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TheBanu Israil or Bani Israili are aMuslim community ofJewish origin.[1] Their name means 'Children of Israel', and the community claims descent from the Jewish community ofMadinah, in Arabia.[2][3] They belong to theShaikh caste[clarification needed] and typically carry the surnameIsraily. They should not be confused with theBene Israel, a Jewish community in western India.[4]
The exact circumstances of their settlement in India is unclear, but their traditions make clear that they were Jews at the time of their settlement. They are largely an urban community, occupying distinct quarters in a number of towns and cities in westernUttar Pradesh, such as Banu Israilyan inAligarh. Quite a few of them occupied important administrative positions under both theSultanate of Delhi and its successor, theMughal Empire. This was especially true of the Banu Israil of Aligarh, where the community were the hereditykotwals, a post which entailed being both the head of police and garrison commander.[5][page needed]
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