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Muslim GujjarsMuslim Gujjars or Musalmān Gujjars (Punjabi: مُسَلمَان گُجَّر) are an ethno-religious group predominantly found in the North-Western regions of South Asia. They embraced Islam from the medieval period onwards.[1]
HistoryOriginsGujjars are an Indo-Aryan agro-pastoral people, believed to be of either Hunnic or Scythian origins. They settled in the North-Western regions of South Asia around the fourth century where they adopted Hinduism.[2] Medieval periodConversions of Gujjars to Islam began in the 11th century with the arrival of Sufi missionaries in the subcontinent. Numerous clans of Gujjars embraced Islam during the time of Shaykh Farid al-Din Masud and his successors.[3] By the 16th century, Islam had become the predominant religion among the Gujjars of Punjab, Kashmir and Afghanistan.[1] Mughal periodDuring the Mughal era, the Gujjar tribe was notorious for their refractory and rebellious character.[4] Following Nadir Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire, several Muslim Gujjar chiefs emerged in Punjab, Hazara, and Kashmir. Notable among them were the Nawabs of Dera Ghazi Khan, the Rajas of Poonch, and the Muqaddams of Kot Najibullah.[5][6][7] British periodDuring the nineteenth century, they were listed as a martial race.[8] DemographicsIn 1988, it was estimated that Muslim Gujjars constitute 60 to 65 percent of the total Gujjar population.[9] Notable people
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