Muslim Shaikh

rdf:langString Muslim Shaikh

rdf:langString The Muslim Shaikh (Urdu: مسلمان شيخ) are a community found in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The Shah Khel community of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has similar roots. There are a number of traditions as to the origin of the Muslim Shaikhs. Most of these carry its history back to Balmik, as the ancestor of the tribe. Many members of the Hindu Dalit community converted to Christianity during the British Raj. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, many of the Christian accepted Islam and they known as Deendar. Dīn means religion and Dar means follower in Urdu language. During the 19th century, many Hindus converted to Islam, especially in the western parts of Punjab, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They were merchants of the village communities, and used to live in huts at a distance from the village. Their job included collecting taxes from houses. But by the 19th century, most of them had taken to agricultural work.