The Muslims of Assam---A critical study

Abstract

The penetration of Muslims into Assam from 12 century A.D. is one of the important chapters in the history of Assamese society. Assamese Muslims like other Muslims in India reflect significant variations in terms of culture, caste, class, language, occupation, geographical distribution and ideology which all become the basic components for the formation of boarder Assamese society. Various Muslim invasions, propagation and conversion, import of Muslims Artisans and learned men by the Ahom rulers, migrations and immigrations, etc, are the important factors for the origin and growth of the Muslims population in Assam. The Muslim population in Assam scattered in all the districts of Assam, with a high population of 70.45 percent of total population in Dhubri district and the lowest density of 1.48 percent in Dhemaji district as per 1991 census report. The Assamese Muslims, the Neo-Assamese Muslims, the Muslims of Cachar or the Barak valley, The Bihari or North-Indian Muslims living in Assam are the four major categories of the entire Muslim population in Assam.