Conversion of the Jats to Islam
When Arabs entered Sindh in the seventh century, the chief tribal groupings they found were the Jats and Meds. These Jats are often referred as Zatts in early Arab writings. The Jats were the first converts to Islam, and many were employed as soldiers by the new Arab Muslim administration in Sindh. The Muslim conquest chronicles further point at the important concentrations of Jats in towns and fortresses of Lower and Central Sindh.[7] Many of these Jat were said to be pastoral nomads, inhabiting the Indus Delta region. It is this region which is still home to a large community of cattle rearing Jat clans.[8]
Between the 10th and the 13th Century, there was large immigration of Jat groups from Sindhu northwards to Punjab and eastwards towards what is now Rajasthan. Many Jat clans initially settled in a region known as the Bar country, which referred to the country between the rivers of Punjab, thinly populated with scanty rainfall which accommodated a type of pastoral nomadism which was based primary on the rearing of goats and camels. Between the 11th and the 13th Century, the Jats became essentially a peasant population, taking advantage in the growth of irrigation. As these Jats became converted to peasant farmers, they also started to become Muslims. Most Jats clans of western Punjab have traditions that they accepted Islam at the hands of two famous Sufi saints of Punjab, Shaikh Faridudin Ganj Shaker of Pakpattan or his contemporary Baha Al Haq Zakiriya of Multan. In reality the process of conversion was said to much a slower process.[9] In the territory that now forms the Indian state of Punjab, conversion was said to have occurred from the time of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Different groups of Jats have different traditions as to their conversion to Islam in this region. For example the Jats of Nawanshahr had a tradition that their ancestor was one Mahr Mitha who ruled at Patti in what is now Kasur District. Mahr Mitha was said to have converted to Islam during the rule of Akbar, and as result of conversion, his clansmen followed his example. In neighbouring Ludhiana district, all the conversion were said to have occurred during the rule of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. With many clans only sections converted, and this was seen in the large Sandhu Garewal clan, who were Muslim in Samrala, while in the northern parts of Ludhiana District were exclusively Sikh.[10]
This process of incremental conversion was seen by the presence of members of a particular clan, some who had become Sikh while others had converted to Islam.[11] In the plains and high plateau of Punjab, there are many communities of Jat, some of whom had converted to Islam by the 18th Century, while others had become Sikhs. As a result, some clans such as the Virk are largely Muslim, while others such as Pannun and Bal have Muslim branches, but are largely Sikh.[12] According 1901 Census of India, the Muslim Jats numbered 1,957,000, while Hindu Jats numbered 1,595,000 and Sikh Jats numbered 1,390,00 in the Punjab.[13]
Many Muslim Jats, were Sikhs, but converted to Islam, during the 19th century and early 20th century.
When Arabs entered Sindh in the seventh century, the chief tribal groupings they found were the Jats and Meds. These Jats are often referred as Zatts in early Arab writings. The Jats were the first converts to Islam, and many were employed as soldiers by the new Arab Muslim administration in Sindh. The Muslim conquest chronicles further point at the important concentrations of Jats in towns and fortresses of Lower and Central Sindh.[7] Many of these Jat were said to be pastoral nomads, inhabiting the Indus Delta region. It is this region which is still home to a large community of cattle rearing Jat clans.[8]
Between the 10th and the 13th Century, there was large immigration of Jat groups from Sindhu northwards to Punjab and eastwards towards what is now Rajasthan. Many Jat clans initially settled in a region known as the Bar country, which referred to the country between the rivers of Punjab, thinly populated with scanty rainfall which accommodated a type of pastoral nomadism which was based primary on the rearing of goats and camels. Between the 11th and the 13th Century, the Jats became essentially a peasant population, taking advantage in the growth of irrigation. As these Jats became converted to peasant farmers, they also started to become Muslims. Most Jats clans of western Punjab have traditions that they accepted Islam at the hands of two famous Sufi saints of Punjab, Shaikh Faridudin Ganj Shaker of Pakpattan or his contemporary Baha Al Haq Zakiriya of Multan. In reality the process of conversion was said to much a slower process.[9] In the territory that now forms the Indian state of Punjab, conversion was said to have occurred from the time of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Different groups of Jats have different traditions as to their conversion to Islam in this region. For example the Jats of Nawanshahr had a tradition that their ancestor was one Mahr Mitha who ruled at Patti in what is now Kasur District. Mahr Mitha was said to have converted to Islam during the rule of Akbar, and as result of conversion, his clansmen followed his example. In neighbouring Ludhiana district, all the conversion were said to have occurred during the rule of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. With many clans only sections converted, and this was seen in the large Sandhu Garewal clan, who were Muslim in Samrala, while in the northern parts of Ludhiana District were exclusively Sikh.[10]
This process of incremental conversion was seen by the presence of members of a particular clan, some who had become Sikh while others had converted to Islam.[11] In the plains and high plateau of Punjab, there are many communities of Jat, some of whom had converted to Islam by the 18th Century, while others had become Sikhs. As a result, some clans such as the Virk are largely Muslim, while others such as Pannun and Bal have Muslim branches, but are largely Sikh.[12] According 1901 Census of India, the Muslim Jats numbered 1,957,000, while Hindu Jats numbered 1,595,000 and Sikh Jats numbered 1,390,00 in the Punjab.[13]
Many Muslim Jats, were Sikhs, but converted to Islam, during the 19th century and early 20th century.
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