Malik caste

The Malik(Urdu: ملک) are ethnic community found in the Punjab region of Pakistan.The Malik clan is considered as one of the most influential and honorable clan of the Awan tribe.The Awan's are descendants of eleventh century ruler of Herat , Qutab Shah. Qutab Shah claimed descent from the fourth caliph Ali through his second wife.

History and origin

It is asserted that Qutb Shah and six of his sons accompanied and assisted Mahmud of Ghazni in his early eleventh century conquests of what today forms parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern India. It is claimed that in recognition of their services and valour, Mahmud of Ghazni bestowed upon Qutb Shah and his sons (who, according to tribal traditions, settled primarily in the Salt Range) the title of Malik, meaning "King" or "Chief". Tribal history holds that Qutb Shah and his sons married local women who converted to Islam from Hinduism. Qutb Shah’s sons are said to have settled in different regions of the Punjab and to a lesser extent, what now constitutes parts of the North West Frontier Province; Gauhar Shah or Gorrara, settled near Sakesar, Kalan Shah or Kalgan, settled in Kalabagh, Chauhan colonized the hills close to the Indus, Mohammad Shah or Khokhar, settled by the Chenab, and Tori and Jhajh settled in Tirah.Their descendants came to heavily populate these regions, There are a number of Awan sub-clans that trace their origins to these six individuals, give their names to various localities such as Golera in Rawalpindi, Khewra in Jhelum, Banjara in Sialkot and Jand in Attock. Some of Qutub Shah’s sons are supposed to have assumed names that reflected the Hindu heritage of their mothers and these sub-clans trace their origins to these particular individuals, bear the names of their eponyms.. There are a number of different traditions as to the origin of this community. Early British scholars were of the opinion that they were of aboriginal extraction, probably descended from the earliest human settlers of North West India.The Malik clan have a strong martial tradition and are renowned for their bravery and war capabilities, they are considered as one of the finest martial breed among different influential Punjabi tribes, They were prominent in the armies of the Slave Dynasty and the Khilji dynasty, they also had prominent military positions during the Mughal era and were one the most preferable choices for soldiers of British empire during their years in India. It was assumed that Punjabi soldiers were able to easily outmatch their enemies even when low in numbers because of their marital race advantage, even these days Pakistan Army believes and acts according to their marital race theory which holds few of the well known Punjabi, Pashtoon tribes at a high regard.There are many theories presented as to the associations, influences and ties of Awan tribe with the Scythians and Aryans,some even predate to the era of invasion of Alexander the Great, it is believed that Qutb Shah's sons married local women whom were of Indo-Greek Lineage.

Other Listings

On a rural level, Maliks are respected as members of the Zamindar or landowning class.Stories of many successful lovers are referred from them, Maliks are also referred as Awan Maliks or Malik Awans, The Awan tribe has many different branches which trace their lineage to sons of Qutab Shah.

According to Sir Malcolm Darling, the Awans are the:

"Bravest of soldiers, toughest of cultivators and matchless as tent peggers" —From 'Wisdom and Waste in the Punjab Village

Lord Jonathan Sterling once discussed these clans & their impact on the rule of British raj, He said:

"No where in this region have i ever seen a tribe like Awans or Clan like the Maliks, these barbaric & disciplined souls believe in their honor and superiority over other beings, drunk & obsessed over power, capable enough to claim what they believe belongs to them, cunning enough to stare death in the eye & daring enough to embrace it in the name of honor, charismatic enough to take down an army by will, virtue & valiantness".

Their traditional occupation is Farming and they are basically Landlords and Farmers.

Many Malik families to this day live on and cultivate land, which their ancestors have held for centuries.Though the origins of the Awans may be a matter of some debate, it has long been recognized that the composition of the tribe is wholly Muslim. The most extensive study of the tribe was conducted during the era of the British Raj, and as a result of census data collated during this period, the Awan tribe was invariably classified as being exclusively Muslim. In the opening to his account of the Awan tribe,

"The Awans are an important tribe, exclusively Muhammadan" —From A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province

Present circumstances

The bulk of the Awan tribe is to be found in the Punjab (Pakistan). Its population is concentrated in the districts of Lahore,Rawalpindi,Okara,Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Khushab (particularly the Soon Valley), Mianwali (Malik clan residing here are believed to have been the sole occupants of the Mianwali Salt Range for nearly six hundred years), Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Khayber pakhtoon khuwah, Azad Kashmir and are scattered throughout the rest of Punjab. Tracts in regions such as Jhelum and Mianwali are so heavily populated by Malik clan that they have long been referred to as Landlords and high regarded entities. Though these areas are their ancestral homelands and many own farms and other property there. The Malik clan has great influence in Mianwali district of Punjab where they are associated with power, influence and their rivalry with other influential tribes such as Niazi's, Jatt's, Gujjar's etc The Awan tribe is also found in great numbers in the North West Frontier Province, particularly in the Hazara Division, Peshawar valley and the districts of Nowshera, Kohat, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Bannu and Swat. A smaller portion of the tribe resides in Azad Kashmir,and to a lesser extent is also present in the Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Sindh , many are located in Karachi,(most prominent and known is MHA in this city). In addition, Awans can also be found in Afghanistan and some parts of India. There are some superior Awan clans such as Qutb Shahi Awans who often prefer using the title of Malik along their names to project their superiority and descendance from Qutb Shah where as Awan tribe has many sub-clans which trace their lineage from the sons of Qutb Shah. In modern times Awans are traditionally connected with the manufacture of course country cloth. Many have now bought power looms, and play an active role in the textile industry in the city of Faisalabad. The community, especially those of Faisalabad now form a prosperous community of small and medium sized businessmen.^[1]

References

^ Justice in Practice: Legal Ethnography of a Pakistani Punjabi Village by Muhammad Azam Chaudhary pages 8 to 10 Oxford University Publications

[1] Justice in Practice: Legal Ethnography of a Pakistani Punjabi Village by Muhammad Azam Chaudhary pages 8 to 10 Oxford University Publications

[1]

History and origin

Other Listings

Present circumstances

See also

References