Jogi Faqir
Encyclopedia
The Jogi Faqir or Faqir are a Muslim
community, found in North India
. They are also known as Madariya Faqir. The Jogi Faqir are Muslim
converts from the Hindu
Jogi
caste, and are one of the two sub-divisions of the Faqir
found in Uttar Pradesh
.
ruler of North India
, Prithvi Raj, who became the disciple of the Sufi, Moinuddin Chishti
, and was known as Abdullah Biyabani, after his conversion to Islam
. The community have three sub-groups, Chaurash, Tappa and Athgara.
, Fatehpur
, Unnao
, Pratapgarh
, Allahabad
, Mirzapur
, Varanasi
, Barabanki
, Basti, Santkabirnagar and Lukhnow. They were traditionally involved with begging and providing specialized religious services. Like other Muslim
communities in North India
, they are undergoing social change, and become more orthodox. They have always been Sunni, and many are now employed as village imam
s. They are also present in different districts of Sindh
, Pakistan.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community, found in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
. They are also known as Madariya Faqir. The Jogi Faqir are Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
converts from the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Jogi
Jogi (castes)
The Jogi are a Hindu community, found in North India, and smallers numbers also found in the southern state of Karnataka . They are known as Giri, Nath and Goswami....
caste, and are one of the two sub-divisions of the Faqir
Faqir (caste)
The Faqir are a Muslim ethnic group found in India. They are also known as Shah Alvi or Sain in North India, which is now their preferred self-designation and in West Bengal, they are known as Sahajia...
found in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
.
History and origin
The Jogi Faqir call themselves Madariya Faqir, as they trace their origin from the Sufi saint Jinda Jhullan Shah Madari. Their ancestor was Jay Pal, the guru of the ChauhanChauhan
Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
ruler of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
, Prithvi Raj, who became the disciple of the Sufi, Moinuddin Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
, and was known as Abdullah Biyabani, after his conversion to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. The community have three sub-groups, Chaurash, Tappa and Athgara.
Present circumstances
They are found in the districts of KanpurKanpur District
Kanpur district is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is a part of Kanpur division and its district headquarters is Kanpur. Due to increase in population of Kanpur District, for proper administration it has been divided into two. The term Kanpur refers to the combination...
, Fatehpur
Fatehpur district
Fatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...
, Unnao
Unnao District
Unnao District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Unnao is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-History:...
, Pratapgarh
Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh
Pratapgarh also called Bela, Bela Pratapgarh, Partapgarh or Partabgarh, is a city and nagar panchayat of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Pratapgarh district, part of the Faizabad Division...
, Allahabad
Allahabad District
Allahabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Allahabad town is the district headquarters. Allahabad district is a part of Allahabad Division.As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Uttar Pradesh ....
, Mirzapur
Mirzapur District
Mirzapur district is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district is bounded on the north by Sant Ravidas Nagar and Varanasi districts, on the east by Chandauli district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and on the norhwest by Allahabad district. The district...
, Varanasi
Varanasi District
Varanasi district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, with Varanasi city as the district headquarters. Varanasi district is a part of Varanasi division. The district occupies an area of 1,535 km². The district has a population of 3,138,671 .-Divisions:The...
, Barabanki
Barabanki District
The Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...
, Basti, Santkabirnagar and Lukhnow. They were traditionally involved with begging and providing specialized religious services. Like other Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
communities in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
, they are undergoing social change, and become more orthodox. They have always been Sunni, and many are now employed as village imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
s. They are also present in different districts of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Pakistan.