Muslim Khatris

The Muslim Khatris are descendants of the Khatri community of Indian subcontinent which embraced Islam during medieval period. They are now mostly concentrated in Pakistani provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Azad Kashmir as well as northern India. The community is scattered throughout Punjab and Kutch region.

Muslim Khatri

A Khatri nobleman, in Kitab-i tasrih al-aqvam by Col. James Skinner in (1778–1841)
Regions with significant populations
• India • Pakistan • Europe • United States • Canada • Australia • Dubai • Saudi Arabia • United Kingdom
Languages
• Punjabi • Urdu-Hindi
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Khatris • Aroras • Punjabi Sheikh

Origin

Khatris, from which Muslim Khatris are descended, are a Punjabi mercantile caste which claims to be Kshatriyas.^[1] The origins of the community lies in the Punjab region, and the word "Khatri" itself is a Punjabi form of Kshatriya.^[2][3][4]

History

Khatris are divided into different clans. Most of the Muslim Khatris were warriors and chieftains during the medieval era, many were employed as generals and soldiers under Mughal Empire. They slowly adopted agriculture and business for their survival. Khatris are one of the land owning group in the subcontinent. They were designated as martial race by the British.

Gujarat Sultanate

The mediaeval Gujarat Sultanate was founded by Zafar Khan, who was son of Saharan Kalal,^[5] a member Kalal caste of Tak Division.^[5][6] His aunt described as a Kalal girl, married into Tughlaq royal family which led to their conversion to Islam and they rose to prominence.^[7][8][9][6]

Recently, some historians also claim him to be either a Punjabi Muslim Khatri^[10] or Rajput.^[11] Following Timur's invasion of the Delhi Sultanate, the Delhi Sultanate was devastated and weakened considerably, so he declared himself independent from Delhi in 1407, and formally established the Sultanate of Guzerat. The next sultan, his grandson Ahmad Shah I moved the capital to Ahmedabad in 1411. His successor Muhammad Shah II subdued most Rajput chieftains. The prosperity of the sultanate reached its zenith during the rule of Mahmud Begada. He also subdued most Gujarati Rajput chieftains and built a navy off the coast of Diu. The Moghul emperor Humayun attacked Gujarat in 1535 and briefly occupied it, during which Bombay, Bassein& Damaon would become a Portuguese colony, thereafter Bahadur Shah was killed by the Portuguese while making a deal in 1537. The end of the sultanate came in 1573, when Akbar annexed Sultanate of Guzerat into his empire. The last ruler Muzaffar Shah III was taken a prisoner to Agra. In 1583, he escaped from the prison and with the help of the nobles succeeded to regain the throne for a short period before being defeated by Akbar's general Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana.^[12]

Saudagaran-e-Delhi

Main article: Punjabi Saudagaran-e-Delhi

In addition, the Qaume-e-Punjaban community of Delhi are also of Khatri ancestry. Historically, this community lived in Delhi, and other North Indian towns, but after the Partition of India, a lot of these people moved to Pakistan. In Pakistan also, the Muslim Khatris are engaged in various occupations.