Bihari Muslims are those adherents of Islam who identify linguistically, culturally, and genealogically as Biharis. They are geographically native to the region comprising the Bihar state of India, although there are significantly large communities of Bihari Muslims living elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent due to the partition of India in 1947, which prompted the community to migrate en masse from Bihar to the Dominion of Pakistan (both West Pakistan and East Pakistan).
Bihari Muslims make up a significant minority in Pakistan under the diverse community of Muhajirs (), and largely began arriving in the country following the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, which led to the secession of East Pakistan from the Pakistani union as the independent state of Bangladesh.
The majority of Bihari Muslims adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam and the adoption of the religion by Biharis traces back to the 14th century, when Afghan traders and Sufi missionaries began to arrive in the region a century prior to the Mughal conquest of India. There are also a significant minority of Biharis who adhere to the Shia branch of Islam, largely residing in Patna and Gopalpur in Siwan, tracing their religious descent to Shia Muslim settlers of distant Persian ancestry from Lucknow in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, who arrived in the region during the 19th century.
History The large-scale arrival of Muslims in Bihar began in the 14th century, when Turk traders and Sufi saints-warriors settled in the South Bihar plains and furthered the process of agricultural colonisation while also spreading Islam among the local populace. Muslims were not the only new immigrants to Bihar during this period. Inscriptions in Bihar Sharif tell of a Sufi warrior by the name of Malik Ibrahim Bayu who came to Bihar and defeated the non-Hindu Kol tribe who had been oppressing the local Muslims. He conquered many Kol chiefdoms.
Some of the kings and chieftains of medieval Bihar were Muslim. The chieftaincy of Kharagpur Raj in modern-day Munger district was originally controlled by Hindu Rajputs. In 1615 after a failed rebellion by Raja Sangram Singh, his son, Toral Mal converted and he changed his name to Roz Afzun.
The Faujdars of Purnea (also known as the Nawabs of Purnea) created an autonomous territory for themselves under the leadership of Saif Khan and ruled in parts of Eastern Bihar in the early 1700s. They were engaged in a protracted conflict with the neighbouring Kingdom of Nepal.
Many Bihari Muslims migrated to West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) after the 1946 Bihar riots following partition of India in 1947. In the context of the 1971 war in Bangladesh, Biharis were seen as collaborators of the Pakistan Army and subjected to violence of all sorts. They then sought refuge in Pakistan. While the 1973–74 Delhi Agreement facilitated the repatriation of some refugees, only 144,800 non-Bengalis were repatriated to Pakistan, with over 258,000 left awaiting relocation. In Pakistan, many settled in Karachi's low-income neighbourhoods such as Orangi Town, Korangi Town, Musa Colony, and others. However, these communities remained vulnerable, particularly during ethnic conflicts like the Qasba-Aligarh Colony Massacre in 1986. Repatriation efforts slowed significantly after 1982, with only 15,000 Biharis resettled in Pakistan by then. A brief resumption in 1993 resulted in the transfer of just 53 families before protests halted the process again. This has led to the issue of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, Biharis faced legal and social barriers to citizenship. It was not until a 2008 Supreme Court ruling that Biharis born after 1971, or who were minors at the time, were granted Bangladeshi citizenship and voting rights.
The 1989 Bhagalpur violence was one of the deadliest episodes of communal rioting in post-independence India. Beginning in October 1989 in Bhagalpur and spreading to nearby villages, the violence lasted nearly two months, killing over 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, and displacing thousands, leaving a lasting impact on Indian Bihari Muslims.
Distribution by district The following table shows the Muslim population by districts of Bihar.
