The word fakir or faqir (Arabic: فقیر (noun of faqr)) is derived from the word faqr (Arabic: فقر, "poverty").They are claim to the descendants of Sufi saints belonging to Syeds lineage, that traced to Ali.
[1] There is a theory that this community was formed by Badi' Al-Din an Arab muslim Sufi saint and he came to India from Syria.
Like in other parts of India, the Faqir have evolved from what was originally a community of Sufi mendicants into an endogamous caste grouping.
They live mainly in the districts of Nadia, Howrah, Murshidabad, Malda, Bankura, Birbhum and Purulia.
A significant number of Faqir are also involved in the production of cooking oil, an activity traditionally associated with the Teli caste in other parts of India.