Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh
Encyclopedia
The Sayyid (plural sādah ) of Uttar Pradesh
in India
are a Muslim
community who are members of the wider Sayyid
community of South Asia
. They are also known as Mir and Pirzada
. Many are also now found in Pakistan
.
, the word is the equivalent of the English "Mister", as in Sayyid John Smith. The same concept is expressed by the word sidi
(from the contracted form sayyidī 'my lord') in the Moroccan dialect of Arabic
.
As an honorific
title, the term Al-Sayyid is given to males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali
and Husain ibn Ali, who were the sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib. Daughters of male sayyids are given the titles Sayyida, Alawiyah, Syarifah, or Sharifah. Children of a Sayyida mother but a non-Sayyid father cannot be attributed the title of Sayyid; however, they may claim maternal descent and are called Mirza
.
Sayyids are Arab
s by origin, and Sayyids and are by descent a branch of the tribe of Banu Hashim
, a clan from the tribe of Quraish, which traces its lineage to Adnan
, whose lineage traces back to the Prophet Ismael
, the son of the Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham
. In North India
, most of the Sayyid families are descended from individuals invited by the Muslim
rulers of the Delhi Sultanate
, as advisors and administrators, and granted jagir
s. During the period of Mughal
rule that followed the Delhi Sultanate
, they held the majority of the civil and ecclesiastic posts. They also provide an important element in the Mughal
army, and many are still found in the old Muslim
garrison towns such as Nuhta, in Bijnor District
, Budaun
, Kara in Awadh
and Bayana. Many of these towns were founded by the Sayyid grantees, and they encouraged both Muslim
immigrants and new converts which helped established Muslim towns in what was still a Hindu
countryside. A further event that accelerated Sayyid immigration was the Mongol invasion of Central Asia
, Iran
and Iraq
in the 13th Century, and sacking of such famous Muslim
cities like Bukhara
, Samarkand
, Nishapur
, Mashad, Isfahan, Hamdan
, Baghdad
and Basra
by Hulagu Khan
, the Mongol warlord. This is still reflected in the common surnames among the Sayyid such as Bukhari (literally an inhabitant of Bukhara), Mashadi, Baghdadi and Hamdani and so forth.
Many Sayyid were also settled in the countryside, and one such example were the Saadat-e-Bara
, who ancestors came from Central Asia
, and were granted estates near Meerut and Muzaffarnagar
. This community played an important role in the politics of the Mughal Empire
. Another branch of this famous clan are the Sayyid of the town of Bilgram
in Awadh
.
In addition, many of the early Sufi saints that came to Uttar Pradesh
belonged to Sayyid families. Most of these Sayyid families came from Central Asia
and Iran
, but some also originate from Yemen
, Oman
, Iraq
and Bahrain
. Perhaps the most famous Sufi was Syed Salar Masud, from whom many of the Sayyid families of Awadh
claim their descent.
Perhaps the most important figure in the history of the Sayyid in Uttar Pradesh was Sayyid Basrullah Shustari, who moved from Mashad in Iran
in 1549 and joined the court of the Mughal
Emperor Akbar. Akbar later appointed Shustari as his chief justice, and Shustari used his position to strengthen the position of the various Sayyid families. They were preferred in administrative posts, and formed a privileged elite. When the Mughal Empire disintegrated, the Sayyid played an important role in turbulent politics of the time. The new British
colonial authorities that replaced the Mughal
s after the Battle of Buxar
also made a pragmatic decision to work the with various Sayyid jagirdars. Several Sayyid taluqdar
s in Awadh
were substantial landowners under the British colonial regime, and many other Sayyid still played their part in the administration of the state.
