This article was downloaded by: [Tufts University]On: 31 October 2014, At: 11:24Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number:1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street,London W1T 3JH, UK

Institute of Muslim MinorityAffairs. JournalPublication details, including instructions forauthors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cjmm19

The Muslim minority in Nepal:a socio‐historical perspectiveTahir Ali AnsariPublished online: 20 Mar 2007.

To cite this article: Tahir Ali Ansari (1988) The Muslim minority in Nepal: asocio‐historical perspective, Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs. Journal, 9:1,159-166, DOI: 10.1080/02666958808716066

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02666958808716066

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of allthe information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on ourplatform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensorsmake no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy,completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views ofthe authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis.The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should beindependently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor andFrancis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings,demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoeveror howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, inrelation to or arising out of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private studypurposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution,reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any formto anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and usecan be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014

RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

The Muslim Minority in Nepal: A Socio-Historical PerspectiveTahir Ali Ansari

IntroductionNepal, a small Himalayan Kingdom, once considered remote, inaccessible andmysterious, the home of the abominable snowman,1 entered a new era in 1951, whena democratic form of government was installed, the king assumed active leadershipand the country's century old policy of isolation was reversed. Its doors were thrownopen to the outside world on one side and for the process of modernization on theother.

In the process of opening up to the world Nepal became a U.N. member in 1955.It now has diplomatic relations with over 90 countries. Its "Zone of Peace" pro-posal has been recognized by over 80 countries of the world. Kathmandu is at presentthe seat of the Secretariate of the South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation'(SAARC). Dozens of resident embassies and U.N. offices are situated in Kathmandu.Nepal has been playing a decisive role in the non-aligned movement since the move-ment's very beginnings. It has maintained friendly relations with the great powersas well as with neighboring countries, Asian, Arab, East and West European andAfrican.

LandNepal is sandwiched between the People's Republic of China and the Republic ofIndia. It has a common border with the Indian states of U.P., Bihar and West Bengalin the west and with the autonomous region of Tibet in the north. It has about 200magnificent mountain peaks of over 20,000 ft,2 the 29,029 ft. Mount Everest, thehighest mountain in the world, among them. It's still untramelled floral beauty alluresthousands of visitors from all over the world. Nepal is also rich in water-resources,natural forests replete wild life, gorgeous water-falls, ancient art, wood carvings,and vast terrains of unexplored mountain bases.

Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 9:1, January 1988—159

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014

PeopleNepal had an estimated population of over 15,000,000 in 1981.3 Sixty percent ofthe people live in the hills and the interior plains. The remaining 40% live in thefertile low lands, called the Terai. An unfavorable climate and scarce means oflivelihood have gradually forced the hill-people to migrate to the plains.

The Nepali population is composed of a great variety of races,4 mainly ofMongoloid and Indo-Aryan origin. Different ethnic and religious groups live together.The majority of them are Hindus and Buddhists, only a few are Christian, but withvigorous missionary work their number is increasing steadily, mostly in remote ruralareas.

Muslims constitute the biggest minority. They are sparsely settled over 60% ofthe land area of the country and comprise about 8% of the total population. However,even though Muslims in Nepal are the third largest group after the Hindus and Bud-dhists,5 the census of 1981 reported.the Muslim population to be a mere 2.6% ofthe total population. This appears to be an underestimation since the Muslim birthrate is reported to be as high as 2.66. Further, it is generally known among Muslimsthat several districts where Muslims reside are shown in the census are not containingany Muslims. Hence Muslims regard themselves as comprising a larger percentageof the total population of Nepal than reflected in the 1981 census. In fact, most Muslimestimates range between eight and ten percent. The official survey reports are in-complete or unavailable, hence unofficial figures and estimates abound.

In the following sections we shall attempt a survey of the major population centersof Muslims in Nepal.

Muslims Of KathmanduAlthough Kathmandu, the capital city, was founded in distant antiquity, it was moder-nized by King Gunakamadeva in the year 723 A.D.7 It has always been a place ofworship and pilgrimage because of the gold-capped Pashupati Nath Temple situatedeast of the city and sacred to the Hindus, and the Swayambhu Nath Temple locatedwest of the city and sacred to the Buddhists. Out of a city population of 200,000,Muslims constitute a mere 5000. But Kathmandu has three mosques situated in themiddle of the city; two of them close to the royal palace.

