History of Muslims in Scotland
Demographically, Scotland does not have a large number of Muslims as compared with other parts of the UK. Therefore, historical accounts of Muslims in Scotland are less known and recorded. However, a clear history can be traced which is specific to Scotland, as opposed to Britain as a whole.
To date Scotland's population of Muslims has mainly come from the Indian Sub-continent. Whilst the majority of migrants came after World War II, there was an interaction between the two countries much earlier. Hence, the following account will concentrate on the relations between India and Scotland.
During the eighteenth century and onwards, there was an influx of students from India into Scottish universities. There were a large number of Scottish teachers in India, resulting in Scottish institutions becoming renowned for their excellent education, especially in medicine and engineering.
The first Muslim student was Wazir Beg from Bombay. He is recorded as being a medical student who studied at the University of Edinburgh between 1858-59. Six students established the Edinburgh Indian Association in 1883. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, there were two hundred members. The dilemma of cost and benefit of returning home meant that the majority of immigrants stayed and made Scotland their home.
Some students were not so 'foreign' to Scotland. The first example is Jane Cumming Gordon, daughter of an Indian mother and Scottish father. She was brought back to Scotland in 1803 in order to study. She remained in Scotland after her education was finished. John Campbell was the son of a Bengali mother and Scottish father. He studied at Aberdeen University and returned to India around 1830, where he worked as a missionary. Whilst all of these people were from India, they may not have been Muslim.
The majority of Muslim migrants, however, came as lascars (maritime workers). By the middle of the nineteenth century, Glasgow was known as the 'Second City of the Empire'. The production of goods and Glasgow's busy port meant that many lascars were employed there. Dundee was at the peak of importing jute; hence, sailors from Bengal were a feature at the port. Records from the Glasgow Sailors' Home show that, in 1903, nearly a third (5,500) of all boarders were Muslim lascars.
As the maritime trade fell slowly into decline, some of the lascars turned to other trades to make ends meet, particularly as peddlers. One such case is of Nathoo Mohammad, who came to Glasgow in 1919 as a lascar, but ended up peddling clothes and eventually became a successful wholesaler. Peddlers gained momentum and dispersed across Scotland, taking their chances in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh. World War I revived the lascar trade somewhat, as there was a need to fill the gap left by Scottish sailors who were drafted into the army.
Stirling, Dumbarton, Clydebank, and Aberdeen were some of the areas where Muslim presence was seen and felt. Joseph Salter, a missionary in 1867 mentions that these areas are where “disciples of the prophet of Mecca wander” (Ansari, 2004: p36-37). He also states: “Even in Scotland, Asiatics are to be found… they have been met and spoken to at Dundee, Glasgow, Perth, Greenock and Edinburgh…” (Maan, p84).
Princes were also frequent visitors to Britain during the nineteenth century. Among the first was Mirza Abu Talib Khan, who kept a journal of his travels, later published as The Travels of Mirza Abu Talib Khan. Although he never actually visited Scotland, he had several Scottish friends and admired the Scottish people for being “cordial and compatible” (Maan, p65).
Scotland in India
Long before Indian migrants came to Scotland, Scotland and Scots people interacted with the Continent as far back as the first Millennium C.E. However, the first recorded encounter occurred in 1615 when Sir Thomas Rowe was sent as Ambassador to the Mogul Emperor Jahangir at Agra.
The Act of Union was given Royal Assent by Queen Anne in 1707: this provided free access and opportunities for Scotland to establish trade with India through the East India Company.
However, Scots were most prominent in their engagement as troops to protect the company's interests. For example, William Hamilton of Dalzell is recorded to have served as a member of the embassy to the court of the Mogul Emperor Farakh Siyar. He was awarded for his services by the Emperor and is buried in Calcutta. General Sir Hector was Commander in Chief at Buxor, and led one of the largest regiments. On his return from India, he became MP for Inverness.
Furthermore, Scottish businessmen, planters and traders travelled to India to profit from the exploitation of Indian riches. The influx of wealth from the Indian Sub-continent during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries had a direct effect on industrial progression in Scotland, strengthening its economy and prosperity.
Henry Dundas, Viscount of Melville, was appointed General for Scotland in 1766, and using his position he secured the Scottish position to serve in India. Of the fourteen troops serving in India between 1754 and 1784, seven were Scottish. His influence, along with David Scott, is said to have 'Scotticised India'. In 1794, the Scottish celebration of St. Andrews Day was being celebrated in India itself.
Among those who contributed to the consolidation of Indian territories were a sizable number of Scots, including Sir David Baird, Sir Robert Abercromby, Lt Col James Stewart, Sir John Malcolm, Thomas Munro, William and James Kirkpatrick, Mountstuart Elphinstone and Lt Col Hercules Skinner.
In 1813, out of fourteen private merchant houses in India only one was English and the rest Scottish. This was true in Calcutta, and similar situations existed in Bombay and Madras.
The jute mills in Dundee were a central location for shipment from Bengal, which is known as the home of jute. The trade of jute into Dundee led to the creation of more jobs, and thus increased the prosperity of Dundee. At the same time, however, Bengal weavers lost their trade due to the superior machines used by the Dundonians. Dundee further monopolised on the trade when they set up trade in Bengal itself.
There are countless examples of Scots who went to India and contributed in some way. For example, John Baillie, who was from Inverness, was the first professor of Arabic and Persian at Fort William College in Calcutta. His colleague there, John Borthwick, was lecturer of Urdu. As well as contributing in education, philanthropy, development of city infrastructure, and building medical facilities, the Scots also became Governors and Viceroys in India.
Thousands of Scots are buried in South Asia and many street names and places are derived from Scottish names, for example: Campbellpur, McLeod Road, Fort Munro, Kinnaird, and so on. The Scottish bagpipes have also become part of Indian and Pakistani culture, and to this day they are played there. Words and symbols have been borrowed from the South Asian cultures and integrated into Scotland. The 'Paisley Pattern' is copied from the Kashmiri 'tear drop'. Words such as bungalow, chutney, shampoo, cot, pyjamas, and jungle are borrowed from the Indian language and are now part of everyday vocabulary.
There is a multitude of words in the English language which are borrowed from Islam and Muslims; the following web sites give a detailed analysis.