The Mughals (also spelled Moghul or Mogul) are a number of culturally related peoples in modern-day North India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who claimed they are descended from the various Central Asian Mongolic[1][2] and Turkic tribes and Persians that settled in Mughal India.[citation needed] The term Mughal (orMoghul in Persian) literally means Mongol.[3]
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Languages | |
| Hindustani (Urdu-Hindi), Punjabi, Bangla Persian (formerly) | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Indo Aryans, Indian peoples, Mongolic peoples, Turkic peoples |
InNorth India, the term Mughal refers Gürkani or Timurids. They are also sometimes referred to as Chughtais or Chagatai Türks named after Chagatai Turkic language spoken by the Barlas and other Central Asian tribes. But one of the social groups that are claim to as the Ashraaf.[4][full citation needed]
The Sambhal, who claim Turkic descent, identify as a Biradari, literally translating to "brotherhood", which is the word used for a social unit based on kinship such as tribe or clan.[5] The chief of the Biradari is the "Sardar", who is usually an elder man annually elected as the greatest man in the Biradari. Decisions on important matters are taken only after consulting the Biradari, and once taken binding on every member.[6]
The community had traditionally served as soldiers in the armies of the various Indo-Muslim dynasties which ruled the Indian subcontinent. They were and still are a community of small to medium-sized farmers. A good many are also traders. Like other Gujarati Muslims, they have a caste association known as the Jamat, which acts both as a welfare organization and an instrument of social control.[7]