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Religion in Lahore

It is estimated that the city of Lahore, Pakistan, has a Muslim majority with 94.7% and Christian minority constitute 5.1% of the population and rest Sikhs and Hindus constitute the remaining 0.2%. There is also a small but longstanding Zoroastrian community.[1]

Religion in Lahore City 2017[2][3]
Religion Percent
Islam
 
 94.7%
Christianity
 
 5.14%
Hinduism
 
 0.02%
Sikhism
 
 0.02%
Others
 
 0.1%

Before Partition

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Religion in Lahore District (1941)[4]
Religion Percent
Islam
 
 60.62%
Sikhism
 
 18.32%
Hinduism
 
 16.79%
Christianity
 
 4.14%
Others
 
 0.14%

Prior to the partition of India in 1947, a third of Lahore district's population was Hindu and Sikh. Hindus and Sikhs used to reside in 'distinct enclaves'. The city's Hindu and Sikh population left en masse during the partition and shifted to East Punjab and Delhi in India. In the process, Lahore lost its entire Hindu and Sikh population. The emigrants were replaced by Muslim refugees from India. Muslim refugees and locals competed for ownership over abandoned Hindu and Sikh property.[5]

Lahore District

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Religious groups in Lahore District (British Punjab province era)
Religious
group 		1901[6] 1911[7][8] 1921[9] 1931[10] 1941[4]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam   717,519 61.74% 626,271 60.44% 647,640 57.25% 815,820 59.18% 1,027,772 60.62%
Hinduism  [a] 276,375 23.78% 217,609 21% 255,690 22.6% 259,725 18.84% 284,689 16.79%
Sikhism   159,701 13.74% 169,008 16.31% 179,975 15.91% 244,304 17.72% 310,646 18.32%
Christianity   7,296 0.63% 21,781 2.1% 46,454 4.11% 57,097 4.14% 70,147 4.14%
Jainism   1,047 0.09% 1,139 0.11% 1,209 0.11% 1,450 0.11% 1,951 0.12%
Zoroastrianism   171 0.01% 209 0.02% 179 0.02% 159 0.01% 136 0.01%
Buddhism   0 0% 128 0.01% 170 0.02% 14 0% 32 0%
Judaism   0 0% 13 0% 13 0% 1 0% 2 0%
Others 0 0% 0 0% 6 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Total population 1,162,109 100% 1,036,158 100% 1,131,336 100% 1,378,570 100% 1,695,375 100%
Note: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.
Religion in the Tehsils of Lahore District (1921)[9]
Tehsil Islam   Hinduism   Sikhism   Christianity   Jainism   Others[b] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Lahore Tehsil 290,325 56.31% 139,215 27% 57,337 11.12% 27,898 5.41% 478 0.09% 360 0.07% 515,613 100%
Chunian Tehsil 179,399 60.71% 61,475 20.8% 49,151 16.63% 5,408 1.83% 76 0.03% 0 0% 295,509 100%
Kasur Tehsil 177,916 55.56% 55,000 17.18% 73,487 22.95% 13,154 4.11% 655 0.2% 2 0% 320,214 100%
Note: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.
Religion in the Tehsils of Lahore District (1941)[4]
Tehsil Hinduism  [a] Islam   Sikhism   Christianity   Jainism   Others[c] Total
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Lahore Tehsil 193,714 21.77% 552,907 62.12% 103,312 11.61% 37,442 4.21% 1,095 0.12% 2,458 0.28% 890,024 100%
Chunian Tehsil 56,293 14.4% 237,829 60.85% 83,888 21.46% 11,730 3% 47 0.01% 165 0.04% 390,852 100%
Kasur Tehsil 34,682 8.37% 237,036 57.19% 123,446 29.78% 18,514 4.47% 809 0.2% 8 0% 414,499 100%
Note1: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.

Note2: Tehsil religious breakdown figures for Christianity only includes local Christians, labeled as "Indian Christians" on census. Does not include Anglo-Indian Christians or British Christians, who were classified under "Other" category.

Lahore City

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Religion in Lahore City (1941)
Religion Percent
Islam
 
 64.49%
Hinduism
 
 26.71%
Sikhism
 
 5.07%
Christianity
 
 3.20%
Religious groups in Lahore City (1881−1941)
Religious
group 		1881[11][12]: 520  1891[13]: 68  1901[14]: 44  1911[15]: 20  1921[16]: 23  1931[17]: 26  1941[18]: 32 
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Islam   86,413 57.85% 102,280 57.83% 119,601 58.93% 129,801 56.76% 149,044 52.89% 249,315 58.01% 433,170 64.49%
Hinduism  [a] 53,641 35.91% 62,077 35.1% 70,196 34.59% 77,267 33.79% 107,783 38.25% 139,125 32.37% 179,422 26.71%
Sikhism   4,627 3.1% 7,306 4.13% 7,023 3.46% 12,877 5.63% 12,833 4.55% 23,477 5.46% 34,021 5.07%
Christianity   529[d] 0.35% 4,697 2.66% 5,558 2.74% 8,436 3.69% 11,287 4.01% 16,875 3.93% 21,495 3.2%
Jainism   227 0.15% 339 0.19% 420 0.21% 467 0.2% 474 0.17% 791 0.18% 1,094 0.16%
Zoroastrianism   — — 132 0.07% 166 0.08% 198 0.09% 177 0.06% 150 0.03% — —
Judaism   — — 14 0.01% — — 13 0.01% 13 0% 0 0% — —
Buddhism   — — 0 0% 0 0% 128 0.06% 170 0.06% 14 0% — —
Others 3,932 2.63% 9 0.01% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 2,457 0.37%
Total population 149,369 100% 176,854 100% 202,964 100% 228,687 100% 281,781 100% 429,747 100% 671,659 100%
Note: 1881-1941: Data for the entirety of the town of Lahore, which included Lahore Municipality and Lahore Cantonment.[18]: 32 