, with Faizabad
, Hallaur
, Lukhnow, Barabanki, Jaunpur
, Azamgarh
, Allahabad
, Amroha
, Meerut and Aligarh home to large Sayyid communities. They generally speak Urdu
, and most also understand the various dialects of Hindi
. The Sayyid are divided along sectarian lines, with a slight majority belonging to the Shia sect, especially in the Awadh
region, while the Sunni are found mainly in the western districts. They are further divided into discreat endigamous clans, bases on territorial groupings. The most important ones are the Saadat-e-Bara
, Sadaat Amroha
, Sadaat-e-barabanki, Sayyids of Hallaur
, Sadaat-e-Bilgram
and Sadaat-e-Barn. Other groupings include the Alavi, Abidi
, Baqari, Barcha, Bukhari, Jafari
, Jalali, Kazmi
, Naqvi
, Rizvi
, Tirmizi and Zaidi
, each claiming descent from a particular Shia Imam. Sayyids often include the following titles in their names to indicate the figure from whom they trace their descent. If they are descended from more than one notable ancestor or Shi'a Imam
, they will use the title of the ancestor from whom they are most directly descended.
Traditional Sayyid families rarely marry outside their community, with an emphasis of marrying into najab-ul-tarfain (of Sayyid descent from both the mother’s and father’s side) families. This insistence on endogamy has begun to decline among the more urbanized families, with an increase inter marriage with other group such as the Shaikh
and Mughal
s.
Historically the Sayyid of UP were substantial landowners, often absentees, and this was especially the case with the Awadh
taluqdar
s. In the urban townships, Sayyid families served as priests, teachers and administrators, with the British
colonial authorities given the community a preference in recruitment. Though they are less than 3% of Muslim population, they control a majority of economic resources.The community also has a very high literacy rate.The independence and partition of India
in 1947 was traumatic for the community, with many families becoming divided, with some members moved to Pakistan
. This was followed by the abolishment of the zamindar
i system, where land was redistributed to those who till the land. Many Sayyid who remained on the land are now medium and small scale farmers. While in the urban areas, there has been a shift towards modern occupations.
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...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
are a 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...
community who are members of the wider Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
community of South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. They are also known as Mir and Pirzada
Pirzada
Pirzada tribe also moved with qalandar lal shahbaz and settled at sehwan sharif since last 850 years and still at sehwan there is a mohalla with name of pirzada mohalla they have their own history and pir baqadar shah the very old character and saint of sehwan sharif Pirzada is the name of a...
. Many are also now found in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
History and origin
Sayyid literally means Mister or Sir. In the Arab worldArab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
, the word is the equivalent of the English "Mister", as in Sayyid John Smith. The same concept is expressed by the word sidi
Sidi
Sidi is a masculine title of respect, meaning "my master" in Western Arabic language and Egyptian Arabic equivalent to modern popular usage of the English Mr....
(from the contracted form sayyidī 'my lord') in the Moroccan dialect of Arabic
Maghreb Arabic
Maghrebi Arabic or Darija is a cover term for the varieties of Arabic spoken in the Maghreb, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya. In Algeria, colloquial Maghrebi Arabic was taught as a separate subject under French colonization, and some textbooks exist. Speakers of Maghrebi Arabic call...
.
As an honorific
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
title, the term Al-Sayyid is given to males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali
Hasan ibn Ali
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
and Husain ibn Ali, who were the sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib. Daughters of male sayyids are given the titles Sayyida, Alawiyah, Syarifah, or Sharifah. Children of a Sayyida mother but a non-Sayyid father cannot be attributed the title of Sayyid; however, they may claim maternal descent and are called Mirza
Mirza
Mirza , is of Persian origin, denoting the rank of a high nobleman or Prince. It is usually translated into English as a royal or imperial Prince of the Blood...
.
Sayyids are Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s by origin, and Sayyids and are by descent a branch of the tribe of Banu Hashim
Banu Hashim
Banū Hāshim was a clan in the Quraysh tribe. Muhammad, was a member of this clan; his great-grandfather was Hashim, for whom the clan is named. Members of this clan are referred to by the Anglicised version of their name as Hashemites, or Huseini or Hasani...
