Arain people

The Arain (Urdu: آرائین) are Descendants of Arab invaders to the Indian subcontinent. Akbar Shah Khan Najeebabadi, an Indian historian of Islam, wrote that they entered India thru Debal, Sindh with Muhammad Bin Qasim in 92 Hijri (711CE). He refered to them as Areehai from Arreha (Jericho) which was Punjabized with a nasal sound to Arain.

Arains claim Arab descent, based upon the fact that nearly all Arains are Sunni Muslims as was Muhammad Bin Qasim. Under the British Raj after the two Anglo-Sikh wars the Arains who were classified by the British as a non-martial race (at that time they were an almost exclusive agricultural caste of Muslim farmers and small land holders.) were brought into the Punjab to replace the Sikhs, who classified as a martial race were sought by the British as new recruits. Unlike many of the Muslims from Afganistan, who were slow to accept the change to the British educational system and the change from Persian to English, the Arains stressed the importance of education for their children, and with the wealth gained from their hard work they were soon dominating the legal profession in Punjab and as lawyers have found around the world, their move into politics was an easy one.

Some of the more prominant Arains

• General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, The sixth President of Pakistan (and former Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army)
• Mian Sir Muhammad Shah Nawaz, An influential politician of the Punjab in the 1920s
• Mian Amiruddin, Mayor of Lahore at the time of the Partition
• Mian Iftikharuddin, A politician, landlord and founder of the Imroze and Pakistan Times newspapers
• Muhammad Hayaat Madni, (Commander in Muhammad bin Qasim's army)
• Nawab Mian Muhammad Fazil, Received the royal title of Nawab from Emperor Aurangzeb
• Mian Qadir Buksh Nadir, Artillery Commander, author of, "Muftah-ul-Qila" (Persian text book on science of gunnery in 18th century)
• Justice Mian Shah Din Humayon (1868-1918) - First Muslim Judge in British India.
• Sir Mian Muhammad Shafi (1869-1932) - Member of Viceroy's Executive Council.
• Justice Sir Mian Abdur Rasheed - First Chief Justice of Pakistan (1947).
• Jam Raeena, Banu Sama (from Banu Aamir branch of Al-i-Adnan) Ruler of Sindh and father of the raeen tribe in India.
• General Adina Beg Zafar Jang Bahadar, General and Ruler of Doaba and Punjab.
• Muhammad Bin Qasim, who fist led the Arains into India
• Mian Sher Muhammad Sharaqpuri, Great sufi and spiritual leader of India
• Shah Inayat Qadri - A famous Sufi of the Qadiri order, who was also the spiritual master of famour saint and poet Baba Bulleh Shah.
• Wasim Akram - Ex Captain of Pakistan Cricket Team.
• Justice Mian Saqib Nisar - Supreme Court of Pakistan.
• Mohammad Hanif Ramay - Former Governor and Chief Minister of Punjab Pakistan.
• Imran Nazir - A Pakistani Cricket Player.
• Mian Muhammad Azhar - Former Governor of Punjab Pakistan.
• Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday, Judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan.
• Abdul Razzaq - A Famouse Pakistani Cricketer.

Chiefly settled in Pakistan and in many cities of India, Punjab, Delhi, Haryana they have like many Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims of the two countries spread around the world as any search of the net will show.

See also

• Wikipedia
• arain.com.pk
• [1] a site under developement
• [2] The Joshua Project, a site where you can add your or your families tree, profile and photos to the 'Big' Arain family tree.

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