According to available evidence, the first Muslims arrived in Kathmandu aboutfour hundred years ago. In the opinion of Balchandra Sharma, Muslims had firstcome in the reign of King Ratna Malla in 1491 A.D.8 Another source claims thatthe "first Muslims were Kashmiri traders who came in Kathmandu in late 15th centuryand early 16th century." It is said "a few were invited to Kathmandu by an envoyof Ratna Malla in Lhasa"9 Others record that a Muslim saint (muallim) first cameto Kathmandu in 1524; he built the first mosque in Kathmandu known as KashmiriTaquia.10 The Nepali Jama Masjid was constructed about 300 years ago.

However, in the Kathmandu valley Muslim advent is dated much earlier in 1349.It was Nawab Shamshuddin Ilyas of Bengal who attacked Kathmandu from the easton September 19, 1349.11 He destroyed hundreds of temples including the famous

160—Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 9:1, January 1988

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014

Pashupati Nath and Swayambhu Nath which were later rebuilt. The attack causedincalculable damage and has been condemned by almost every historian.12 Howeverthe stay of Nawab Shamshuddin was short. He withdrew with huge amounts of goldand valuables leaving no imprint behind.

It was after the Sagauli Treaty13 that a British Indian diplomat Maulavi Abdul KadirKhan visited Nepal in 1795 on a mission for the East India Company.14 The Indianrevolt of 1857 brought a large influx of Muslims into Nepal seeking shelter and work.Maulana Sarfaraz Ali Shah of Delhi, a Mufti of the Mughal Emperor Bahadur ShahZafar, came to Kathmandu, stayed here, renovated the Nepali Jama Masjid, diedand is buried in the courtyard of the mosque. Begum Hazrat Mahal, one of the wiresof Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Lucknow, with her son Baijish Qadar and some atten-dants escaped to Kathmandu, lived here and is buried a hundred yards south of theNepali Jama Masjid.

As Kathmandu grew many Muslim intellectuals, professionals, businessmen andlaborers continued to find their way into the city. As a result today over 10,000non-resident Muslims are living in Kathmandu and the same number of Muslimworkers and visitors are temporarily resident. Because of the adhoc residential andother facilities available in and around the Nepali Jama Masjid the area has becomea microcosm of Muslim culture, lile-style and ritual festivities.

Kathmandu presents a varied cultural and social heritage. Tibetan Muslims havebrought their Tibetan culture with them which has in course of time blended withthe culture of Kashmiri and Indian Muslims. This group is among the affluent classesof citizens, most of whose members possess their own shops, commercialestablishments and houses. They are simple and devout people. They are very activeand cooperative in Islamic activities, yet most of them try to keep their social relationswithin their own Tibetan community. Kashmiris and other Muslims have closer af-finities, but they too resist outside group interference. Kathmandu Muslims can thusbe divided into four groups, according to their origin and social attributes:1. KashmirisTheir forefathers migrated to Nepal from Kashmir over a period of time. They claimto be the oldest settlers and hence entertain a sense of superiority over other settlers.Most of them are educated and belong to the business class. Some of them haveentered government and politics. Socially their life-style betrays the influence ofupperclass non-Muslim social and cultural traditions.2. TibetansTibetan Muslims are second in rank. It is not clear when they entered Nepal butmost of them still do business with Tibet or in Chinese goods. They use Tibetanlanguage and their women wear strictly Tibetan dresses. They however maintainsocial relations and share many customs with other Muslims besides the KashmiriMuslims.3. Native MuslimsThese are people whose forefathers from time to time migrated from different partsof India. These too although not too different from Muslims belonging to other parts

Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 9:1, January 1988—161

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014

of Nepal, harbor a sense of separate communal identity especially as against theTerai Muslims.4. Nepali MuslimsThese are those who have lately settled from Nepal's Terai region. Most of thembelong to the professional and intellectual class. Over 25 out of them hold high rankinggovernment positions. Many of them are engaged in different technical professionsand businesses.