, a clan from the tribe of Quraish, which traces its lineage to Adnan
Adnan
Adnan is the traditional ancestor of the Adnani Arabs of northern, central and western Arabia, as opposed to the Qahtani of Southern and south eastern Arabia who descend from Qahtan.-Origin:...
, whose lineage traces back to the Prophet Ismael
Ismaël
Ismaël is a given name or surname, and may refer to:* Ismaël Alassane , Nigerien football defender* Ismaël Bangoura , Guinean football striker* Ismaël Bouzid , Algerian football player...
, the son of the Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
. 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...
, most of the Sayyid families are descended from individuals invited by the 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...
rulers of the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
, as advisors and administrators, and granted jagir
Jagir
In historic India, a jagir was a small territory granted by the ruler to an army chieftain in fairly short terms usually of three years but not extending beyond his lifetime, in recognition of his military service...
s. During the period of Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
rule that followed the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
, they held the majority of the civil and ecclesiastic posts. They also provide an important element in the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
army, and many are still found in the old 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...
garrison towns such as Nuhta, in Bijnor District
Bijnor District
Bijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...
, Budaun
Budaun
Badaun or Badayun is a city in the north-central Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. According to famous British Historian George Smith Budaun was named after Ahir prince Budh. Badaun comes under upper doab of Gangatic plains. Pede from Badaun are famous throughout world.-Demographics: India...
, Kara in Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
and Bayana. Many of these towns were founded by the Sayyid grantees, and they encouraged both 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...
immigrants and new converts which helped established Muslim towns in what was still a 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...
countryside. A further event that accelerated Sayyid immigration was the Mongol invasion of Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in the 13th Century, and sacking of such famous 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...
cities like Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
, Samarkand
Samarkand
Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came...
, Nishapur
Nishapur
Nishapur or Nishabur , is a city in the Razavi Khorasan province in northeastern Iran, situated in a fertile plain at the foot of the Binalud Mountains, near the regional capital of Mashhad...
, Mashad, Isfahan, Hamdan
Hamdan
Hamdan is a name of Arab origin. Among people named Hamdan include:*Al-Hamdan, famous Druze family*Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Yemeni Guantanamo detainee, driver and bodyguard of Osama bin Laden*Gibran Hamdan, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills...
, Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
by Hulagu Khan
Hulagu Khan
Hulagu Khan, also known as Hülegü, Hulegu , was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of Southwest Asia...
, the Mongol warlord. This is still reflected in the common surnames among the Sayyid such as Bukhari (literally an inhabitant of Bukhara), Mashadi, Baghdadi and Hamdani and so forth.
Many Sayyid were also settled in the countryside, and one such example were the Saadat-e-Bara
Saadat-e-Bara
Sadat-e-Bara , sometimes pronounced Sadaat-e-Barha, are a community of Sayyids who inhabit a group of twelve villages situated in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh in India. This community had considerable influence during the latter days of the Mughal Empire. They were also found in...
, who ancestors came from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, and were granted estates near Meerut and Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar is a major city and a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city was established in Mughal period by a Sayyid Jagirdar, Munawar Lashkar Ali, and so named in honour of his father, Muzaffar Ali Khan. It is the headquarters of the Muzaffarnagar district. It is a...
. This community played an important role in the politics of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
. Another branch of this famous clan are the Sayyid of the town of Bilgram
Bilgram
Bilgram is a city and a municipal board in Hardoi district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.-Geography:Bilgram is located at . It has an average elevation of 136 metres .-Demographics:...
in Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
.
In addition, many of the early Sufi saints that came to 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...
belonged to Sayyid families. Most of these Sayyid families came from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, but some also originate from Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
. Perhaps the most famous Sufi was Syed Salar Masud, from whom many of the Sayyid families of Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
claim their descent.