District Population (2001) Muslim population Percentage1 Kishanganj 1,796,3481,123,456 68% 2 Katihar 2,392,638 1,024,678 43% 3 Araria 2,158,608 887,972 42% 4 Purnia 2,543,942 935,239 38% 5 Darbhanga 3,295,789 748,971 23%6 Sitamarhi 2,682,720 568,992 21%7 West Champaran 3,043,466 646,597 21%8 East Champaran 3,939,773755,005 19%9 Bhagalpur 2,423,172 423,246 18%10 Madhubani 3,575,281 941,579 18%11 Siwan 2,714,349 494,176 18% 12 Gopalganj 2,152,638 367,219 17%13 Supaul 1,732,578 302,120 17%14 Sheohar 515,961 80,076 16% 15 Muzaffarpur 4,746,714 752,358 15%16 Saharsa 1,508,182 217,922 14%17 Begusarai 2,349,366 313,71313%18 Banka 1,608,773 190,051 12%19 Gaya 3,473,428 403,439 13%20 Jamui 1,398,796 170,334 12%21 Nawada 1,809,696 204,457 11%22 Madhepura 1,526,646 173,605 11%23 Aurangabad 2,013,055 221,436 11%24 Kaimur 1,289,074 123,048 10%25 Khagaria 1,280,354131,441 10% 26 Rohtas 2,450,748 246,760 10%27 Samastipur 3,394,793 355,897 10% 28 Saran 3,248,701337,767 10%29 Vaishali 2,718,421 259,158 10%30 Jehanabad 1,514,315 124,149 8% 31 Munger 1,337,797 98,791 7.4%32 Patna 4,718,592 366,164 8%33 Bhojpur 2,243,144163,193 7% 34 Nalanda 2,370,528 176,871 7% 35 Sheikhpura 525,502 37,755 7%37 Buxar 1,402,39686,382 6%38 Lakhisarai 802,225 35,378 4%
Sum total of this table is 14,780,500 Muslims out of 83.0 million total population in 2001 census, hence Muslims were 16.5% of total population in Bihar. In 2011 census, total population grew to 103.9985 million, of which 16.9% or 17,557,809 were Muslims. During 2001–2011, Muslims grew by 33.433%, while non-Muslims grew by 23.537%. District-wise break up by religions for 2011 is not available.
Kishanganj is the only district in Bihar with a Muslim majority.
Muslim communities
Malik Julahas Sheikh of Bihar Surjapuri (Bhuiyan) Kunjra or Rayeen Shershabadia Muslim Bhumihars Pathans of Bihar Darzi or Idrisi Kulhaiya Muslim Kayasths Muslim Rajputs Thakurai Malkana Khanzada Abdal Muslim Chhipi Lal Begi or Lala Baig Turuk Pasi/Pashai Sayyid/Syed Chik Sai Muslim Rangrez Iraqi or Kalal
In common with the rest of India, the Muslims in Bihar are largely descendants of native converts from various castes. The rise of the Indian Muslim population can be traced back to the early 12th century, with many conversions to Islam taking place during the rule of the Sur Empire, which had established its capital in Sasaram.
Statistics
As per the 2022 Bihar caste-based survey, the population of major Muslim castes in Bihar was as follows: +CasteCategorizationPopulationPopulation as a percentage of total population of BiharShaikhGeneral49958973.821675389Momin (Muslim) (Julaha/Ansari)EBC46342453.545025061Surjapuri Muslim (except Shaikh, Syed, Mallick, Mirza, Baig, Mughal, Pathan) (only for Purnia, Katihar, Kishangunj and Araria districts)BC24462121.871261196Dhuniya (Muslim)EBC18881921.444396651Rayeen or Kunjra (Muslim)EBC18285841.398798748ShershahbadiEBC13026440.99647421KulhaiyaEBC12537810.959095832Pathan (Khan)General9866650.754762027Sai/Faqeer/Diwan/Madar (Muslim)EBC6631970.507321038Dhobi (Muslim)EBC4097960.313478698Idrisi or Darzi (Muslim)EBC3296610.252178404SyedGeneral2979750.227939792Chudihar (Muslim)EBC2079140.159046477Thakurai (Muslim)EBC1474820.112818245Qasab (Qasai) (Muslim)EBC1338070.102357378Bhat (Muslim)BC890520.068121468Madariya (Muslim) (only for Sanhaul block of Bhagalpur and Dhoriya block of Banka)BC866580.066290147Daphali (Muslim)EBC732590.05604041Mehtar, Lalbegi, Halalkhor, Bhangi (Muslim)EBC699140.05348161MorshikarEBC666070.050951878Pamaria (Muslim)EBC648900.049638437Muslim NatsEBC616290.047143893GaddiBC576170.044074862Mukairi (Muslim)EBC565220.043237228Cheeq (Muslim)EBC504040.038557185Jat Muslim (Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Khagaria and Araria)BC449490.034384313Rangrez (Muslim)EBC433470.033158843Bakho (Muslim)EBC368300.02817358Bhathiyara (Muslim)EBC272630.020855181Saikalgarg (Muslim)EBC189360.014485336QadarEBC181210.013861891Miriyasin (Muslim)EBC154150.011791902Nalband (Muslim)EBC119000.009103057Madari (Muslim)EBC116200.008888868AbdalEBC114330.00874582Itfarosh/Itafarosh/Gadheri/Itpaz Ibrahimi (Muslim)EBC94620.007238078QalandarEBC78730.006022552QaghziBC23600.001805312 The Iraqi/Kalal was counted as a subset of Bania caste. Prominent members of the Kalal community had protested against the state government and demanded a separate categorisation.
