Sadaat-e-Bara

Sadaat-e-Bara or Sadaat Bahera
Mohsin-ul-Mulk, a member of the Sadaat-e-Bara
Regions with significant populations
• India • Pakistan
Languages
UrduHindiAwadhi
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
SayyidUrdu-speaking peopleArabSayyid of Uttar PradeshSadaat AmrohaGardezi Sadaat • Sadaat-e-Sirsi * Sadaat-e-Bilgram • Sadaat-e-Saithal

Sadat e-Bara sometimes pronounced Sadaat-e-Bahara, are a tribe of Indian Muslim Sayyids, originally Elite or Noble Sayyid families situated in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh in India. This community had considerable influence during the reign of the Mughal Empire. Its members were also found in Karnal District and Haryana, Gujarat & Karnataka, Maharashtra state in India. Some of the members of this community have migrated to Pakistan after independence and have settled in Karachi, Khairpur State in Sind and Lahore.

History

Role in the Mughal empire

The Decapitation of Khan Jahan Lodi (3 February 1631), with Syed Mian Barha on the right and Khan-i Jahan Muzaffar Khan Barha on the left
The Sayyid Brothers were de-facto rulers of the Mughal Empire in the 1710s

The Barha Sayyid tribe was famous throughout the country for its obstinate valour and love of fight, as well as religious fervour. The tribe traditionally composed the vanguard of the imperial army, which they alone held the hereditary right to lead in every battle.

Aurangzeb's warning to his sons to be cautious in dealing with the Sayyids of Barha, "...because a strong partner in government soon wants to seize the kingship for himself", would eventually become true.

Six years after the death of Aurangzeb, the Barhas became kingmakers in the Mughal empire under Qutub-ul-Mulk and Ihtisham-ul-Mulk, creating and deposing Mughal emperors at will.

After the Mughal empire

The Barha Sayyids regained many of their estates from the Marathas and regained their status in the parganah by the time of British arrival.

See also