Perhaps the most important figure in the history of the Sayyid in Uttar Pradesh was Sayyid Basrullah Shustari, who moved from Mashad in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in 1549 and joined the court of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Emperor Akbar. Akbar later appointed Shustari as his chief justice, and Shustari used his position to strengthen the position of the various Sayyid families. They were preferred in administrative posts, and formed a privileged elite. When the Mughal Empire disintegrated, the Sayyid played an important role in turbulent politics of the time. The new British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial authorities that replaced the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
s after the Battle of Buxar
Battle of Buxar
The Battle of Buxar was fought on 22 October 1764 between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, and the combined armies of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daula Nawab of Awadh; and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor...
also made a pragmatic decision to work the with various Sayyid jagirdars. Several Sayyid taluqdar
Taluqdar
A taluqdar or talukdar , is a term used for Indian land holders in Mughal and British times, responsible for collecting taxes from a district...
s in Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
were substantial landowners under the British colonial regime, and many other Sayyid still played their part in the administration of the state.
Present circumstances
The Sayyid are found throughout Uttar PradeshUttar 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...
, with Faizabad
Faizabad
City of Faizabad , previous capital of Awadh, is the headquarters of Faizabad District and a municipal board in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, situated on the banks of river Ghaghra . Faizabad has a twin city of Ayodhya, which is considered to be the birthplace of Rama...
, Hallaur
Hallaur
Hallaur or Haloor is a town or a big village in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, situated near the banks of Rapti river. Residents of Hallaur are referred as Hallauri.The Place of Rizvi Syed...
, Lukhnow, Barabanki, Jaunpur
Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
Jaunpur is a city and a municipal board in Jaunpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Jaunpur district is located to the northwest of the district of Varanasi in the eastern part of the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. According to the 2001 census, Jaunpur district had a population...
, Azamgarh
Azamgarh
Azamgarh is a town in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is headquarters of Azamgarh district and Azamgarh Division.-History:Azamgarh, one of the easternmost districts of the State, once formed a part of the ancient Kosala kingdom, except the north-eastern part of it which was included in the...
, Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, Amroha
Amroha
Amroha is a small town in the north-western Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is located north-west of Moradabad, near the Sot River...
, Meerut and Aligarh home to large Sayyid communities. They generally speak Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, and most also understand the various dialects of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. The Sayyid are divided along sectarian lines, with a slight majority belonging to the Shia sect, especially in the Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
region, while the Sunni are found mainly in the western districts. They are further divided into discreat endigamous clans, bases on territorial groupings. The most important ones are the Saadat-e-Bara
Saadat-e-Bara
Sadat-e-Bara , sometimes pronounced Sadaat-e-Barha, are a community of Sayyids who inhabit a group of twelve villages situated in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh in India. This community had considerable influence during the latter days of the Mughal Empire. They were also found in...
, Sadaat Amroha
Sadaat Amroha
The Sadaat Amroha or Amrohi Syed are a community of Sayyids, historically settled in the town of Amroha, in Uttar Pradesh, India. Many members of Sadaat Amroha community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh....
, Sadaat-e-barabanki, Sayyids of Hallaur
Hallaur
Hallaur or Haloor is a town or a big village in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, situated near the banks of Rapti river. Residents of Hallaur are referred as Hallauri.The Place of Rizvi Syed...
, Sadaat-e-Bilgram
Sadaat-e-Bilgram
The Saadat-e-Bilgram are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They also known as the Bilgrami Sayyid , and Bilgrami is often used as a surname.- Origin :...
and Sadaat-e-Barn. Other groupings include the Alavi, Abidi
Abidi
Abidi or Abedi is the surname for a family belonging to the offsprings of Muhammad's great-grandson Imam Zain-ul-Abideen or Imam Abid whose real name was Ali ibn Husayn. They belong to the Sayyid community...
, Baqari, Barcha, Bukhari, Jafari
Jafri
Jafri is a surname commonly associated with Shia Muslims who are the descendants of the 6th Imam, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, who was a direct descendant of Imam Ali and the prophet Muhammad. Since the Jafri clan trace their lineage to Fatima Az-Zehra, they often use the prefix Syed in front of their...
