Muslim Shaikh
Encyclopedia
The Muslim Shaikh or Mussali are a community found in the Punjab
province of Pakistan
The Shah Khel
community of the North West Frontier Province, has similar roots.
from the Hindu Chuhra caste. The Hindu Chuhra were the scavengers and sweepers of Punjab. There are a number of traditions as to the origin of the Chuhra. Most of these carry its history back to Balmik, as the ancestor of the tribe.
During the 19th Century, many Chuhras converted to Islam
, especially in the western parts of Punjab
, and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
They were tanners and sweepers of the village communities, and use to live in huts at a distance from the village. There job included collecting sewage from houses. But by the 19th Century, most of them had taken to agricultural work. They were paid in kind by the farmers, and not cash.
, and the Chach region of Punjab
, is known as the Shah Khel
. Their traditional occupation is both grave digging and sweeping.
and North-West Frontier Province
provinces of Pakistan
.
, depending where they reside. The Shah Khel are a Pashto
speaking community,though not recognized by other Pakhtun tribes as Pakhtun.
"The respondents in this village are of the Mussali caste, the lowest caste in Punjab and Sindh. They claim to have settled in this village over 200 years ago. They live in a cluster of 30 houses 300 yards from the main houses of the village. The houses used to number 200 at first. Their people used to earn from begging and chaj-making, and later added agricultural and livestock work. Some went to the city and made some savings. Now the community is divided between the richer ones who do the livestock business and liveoutside the village in nearby cities, and the others who are permanent residents and do agricultural and domestic work. Their families have served the landlords of Jutt for many generations, and their women have kept their houses in return for left-over food. They believe that their association with begging is a thing of the past, taking place only rarely in the village and not at all among their community members inthe city. The wealthier community members who left the village still come back to marry their children within the clan. They get free wood and milk from the landlord on weddings and deaths." It is further found that many Muslim Shaikh were still involved in their traditional occupation of begging.
"The main castes or kinship groups involved are Bhatoo (Punjabi Muslim), Bhagri (Sindhi Hindu), Mirasi(Rajasthani-origin Muslim), and Mussali (or Muslim Sheikhs from the Punjab). These groups are to befound begging in all the large urban sites in Punjab and Sindh, as discussed in Section II above. In addition, Mussalis are to be found at the bus stop in Shahdadpur and also in Singpura and China Scheme in Lahore. Mirasis were observed in Shaukat Park, Sargodha. Finally, in both the rural sites of village A in Punjab, where Musallis were identified as beggars, and in village C, caste-based begging is again in evidence."
Muslim Shaikh also suffer from being bonded labourers, as a number of recent studies have shown.
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
province of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
The Shah Khel
Shah Khel
The Shah Khel refers to the members of the Muslim Shaikh community that speak Pashto and live in North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan.- History and origin :...
community of the North West Frontier Province, has similar roots.
History and origin
A community that embraced IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
from the Hindu Chuhra caste. The Hindu Chuhra were the scavengers and sweepers of Punjab. There are a number of traditions as to the origin of the Chuhra. Most of these carry its history back to Balmik, as the ancestor of the tribe.
During the 19th Century, many Chuhras converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, especially in the western parts of Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
, and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
They were tanners and sweepers of the village communities, and use to live in huts at a distance from the village. There job included collecting sewage from houses. But by the 19th Century, most of them had taken to agricultural work. They were paid in kind by the farmers, and not cash.
Shah Khel
In the North-West Frontier ProvinceNorth-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
, and the Chach region of Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, is known as the Shah Khel
Shah Khel
The Shah Khel refers to the members of the Muslim Shaikh community that speak Pashto and live in North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan.- History and origin :...
. Their traditional occupation is both grave digging and sweeping.
Distribution
They are found throughout the PunjabPunjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
and North-West Frontier Province
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
provinces of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Language
They speak various dialects of PunjabiPunjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, depending where they reside. The Shah Khel are a Pashto
Pashto language
Pashto , known as Afghani in Persian and Pathani in Punjabi , is the native language of the indigenous Pashtun people or Afghan people who are found primarily between an area south of the Amu Darya in Afghanistan and...
speaking community,though not recognized by other Pakhtun tribes as Pakhtun.
Present circumstances
The Muslim Shaikh as a community remain at the bottom of the Pakistani society. This has been confirmed by number of recent case studies. For example a recent report on the conditions of the Muslim Shaikh came to this conclusion:"The respondents in this village are of the Mussali caste, the lowest caste in Punjab and Sindh. They claim to have settled in this village over 200 years ago. They live in a cluster of 30 houses 300 yards from the main houses of the village. The houses used to number 200 at first. Their people used to earn from begging and chaj-making, and later added agricultural and livestock work. Some went to the city and made some savings. Now the community is divided between the richer ones who do the livestock business and liveoutside the village in nearby cities, and the others who are permanent residents and do agricultural and domestic work. Their families have served the landlords of Jutt for many generations, and their women have kept their houses in return for left-over food. They believe that their association with begging is a thing of the past, taking place only rarely in the village and not at all among their community members inthe city. The wealthier community members who left the village still come back to marry their children within the clan. They get free wood and milk from the landlord on weddings and deaths." It is further found that many Muslim Shaikh were still involved in their traditional occupation of begging.
"The main castes or kinship groups involved are Bhatoo (Punjabi Muslim), Bhagri (Sindhi Hindu), Mirasi(Rajasthani-origin Muslim), and Mussali (or Muslim Sheikhs from the Punjab). These groups are to befound begging in all the large urban sites in Punjab and Sindh, as discussed in Section II above. In addition, Mussalis are to be found at the bus stop in Shahdadpur and also in Singpura and China Scheme in Lahore. Mirasis were observed in Shaukat Park, Sargodha. Finally, in both the rural sites of village A in Punjab, where Musallis were identified as beggars, and in village C, caste-based begging is again in evidence."
Muslim Shaikh also suffer from being bonded labourers, as a number of recent studies have shown.