Islam in Assam

Some of these groups are affiliated and representatives of multiparty movements like Nadwatul Ulama, Deobandi '(through many organizations)', Jamiat, Tablighi Jamaat and many of other related parties.

One of the most important factors contributing to the arrival and spread of Islam in Assam in the pre-colonial times was repeated invasions by Muslim rulers and generals.

[2] Though none of these invasions succeeded in establishing a rule it created a small but thriving Muslim population, aided by local rulers.

A Delhi Sultanate general Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji appeared on the borders of Assam in 1206 and converted Ali Mech who guided him[3] on his expedition to capture Tibet.

[8] The first immigrant settlement occurred in the middle of the 13th century when Malik Ikhtiyaruddin Yuzbak in 1257 occupied some regions of Assam briefly.

[10]: 39–40  In circa 1360, the Sultan of Bengal Sikandar Shah raided the Kamata kingdom and heavily weakened King Indranarayan's authority.

[14] The Sultan appointed his son, Prince Daniyal,[15] as the governor of the newly conquered region; that reached up to Hajo and intended to expand to Central Assam.

Turko-Afghan soldiers who were taken as prisoners of wars by the Ahom kingdom in the 16th were later assimilated by the local population, but maintained a semblance of their Islamic beliefs and worked as brass metal workers.

[citation needed] In 1613, the Mughal emperor Jahangir appointed Muhammad Zaman Karori of Tehran as the Amil of Sylhet.

The mosque contained the mazar (mausoleum) of Prince Ghiyath ad-Din Awliya of Iraq, who is commonly credited for introducing Islam to the region.

The Muslim League, led by Muhammed Saadulah, formed a minority government in the state and he again encouraged large scale immigration from then Bengal.

The movement ended with the signing of the Assam Accord by leaders of AASU-AAGSP and the Government of India under PM Rajiv Gandhi.

The Mariya and Gauria are minority groups and can be found in Sivasagar, Jorhat, Tinsukia, Golaghat, Kamrup and some other districts in Assam.

[39] The Muslim of Barak Valley adapt Sylheti language for speak consists of 3 districts namely Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi.

There were no natural boundaries between Karimganj and Cachar to happen.The inhabitant Muslims in Barak Valley (comprising districts of Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj) bear surnames at present (starting from British era but not before) like Khan, Choudhury (adopted by most everyone's), Mazumdar, Laskar(used by most landlords), Barlaskar,(mix of barbhuiya and Laskar) Barbhuiya(used by most of landlords), Mazarbhuiya(associate with Barbhuiyas), Talukdar and Hazari and other regular titles or Surnames mostly bought from Kachari kings Krishan Chandra and Govinda Chandra but some not use any surnames or titles.

[40][41][34][42] The third group are the descendants of Muslim migrants from Hindi belt various parts of North-West- Central-Southe India, who speak Hindustani.

The number of children who would be born per woman — or the total fertility rate (TFR) — of the Muslim community in Assam is at 2.4 which is higher than the 1.6 for Hindus as of 2019-20 research by the fifth National Family Health Survey.

Muslims are majority in Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Barpeta, Morigaon, South Salmara district, Hojai, Nagaon, Darrang, Karimganj and Hailakandi.

[52] The lineage of Deshi's (Desi Community), believed to be among the first batch of people in Assam to have embraced Islam, is traced back to Ali Mech, a Koch-Rajbongshi.

[52] On 5 June 2022, by cabinet decision of the Assam Government,[54][55] five groups of indigenous Assamese Muslims were recognized, namely Goria, Moria, Deshi, Jalah (Juluha) and Syed.

[60] The AIUDF Party spokesperson accused the BJP of employing a 'divide and rule' strategy in Assam, emphasizing their alleged focus on creating divisions within the Muslim population by exploiting differences between indigenous and non-indigenous groups for political gains.

[60] Bengali-speaking Muslims, also known as Miya people, who initially migrated from Eastern and Northern Bengal during the British Raj, hold significant numerical influence, determining the outcomes of approximately 30 assembly seats out of Assam's 126 constituencies.

[65] Indian nationalist politicians have accused Bangladesh of trying to expand its territory by ostensibly promoting illegal immigration.

[68] Speculated to be revenge for not voting for the National Democratic Front in the Lok Sabha elections,[69] the death toll reached 32, mostly Muslims.

[71][72] On 10 June 2021, nearly 100 families of about 500 Bengali-speaking Muslims were rendered homeless through land eviction, leaving them with no option but to take shelter near a road.

A similar drive was also carried out on 17 May at Jamugurihat in North Assam's Sonitpur district which have evicted 25 Muslim families, all belonging to the Bengali speaking groups.

Citing the statistics, the letter alleged that the numbers suggest there was pressure from State authorities to declare more persons as foreigners as far as possible.

[79] On first week of January 2023, Eviction Drive were again carried out by Assam government in Lakhimpur district, where around 300 Bengali-Muslim Families homes and occupation were destroyed permanently, thus making them homeless and jobless.

[80][81] In August 2024, after a rape case in Dihing by where convicts were from Miya Bangladeshi Community, various organizations, including the All Tai Ahom Students Union (ATASU), Asomiya Yuva Manch, Bir Lachit Sena, Garia Maria Desi Jatiya Parishad (representing Indigenous Assamese Muslims), and others, issued an ultimatum for the bangladeshi Miya people to leave Upper Assam.

[83] Census of India between (2001-2011) have shown that Bengali Muslim population grows 15-17% in Assam specially in the bordering districts over the past decade.

Panbari Mosque , one of the oldest mosque in Assam located at Dhubri
The dargah housing the Panch Pir collective, a group of five mystics that had joined Ram Singh I in the Mughal invasion of Assam.
The dargah of Azan Faqir , a Sufi saint who helped spread Islam in the region.
Even after the state-sponsored expulsion of Mughals in 1682, King Sukhrungphaa of the Tungkhungia dynasty was said to have continued to pay great attention to the Powa-Makkah Mosque in Hajo .
The Jayantipur Bor Masjid near Kuwarital was constructed in 1570.
The Chanmaguri Mosque near Rangiya , Kamrup.
Ilias Ali on a journey to propagate family planning among the riverine Muslims of rural Kamrup.