, Jalali, Kazmi
Kazmi
Kazmi or Kazemi is the surname for a family belonging to the offsprings of Muhammad's great-grandson Imam Musa al-Kadhim. They belong to the Sayyid community...
, Naqvi
Naqvi
The surname "Naqvi" are the descendants of Islamic Prophet Muhammad through the lineage of Ali al-Hadi...
, Rizvi
Rizvi
Rizvi or Rizavi is the Urdu pronunciation for the Persian surname Razavi or the Arabic surname Radawi/Ridhawi. It is a surname commonly associated with Shia Muslims who believe they are the descendants of the 8th Shiite Imam and a descendant and successor of Prophet Mohammad through his daughter...
, Tirmizi and Zaidi
Zaidi (Last Name)
People with the surname Zaidi, are the direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad's great-grandson Imam Zain-ul-Abideen whose real name was Ali ibn Husayn through his son Zayd ibn Ali. Zaidi can be found all over the world especially in Iran and Indo-Pak subcontinent.- The Wasitis :The Zaidis of the...
, each claiming descent from a particular Shia Imam. Sayyids often include the following titles in their names to indicate the figure from whom they trace their descent. If they are descended from more than one notable ancestor or Shi'a 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...
, they will use the title of the ancestor from whom they are most directly descended.
Traditional Sayyid families rarely marry outside their community, with an emphasis of marrying into najab-ul-tarfain (of Sayyid descent from both the mother’s and father’s side) families. This insistence on endogamy has begun to decline among the more urbanized families, with an increase inter marriage with other group such as the Shaikh
Shaikh of Uttar Pradesh
The Shaikh are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are part of the larger Shaikh community of South Asia. Quite a few Shaikh have immigrated to Pakistan, where they form an important element in the Muhajir community...
and Mughal
Mughal (tribe)
The term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...
s.
Historically the Sayyid of UP were substantial landowners, often absentees, and this was especially the case with the Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
taluqdar
Taluqdar
A taluqdar or talukdar , is a term used for Indian land holders in Mughal and British times, responsible for collecting taxes from a district...
s. In the urban townships, Sayyid families served as priests, teachers and administrators, with the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial authorities given the community a preference in recruitment. Though they are less than 3% of Muslim population, they control a majority of economic resources.The community also has a very high literacy rate.The independence and partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947 was traumatic for the community, with many families becoming divided, with some members moved to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. This was followed by the abolishment of the zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
i system, where land was redistributed to those who till the land. Many Sayyid who remained on the land are now medium and small scale farmers. While in the urban areas, there has been a shift towards modern occupations.
See also
- NasirabadNasirabad, RaibareliNasirabad is a Village and a Gram Sabha in Chhatoh Block, Rae Bareli district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.- Geography :Nasirabad is located at . It has an average elevation of 101 metres .- Demographics :...
- HallaurHallaurHallaur or Haloor is a town or a big village in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, situated near the banks of Rapti river. Residents of Hallaur are referred as Hallauri.The Place of Rizvi Syed...
- Sadaat-e-BilgramSadaat-e-BilgramThe Saadat-e-Bilgram are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They also known as the Bilgrami Sayyid , and Bilgrami is often used as a surname.- Origin :...
- Sadaat AmrohaSadaat AmrohaThe Sadaat Amroha or Amrohi Syed are a community of Sayyids, historically settled in the town of Amroha, in Uttar Pradesh, India. Many members of Sadaat Amroha community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh....
- Saadat-e-BaraSaadat-e-BaraSadat-e-Bara , sometimes pronounced Sadaat-e-Barha, are a community of Sayyids who inhabit a group of twelve villages situated in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh in India. This community had considerable influence during the latter days of the Mughal Empire. They were also found in...
- Gardezi SadaatGardēzī SadaatGardēzī Sadaat is a Sadaat Muslim family of Sayyid from Gardez ; consequently known as ‘Gardēzī Sadaat’ in Indian subcontinent.- Origin :...
- Fatehpur,Barabanki