All these four classes of Muslims although distinct in their social and cultural tradi-tions, speak Nepali and Urdu languages and are united with the common bond ofIslamic brotherhood. The Kashmiri and Native Muslims of Kathmandu have livedin a predominantly non-Islamic environment, and have to some extent been affectedby it. Nevertheless, they have successfully preserved their Islamic identity. A lowersecondary Islamic school (Madarsah) established in 1941, is still the only institutionof Islamic learning.15 The efforts of the octogenarian Maulana Hayat Hussain Nadvi,Imam of Nepali Jama Masjid, and head Muallim, need to be noted in this respect.

Kathmandu as noted earlier has altogether three mosques. Kashmiris call theirmosque the Pancha Kashmiri Taquia. It has an attached cemetery which is strictlyreserved for Kashmiris. Outsiders are rarely allowed to deliver sermons or religiousdiscourses even in the mosque. The focal point of Islamic activities in Kathmanduis the Nepali Jama Masjid which is the biggest. Over 90% of Kathmandu Muslimsattend this mosque. A third and smaller mosque is the Iraqee Mosque situated inthe middle of the city.

The oldest Muslim organization in Kathmandu is the All Nepal Anjumane Islahwhich was poorly managed and is now almost inactive. Over the years severalorganizations have been born and deceased. They all arose ostensibly to check theincreasing non-Islamic cultural and social influences engulfing the young Muslimgeneration of Kathmandu. But none of them made much headway due to lack ofmanagement skills and perhaps an absence of sincere commitment. The situationof Muslim youth continues to be alarming. They are fast losing touch with theirIslamic social and cultural heritage.

The Hill MuslimsAbout 150,000 Muslims live in the mountainous regions west of Kathmandu. Someare to be found in six districts east of Kathmandu, these are Kabhre, Sindhupalchowk,Sindhuli, Udaipur, Bhojpur and Ham. Muslim presence in these districts is negligible;but every district in the west has a large or small Muslim population.16 Thus outof 22 western districts, Gorakha, Tanahu, Kaski, Syangja, Palpa, Arghakhanchi,Pyuthan and Dailekh each has a Muslim population of between 10,000 to 25,000.Mosques and small Islamic teaching schools exist in Muslim populated villages here.

Of these, Gorakha was until 1760 the seat of the Gorkhali rulers. Muslims ofGorakha are said to had been invited from India by the rulers to manufacture militaryarmaments, agricultural tools, pots, bangles and other utensils in the 16th century.Later, some of them moved eastward and reached Nuakot. Over one thousand

162—Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 9:1, January 1988

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014

Muslims are at present living in and around Trishuli town, where there is an activemosque and madarsah.

Palpa was until 1951 the Western Command head-quarters of Nepal. PresumablyMuslims sought refuge here during and after the unsuccessful Indian revolt of 1857.17

Muslims were also brought in during the 17th and 18th centuries to the mid-WesternHills of Nepal by the then Chaubisi Rajas to train soldiers in the use of fire-arms.18

However, the greater number of Muslims are said to have settled in the remote hillyregions as an aftermath of 1857 to evade mass persecution of Muslims in India bythe British.

Muslims of the PlainsIt is hard to establish the beginning of Muslim settlements in this region. The Indo-Nepal border had historically been fluid encouraging uninterrupted intercourse bet-ween people of both sides of the border. It appears therefore, that Muslims havebeen living in the plains even before Nepal assumed control over this region. Sincethe beginnings of the 19th century, Nepal rulers encouraged Indians to settle in thebarren Terai region.19 Muslims of the adjacent Indian regions took advantage ofthis and settled from east to west in Nepal. The reasons for this policy have alreadybeen touched upon. They were to enable cultivation of unusued lands, increase staterevenue and attract craftsmen to produce goods and services for public as well asmilitary purposes. Consequently trade and industry flourished and townshipsdeveloped in Nepal, near the Indian border. Biratnagar, Janakpur, Birgunj,Bhairahawa, Butwal, Nepalgunj and Dhangarhi are now Nepal's big industrial citieswhere Muslim population is 15 to 30 percent.

