Historically, each of the four sub-divisions would have had their own informal caste 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 in the past, took to the occupation of weaving. They 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 are found in the districts of Tonk, Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur. The Ansari are strictly endogamous and practice both parallel and cross cousin marriages. There 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 caste 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.^{[8]: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 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 fairly orthodox community. There traditional occupation was weaving, and many Momin have set uop handlooms. Those Momin who have set up powerlooms tend to be more successful. Many Momin are employed by other Momin in these powerlooms, this especially the case in the towns of Bhiwandi and Nagpur. A significant number of Momin 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 enterpreneurs 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 an welfare organization, as well as lobying on behalf of the community.^{[3]:1473–1478}

Notables

• Abdul Qaiyum Ansari ,Leader against the demand of Muslim league for creation of a separate Muslim nation.
• Ali Anwar ,founder, Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz of Dalit Muslims"Arzal" Untouchable Caste.
• Abu Salem, Underworld Don & former member of D-company

See also

• Ansari (nesbat)
• Malik (Julaha)
• Saifi
• Manihar

References

1. ^ http://www.joshuaproject.net/peoples.php
2. ^ ^{a b c d} K. S. Singh, People of India Uttar Pradesh, Volume XLII Part Two. Manohar Publications
3. ^ ^{a b} B. V. Bhanu, B. R. Bhatnagar, D. K. Bose, V. S. Kulkarni and J. Sreenath (editors), People of India Maharshtra, Volume XXX Part Two
4. ^ The Artisans of Benaras Popular Culture and Identity, 1880-1986 Orient Longman
5. ^ People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part One edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 70 to 74 Seagull Books
6. ^ For the minority and muslim of the India Mashhood Ahmad developed an organization i.e. rashtriya pasmanda minority muslim party.the president of this is Dr. Shad Ahmad. Empowering Dalit Muslims, by Yoginder Sikand
7. ^ ^{a b} R. B. Lal, P. B. S. V. Padmanabham, G. Krishnan & M. Azeez Mohideen (eds), People of India Gujarat Volume XXI Part Two
8. ^ B. K. Lavania, D. K. Samanta, S. K. Mandal & N. N. Vyas (eds.), People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part One, Popular Prakashan

External links

• Momin Ansar Sabha, social organisation in Uttar Pradesh