Culture
Traditional Dress Among Bihari Muslims, traditional attire reflects a blend of Islamic modesty and regional cultural aesthetics. One notable example is the chaapa dress, commonly worn by Bihari Muslim women, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. The term chaapa (from Hindi/Urdu: छाप/چاپ) means "print" or "stamp," referring to the block-printed or hand-stamped designs featured on these garments.
Chaapa dresses are typically made of cotton and are adorned with floral, paisley, or geometric motifs in vibrant colours. The outfit usually consists of a long tunic (kurta), a lower garment such as a salwar or lehenga, and a matching dupatta. These dresses prioritise comfort and modesty while showcasing local textile traditions. Although machine-printed versions have become common, traditional hand-block printed chaapa fabrics continue to be worn on festive and religious occasions.
The chaapa dress is an example of how Bihari Muslim clothing preserves local artisanal techniques while expressing cultural and religious identity.
Food Bihari Muslim food culture is a part of Bihari cuisine that combines local agricultural traditions with Islamic culinary influences brought by Persian, Afghan, and Mughal contacts. It is known for its strong non-vegetarian dishes, festive and wedding foods, and everyday staples rooted in regional taste like Bihari Kabab, Pulao Gosht, Sheer Chai, Kofta, Baqer Khani, Qeemami Sewai, Zarda and Makuti.
Festivals
They celebrate major Islamic festivals such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. They also celebrate Shab-e-Barat and Eid Milad-un-Nabi. Muharram is uniquely observed by both Shia and Sunni Muslims, with Sunni Bihari Muslims also participating in taziya processions and mourning rituals. During Muharram, especially on Ashura, Muslim Julaha communities of Bihar perform the "Jharni Dance". It is a ritual form of dance and song in which participants move in a circle and rhythmically strike split bamboo sticks to create a distinct beat. Urs Mela are an important part of Bihari Muslim religious life, commemorating the death anniversaries of revered Sufi saints. Major Urs gatherings are held at shrines such as Makhdoom Yahya Maneri in Maner Sharif and Sharfuddin Ahmed Yahya Maneri in Bihar Sharif, attracting thousands of devotees from all over India and World.
Literature
Bihari Muslims have made significant contributions to Urdu and Persian literature, particularly from historic centres such as Patna. Renowned poets like Shad Azimabadi, Bismil Azimabadi, Hussain Ul Haque and Kalim Aajiz played an important role in the development of Urdu poetry and literary culture. Rasheed-Un-Nisa was the first female novelist from Bihar. She authored the Urdu novel Islaah-Un-Nisa, although her name was not originally credited as the author in the book. Muslims in Bihar also established important libraries and literary institutions that promoted education and intellectual life, most notably the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library in Patna, founded in 1891 by Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh. It houses one of the richest collections of Arabic, Persian, and Urdu manuscripts in India. Other institutions, such as Madrasa libraries and private collections maintained by scholars, also contributed to preserving Islamic scholarship and Indo-Muslim literary traditions in the region.