In 20 districts of this part of Nepal about 1.2 million Muslims live.20 Major Muslimpopulated districts are Rautahat, Morang, Saptari, Mahottari, Kapilvastu, Rupandehi,Bara, Parsa, Bank and Sarlahi where 75,000 to 100,000 Muslims live in each district.Likewise 40,000 to 75,000 Muslims live in each district of Sunsari, Jhapa, Siraha,Dhanusha, Nawalparasi, Dang and Bardia. Kailali and Kanchanpur have about 15,000and 10,000 Muslim population each.

Society and CultureNepalis live in a multi-cultural environment. But economic backwardness and il-literacy are major holding factors. About 40% of the country's total population livesbelow the universally accepted poverty line and per capita national income is a mere$160. Muslims are no exception to this saga of underdevelopment. If anything theirproblems are more acute.

In the Terai region as well as in the Hills, Muslims are generally not differentfrom Hindus or other communities in respect of language, dress, family organization,occupation, and etc. They generally speak Urdu, Nepali and other local dialects andare thus part of the "multidimensional facets of Nepal's cultural heritage."21 Alsoin their struggle for survival against the heavy odds of meagre resources, lack ofskill, illiteracy and superstition they are at one with their other compatriots.

Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 9:1, January 1988—163

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014

Islamically, however, there are certain concerns that need to be dealt with. Inmany parts of Nepal, especially in the hills, Muslims form only one percent or lessof the local population. As a result they are overwhelmed by a non-Islamic if notan anti Islamic social environment.

The case with the Terai people is not too alarming, because they are in close contactwith the Muslims of India living across the border. They even avail of religiouseducational facilities in India such as are not available in Nepal. Even so many im-portant Islamic institutions have been established in the Terai region whereas onlya few madarsahs exist in the hills. Hence Hill people are largely uninstructed inthe fundamentals of Islam. This creates an inclination toward non-Islamic practicesprevalent in their surroundings.

One of these practices is "gambling" which though forbidden by law, is practicedin most parts of the country, especially in the hills. Thus by being exposed to analien social order through generations, its lasting social, cultural and political impactis being experienced. The pressure of this adverse influence is minimal in Terai andnominal in Terai-towns, but it is maximum in the hills and total in remote and inac-cessible areas.

In some parts of the country, Muslims, under non-Islamic influences, observe majorfestivals of other communities as if they were their own. Some places even educatedpeople get their head shaved clean on the occassion of death in the family. SomeMuslim housewives adore deities and pay devotional respect to dead ancestors asmembers of others communities do. In marriage, birth and death ceremonies someMuslims in Nepal observe rites and rituals exclusive to other religions.

Besides environmental pressures, one further aggravating factor is the existingsystem of education in which Muslim children are instructed in the beliefs and prac-tices of other religions, but not of Islam. As we have indicated earlier, there is deathin the availability of Islamic educational facilities. Hence in many parts of the hillyregions even known Muslim social, cultural and religious practices have been turnedinto un-Islamic ones.

Legal ConstraintsNepal is the only constitutionally proclaimed Hindu state. A uniformed legal system(civil as well as criminal) is in practice for all religious and ethnic communities.Fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution, include right to equality,22 andright to religion.23 Religious freedom in restricted to its exercise within each religiouscommunity. Propagation of religion is punishable under law.24 A divorce can beobtained only by the decision of a court of law.25 Having two or more wives at atime is a crime under law.26 A wife gets an equal share in her husband's property,whereas a daughter is not entitled to a share in her father's property until she reachesthe age of 35, and remains unmarried.27 There are other legal provisions incompatiblewith Islamic practices.

Essentially the Nepali legal system derived from Hindu jurisprudence and wasbased on the Dhartnashastras and the ancient Vedic rules. However, during the past

164—Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 9:1, January 1988

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014

four decades or so, many legal reforms have been introduced which have transformedcustomary rules and practices into a modern and uniform civil and criminal ad-ministration of justice. These legal reforms enabled Muslims too to profess theirreligious faith and receive social recognition as well. As a result, although still fewin number, Muslims have opportunities to hold government positions, participatein politics and join the mainstream of national life.

Above all religious tolerance and communal harmony have been admirably main-tained in Nepal. No major incidence of communal strife has been recorded duringthe recent past. This does not mean however that Muslims are shedding non-Islamicinfluences in their life. For the trouble is often created not by laws but in the processof their implementation, and by the increasingly fundamentalists attitude of othercommunities.

