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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,800,000 (2014)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 India | 900,000 (including 200,000 inMumbai and suburbs)[1] |
 Pakistan | 700,000[1] |
 Sri Lanka | 10,000[2] |
| Elsewhere | 190,000[3] |
| Languages | |
| Memoni,[4]Sindhi,[5]Kutchi,Gujarati | |
| Religion | |
| Islam (100%) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Gujaratis,Sindhis,Khojas | |
TheMemon are a Muslim community inGujarat, India, andSindh, Pakistan, the majority of whom follow theHanafifiqh ofSunni Islam.[6] They are divided into different groups based on their origins:Kathiawari Memons,Kutchi Memons andBantva Memons from theKathiawar,Kutch andBantva regions of Gujarat, respectively, andSindhi Memons from Sindh.
Memons have cultural similarities with theKhoja,Bohra, and otherGujarati peoples. They speak theMemoni language as their first language, which shares vocabulary with theSindhi language,Kutchi language andGujarati languages.[4]
Today Memons are connected through globally recognized organisations such as the World Memon Organisation (WMO)[7] and International Memon Organisation (IMO).[8]
Memon lineage traces back toSindhiLohanas who traditionally practicedHinduism.[9][10] The origin of the name comes fromMu'min (مؤمن, "believer" in Arabic) and later evolved to present name Memon.[11] The Memon community was founded in the 15th century by 700 families comprising 6,178 persons total.[12] According to Anthovan, those Lohanas ofThatta,Sindh who converted from Hinduism to Islam became Memons and were invited by Rao Khengarji Jadeja, ruler ofBhuj in the 16th century, to settle in Bhuj.[9][10] It is from there thatKutchi Memons migrated toKathiawar and mainlandGujarat.Surat in Gujarat was an important trading centre from 1580 to 1680.[13][14]
Due to the mercantile nature of the community, Memons began a significant migration beyond the borders of India in the 18th and 19th centuries. This led to communities developing in the Middle East,South Africa, Sri Lanka and East Asia.[11] Memon traders set up a network of joint stock companies acting in coordination with other members in an area ranging from Central Africa to China.[6][15][16] Memon donors made significant financial contributions to construct mosques during this time, includingJuma Masjid Mosque[11] andJamia Mosque.[17] By late 19th century several thousand Memons had settled in Mumbai due to trading.[6] The area of Mumbai in which the Memon traders congregated later became known as the Memonwada.[18]
The early 20th century saw a consolidation of the Memon community in South Asia as well as South Africa. They began to organise important societies including Memon Education and Welfare Society and Memon Chamber of Commerce.[6] Memon communities made significant financial contributions to preserve theOttoman Empire but were unable to prevent its decline.[19][20] Thepartition of India led to significant migration in both directions for the community. The principal mass of Memons was and is composed of petty tradesmen,shopkeepers, grocers, wandering peddlers, and agents and clerks in firms.[6] In regions of Kutch (India), and nearKarachi and on the Makran coast of present day Pakistan, the Memons are still engaged in commercial agriculture, gardening, and fishing.[6]
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While Memons are generallySunni Muslims, many continue to followModern Hindu law in matters regarding property inheritance, community leadership structure and mutual support for members. Memon see themselves to be from the BuddhistKshatriya lineage. Even within Memons, there arecaste hierarchies that some follow regarding marriage practices.[6][21][need quotation to verify]
According to folklore, the blessings of the Islamic saint Sayad Kadiri upon the Memons are responsible for their success in business and trade.[11] A more pragmatic explanation for their success is that Memon have been historically considered honest brokers. Following commercial caste model, Memons also offer support community members in financial matters by giving loans and offering business assistance.[6]
The community annually celebrates 10 April asMemon Day through acts of humanitarian service.[22] Other sources indicate 10 April date,[23] as declared at the 21st World Memon OrganisationCharitable Foundation (WMO) AGM held on November 11, 2023.[24][25]
The prime purpose of the Memon Day is toraise awareness and provide a common platform forcharity related activities all over the world for Memons, charitable,philanthropic and volunteer organizations for their own purposes on the local, national, regional and international level all around the world .
Today, Memon communities are scattered throughout the world including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia,Sri Lanka, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.[26] However, major concentrations of Memon remain located in Karachi, Pakistan and Gujarat, India. InKarachi there is a community of Memon people fromBantva and their descendants known asBantva Memons. United under the banner of Halari Memon General Jama'at, the Halari Memon are another category and followers of theHanafi school.[27]
Memons were also one of three classes living in South Africa whenMahatma Gandhi went there in 1893, Memons were traders serving theIndian diaspora in South Africa. Memons are known for their involvement inbusiness andphilanthropy, with Memons having played a major part in the building of Pakistani industry.[6][28]
“TimesOfIndia was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).Thus, it was established that Khojas and Memons converted from Hinduism under the influence of Ismai'li and Sunnipirs, respectively.
Most of the Muslim traders were Hindus of different castes who had converted to Islam. The Memons were said to have been Lohanas
Media related toMemon people at Wikimedia Commons
