Rajasthani Muslims

Rajasthani Muslim

Young Muslim woman in the Thar desert
Total population
c.  6.2 million [1]
Regions with significant populations
India	Unknown
Pakistan	Unknown
United Kingdom	Unknown
Canada	Unknown
United States	Unknown
Religions
Islam
Languages
Rajasthani languages • Hindi • Urdu • Sindhi
Related ethnic groups
Marwari Muslims • Rajasthani people • Sindhi people • Muhajirs

The term Rajasthani Muslims is usually used to signify Muslims from the state of Rajasthan in the north-western part of India and speaking the Hindi, Urdu and Sindhi languages. ^[2]

Indian Muslims like all other Muslims practice the basic tenets of Islam including Namaz and fasting in Ramazan. Rajasthani Muslims are also punctual of Ramazan and giving Zakat (charity given to poor) and going on the Hajj pilgrimage.

Spread of Islam

One of the first Muslim Sufi missionaries, Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti, came to Rajasthan in 1222 CE and settled in Ajmer. Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti is also popularly known by his title "Ghareeb Nawaz" (friend of the poor). Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti is one of the most influential Sufi in India and is credited with spreading of Islam in the Indian subcontinent.

When Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti reached India, he found the local society to be poisoned by untouchability. So he decided to organize a langar (public eating of food together irrespective of status, sex, religion and caste). This langar brought people into influence of Islam and its strict stand against untouchability.^{[ citation needed ]}

Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti is buried at the Dargah of Khawaaza Moiunddin Chisti which is his mausoleum (Roza Shareef) in Rajasthani city of Ajmer. The city where he preached Islam all his whole life.^{[ citation needed ]}

Role of Muslims in society

Rajasthani Muslims are very prominent in industry and medium-sized businesses. Many members of this community migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and have settled in Sindh.^{[ citation needed ]}

Demography

See also: Rajasthani Muslim Communities

According to the Indian census of 2011, there were 6,215,377 Muslims in Rajasthan, constituting 9.1% of the state's population. ^[1]

Masjids

Main article: List of Mosques in Rajasthan

There are numerous masjids or mosques in Rajasthan:

• Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra mosque, Ajmer
• Raza Masjid, Basni, Nagaur
• Osmania Masjid, Bhilwara
• Sandali Masjid, Ajmer
• Kagzi Jama Masjid, Kagzi Colony, Jaipur
• Jama Masjid, Johari Bazaar, Jaipur
• Noor Masjid, Sodala, Jaipur
• Haizam Faroshan Masjid, Ashok Nagar, Jaipur
• Library Masjid, Jaipur
• Masjid-E-Gousia Nooriya (Badi Masjid, Savina, Udaipur)
• hussain masjid dholibawdi udaipur
• Shahi Jama Masjid, Tonk City.
• Jami Mosque (Ranthambhore Fort)
• Jami Mosque (Khandar Fort)
• Jami Mosque (Tonk)
• Jami Mosque (Malarna Doonger, Khohri, Behted)

Dargah/Roza

Rajasthan has numerous walis / Sufi saints. The burial place of these saints are known as dargah or roza where Muslim masses pay visit and perform ziyarat by offering namaaz, reciting and reading Quran Shareef and offering fatiha, though all of it is considered baseless by the orthodox authorities, mainly Salafists.