Muslims of Nepal are thus, confronting not only a non-Islamic social order butalso their own inability to meet the challenges created by that order. They couldmanage their own Islamic institutions and could preserve their identity as a culturaland religious group. But the lack of knowledge of Islam and the Islamic way of lifehampers such an effort. The initiative thus lies mainly with the Muslims. They havenot only to resist un-Islamic influences but also to exhibit a will to maintain theirseparate culture within the larger framework of a pluralistic national mainstreamand without in any way disrupting and existing remarkable social peace and harmony.A few efforts to this end have been initiated but much more awaits to be done especial-ly by Muslim intellectuals and social workers in close cooperation.

Notes1. See Brian H. Hodgson, Collected Papers on Nepal, London, Trubner, 1874; Daniel Wright, History

of Nepal, Manjushree Publication, Reprint, 1972; Francis Buchaman Hamilton, Account of the Kingdomof Nepal, Edinburgh: Archibald Constable & Co. 1819; Col. Kirkpatric, An Account of the Kingdomof Nepal, London; William Millar, 1811.

2. N.B. Thapa & D.P. Thapa, Geography of Nepal, Orient Longman, 1969, p. 7

3. Gorkhapatra, National daily, November 15, 1986.

4. Wright, op.cit, p. 25

5. T.A. Ansari, "Muslims of Nepal, A Profile," The Universal Message, Islamic Research Academy,Vol. 3, No. 7, 1981.

6. Census Analysis 1981, Dept. of Statistics, H.M.G. Nepal.

7. Wright, op.cit, p. 9

8. Balchandra Sharma, An Outline of the History of Nepal. (In Nepali language) Varansi, 1952. p. 162.

9. D.B. Bista, People of Nepal, 3rd ed. 1976, p. 150

10. Baburam Acharya, "Muslim Invasion of Nepal'" Purnima, vol. 27, No. 3, pp 154-161.

11. Dhundiraj Bhandari, Nepal Ko Alochnatmak Itihas, Kathmandu, 1970, pp. 113-114 (In Nepali)

12. Dhanbajra Bajracharya, "Invasion of Shamshuddin," Purnima, vol. 2 No. 4. p. 7

13. Collection of Treaties, His Majesty's Government of Nepal, Ministry of Law and Justice, Part I.

14. Ludwig F. Siller, The Rise of the House of Gorkha, Lexington, 1960, p. 27.

15. The certificate issued by the Late Prime Minister Juddha Shamsher J.B.R. in 1941.

16. The districts are: Nuakot, Makwanpur, Gorakha, Tanahu, Syangja, Kaski, Parbat, Myagdi, Baglung,Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Salyan, Rukum, Pyuthan, Jajarkot, Dailekh, Surkhet, Doti Daddeldhura, andDarchula.

Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 9:1, January 1988—165

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014

17. Mahesh Raj Pant, "The Relationof the Wazir Ali Event with Nepal," Purnima, vol. 6, No. 4 pp.268-78

18. Bista, op.cit. p. 150

19. Dilli R. Dahal, "Economic Development Through Indigenous Means;" Contributions to NepaleseStudies, CNAS, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, vol. 11, No. lm pp. 1-15.

20. The Districts are, Jhapa, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara,Parsa, Chittaun, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Dang, Bank, Bardia, Kailali and Kanchanpur.

21. Leo E. Rose, Nepal, Strategy for Survival, Oxford University Press, 1971, p. 7

22. The Constitution of Nepal, 1962, Article 3.

23. Ibid, Article 11.

24. Muluki Ain (The National Legal Code of Civil and Criminal Law, 1963) Part IV, Chap. 19 Sec. 2.

25. Ibid, Part III, Chap. 12 "Of Husband and Wife" Sec. I & la.

26. Ibid, Part IV; Chap. 17, "Of Marriage", sec. 9.

27. Ibid, Part III, Chap. 13, "Of Partition" Sec. 1, 10 and 10a.

166—Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Vol. 9:1, January 1988

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Tuf

ts U

nive

rsity

] at

11:

24 3

1 O

ctob

er 2

014