Religious heritage

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According to a Hindu legend, Lahore was once named Lavapura,[19] after Lava, son of Lord Rama, Hindu God from Ramayana as one of etymological theory of Lahore.[20][21] A vacant temple, the Lava Temple, dedicated to this figure is contained inside the Lahore Fort.[22][23]

The first Persian text on Sufism was written, by Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Shaykh Abul Hasan 'Ali Hujwiri R.A. in Lahore which became a major source for early Sufi thought and practice. Hazrat e Hujwiri R.A's tomb in Lahore is one of the major Sufi shrines in the subcontinent.[24] Several other leading Sufi saints are buried in Lahore.[25] These Sufi shrines have contributed to making Lahore an important place of pilgrimage.[26] During the Mughal era, several impressive buildings including mosques were constructed, contributing to the city's rich Mughal heritage.[27][28]

The city is also of significant importance to the Sikhs of Punjab region who call it Lahore-Sharif.[29][30] Some of Sikhism's holiest sites are situated inside Lahore.[31]

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c 1931-1941: Including Ad-Dharmis
  2. ^ Including Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Tribals, others, or not stated
  3. ^ Including Anglo-Indian Christians, British Christians, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Tribals, others, or not stated
  4. ^ Only includes protestant population.[11]: 152 

References

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  1. ^ "Largest Christian Community of Pakistan resides in Lahore District". christiansinpakistan.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  2. ^ http://pakgeotagging.blogspot.in/2014/10/partition-of-punjab-in-2017.html [user-generated source]
  3. ^ "Final Results (Census-2017)". Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Census of India, 1941. Vol. 6, Punjab". 1941. p. 42. JSTOR saoa.crl.28215541. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  5. ^ Gandhi, Usha (2007-06-01). "Review of Talbot, Ian, Divided Cities: Partition and Its Aftermath in Lahore and Amritsar, 1947-1957". www.h-net.org. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  6. ^ "Census of India 1901. [Vol. 17A]. Imperial tables, I-VIII, X-XV, XVII and XVIII for the Punjab, with the native states under the political control of the Punjab Government, and for the North-west Frontier Province". 1901. p. 34. JSTOR saoa.crl.25363739. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Census of India 1911. Vol. 14, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1911. p. 27. JSTOR saoa.crl.25393788. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  8. ^ Kaul, Harikishan (1911). "Census Of India 1911 Punjab Vol XIV Part II". p. 27. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Census of India 1921. Vol. 15, Punjab and Delhi. Pt. 2, Tables". 1921. p. 29. JSTOR saoa.crl.25430165. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Census of India 1931. Vol. 17, Punjab. Pt. 2, Tables". 1931. p. 277. JSTOR saoa.crl.25793242. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. I." 1881. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057656. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. II". 1881. JSTOR saoa.crl.25057657. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  13. ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1891 GENERAL TABLES BRITISH PROVINCES AND FEUDATORY STATES VOL I". Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  14. ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1901 VOLUME I-A INDIA PART II-TABLES". Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  15. ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1911 VOLUME XIV PUNJAB PART II TABLES". Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  16. ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1921 VOLUME XV PUNJAB AND DELHI PART II TABLES". Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  17. ^ "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1931 VOLUME XVII PUNJAB PART II TABLES". Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  18. ^ a b "CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI PUNJAB". Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  19. ^ Bombay Historical Society (1946). Annual bibliography of Indian history and Indology, Volume 4. p. 257. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  20. ^ Baqir, Muhammad (1985). Lahore, past and present. B.R. Pub. Corp. p. 22. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  21. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-08-25. Retrieved 2017-05-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^ Ahmed, Shoaib (16 April 2004). "Hindu, Sikh temples in state of disrepair". Daily Times. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  23. ^ Naqoosh, Lahore Number 1976
  24. ^ Metcalf, Barbara (2009). Islam in South Asia in Practice. Princeton University Press. p. 5. ISBN 978-1400831388.
  25. ^ Malik, Iftikhar (2006). Culture and Customs of Pakistan. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 154. ISBN 9780313331268.
  26. ^ Gharipour, Mohammad; Ozlu, Nilay (5 March 2015). The City in the Muslim World: Depictions by Western Travel Writers. Routledge. p. 92. ISBN 9781317548225.
  27. ^ Malik, Iftikhar Haider (2008). The History of Pakistan. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 79. ISBN 978-0-313-34137-3.
  28. ^ Chandra, Satish (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part – II. Har-Anand Publications. p. 365. ISBN 978-81-241-1066-9.
  29. ^ The foreign policy of Pakistan: ethnic impacts on diplomacy, 1971-1994 ISBN 1-86064-169-5 - Mehtab Ali Shah "Such is the political, psychological and religious attachment of the Sikhs to that city that a Khalistan without Lahore would be like a Germany without Berlin."
  30. ^ Amritsar to Lahore: a journey across the India-Pakistan border - Stephen Alter ISBN 0-8122-1743-8 "Ever since the separatist movement gathered force in the 1980s, Pakistan has sided with the Sikhs, even though the territorial ambitions of Khalistan include Lahore and sections of the Punjab on both sides of the border."
  31. ^ "Sikh pilgrims from India arrive in Lahore". Dawn. Pakistan. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
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