Dargahs in Rajasthan include

• Dargah khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (Garib Nawaz), Ajmer
• Dargah khwaza Fakhruddin Chishti, Sarwar
• Dargah Hisamuddin Chishti, Sambhar lake
• Dargah Fakhruddin shareef, Galiyakot
• Dargah Hazrat Diwan e Shah, Kapasan
• Dargah Mastaan Shah Baba
• Dargah Sheikh Mohammad Durvaish, Motidungri
• Dargah Gaiban Shah Pir, Jalore
• Dargah Abansa Dada sanchore (Jalore)
• Dargah dawalshah pir Surana (Jalore)
• Dargah Dantala Vali sivana, Badmer
• Dargah Amruddin Dada Gudamalani, Badmer
• Dargah MalikshH Pir, Jalore
• Dargah Malik Shah Datar Chitlwana, Jalore
• Dargah Mitu Panju Bhatala, Badmer
• Dargah Asaba Pir Sindhary, Badmer
• Dargah Haji Kadir Baba Saynji Ki Beri, Jalore
• Dargah Hazrat Ismail Macci Sahb, Malarna (SWM)
• Dargah Qattal Shah Pir (Bonli)
• Dargah Haqqani Baba Pir (Chan) SWM

See also

• Islam in India

References

1. "Population by religion community – 2011". Census of India, 2011. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015.
2. Chauhan, Neeraj (1 December 2018). "'Demography along Pakistan border changing': BSF flags concerns". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 May 2022.

Further reading

• Ghai, Rahul (27 February 2021). "Understanding 'culture' of pastoralism and 'modern development' in Thar: Muslim pastoralists of north-west Rajasthan, India". Pastoralism. 11 (1) 3. Bibcode:2021Pasto..11....3G. doi: 10.1186/s13570-020-00190-1 . ISSN   2041-7136.
• Ahluwalia, M. S. (1969). "References to the Muslims in Sanskrit Inscriptions from Rajasthan During Sultanate Period". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 31: 162–171. ISSN   2249-1937. JSTOR   44138352.
• Bahadur, Etee (1 June 2024). "Identities in Hybridity: Jasnath Sampraday of the Bikaner Region and Ismailism in Rajasthan". Indian Historical Review. 51 (1): 101–122. doi:10.1177/03769836241247238. ISSN   0376-9836.
• Cort, John E. (November 2024). "Religion, Art, Literature, and Society in Early Modern Rajasthan". History of Religions. 64 (2): 109–128. doi:10.1086/732263. ISSN   0018-2710.
• Thelen, Elizabeth M. (2018). Intersected Communities: Urban Histories of Rajasthan, c. 1500 - 1800 (Thesis). UC Berkeley.
• Khan, Yaqub Ali (2011). Muslim monuments of Rajasthan. Delhi: B.R. Pub. Corp. ISBN   978-81-7646-780-3.
• Kayamkhani, Nafeesa (December 2019). "Disparity in Literacy of Muslim Population in Rajasthan State, India: A Spatial Analysis". Journal of Global Resources. 6 (1): 165–169. doi:10.46587/JGR.2019.v06i01.026.
• Mathur, Priyanka (June 2019). "An Ethnographic Case Study of Textile Tradition of Rajasthan: An Untold Story of Muslim Women at Trans-boundary Areas" (PDF). International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research. 6 (6): 544–552. ISSN   2349-5162.
• Iqbal, Saima (August 2012). Indian Muslims and Higher Education: A Study of Select Universities in North and South India (Abstract of Ph.D. Thesis) (PDF) (Ph.D. thesis). Co-supervised by A. K. Pasha (Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University). New Delhi, India: Jamia Millia Islamia, Dr. K. R. Narayanan Centre for Dalit and Minorities Studies. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
• Tekiela, Radosław (27 December 2023). "Kāyam Khā̃ Rāso and Image of Muslim Rajput Rulers" (PDF). Rocznik Orientalistyczny / Yearbook of Oriental Studies. 76 (2): 20–34. doi:10.24425/ro.2023.148340 . Retrieved 10 August 2025.
• Kayamkhani, Nafeesa; Saify, Shagufta (2019). "Disparity in Literacy of Muslim Population in Rajasthan State, India: A Spatial Analysis". Journal of Global Resources. 6 (1): 165–169. ISSN   (Print), 2455-2445 (Online) 2395-3160 (Print), 2455-2445 (Online) . Retrieved 10 August 2025.{{cite journal}}: Check |issn= value (help)