The Behlim are a Muslim community found mainly in North India. A small number are also found in the city of Karachi in Pakistan.^[1]

Origin [link]

The Behlim trace their descent the Sufi Masud Ghazi, and the word is said to be a corruption of the word ba-ilm, meaning those who are knowledgeable in Arabic. There are in fact two distinct communities of Behlim, those of Gujarat, who are found mainly in Mehsana and Banaskantha districts, while those of Uttar Pradesh, who are found mainly in the Doab region of that state.^[1]

Present circumstances [link]

In Gujarat [link]

The Behlim are an agrarian community, found mostly in north Gujarat. According to some traditions, they were once Rajputs, and their customs are similar to other Muslim Rajput communities, such as the Maliks. The Behlim intermarry with other Gujarati Muslim communities of similar status such as Pathan, Shaikh and Molesalam Rajputs. Unlike other Gujarati Muslims, they have no caste association, and generally are allied to other Rajput landholding classes. They speak Gujarati and are Sunni Muslims.^[1]

In Uttar Pradesh [link]

In Uttar Pradesh, the Behlim are found mainly in the Doab region of western Uttar Pradesh. They claim to be of Turk origin, having arrived in India during the time Iltutmish. The Behlim families of the city of Bulandshahr played an important role in the history of that city. Other Behlim are found mainly in the neighbouring districts of Meerut and Muzaffarnagar. In addition of the Behlim of the Doab, there are two other settlements in Gonda District and Basti District in eastern Uttar Pradesh. These Behlim have little or no connection with those of western Uttar Pradesh. Both the Behlim communities speak Urdu, and as a largely urban community very rarely speak any of the local dialects of Hindi. They are largely Sunni, although there is a small Shia minority. The community considers itself as belonging to the wider Shaikh community of South Asia.^[2]

References [link]