HISTORY OF THE DHANYAL TRIBE

Dhanyal / Dhanial is one of the largest tribe living in Potohar plateau and Lower
Himalayas for the last eight centuries. 

This tribe traces their lineage to Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Talib. Dhanyal tribe consists of Hazrat Ali's descendants. Moaazam Shah renowned as Dhanni Peer is forefather of Dhanyal Tribe. Dhanyals are  not Fatmi descendants of Hazrat Ali (RazilAllah Anha). They belong to Hazrat Ali's 9th wife Hazrat Khola bint-e-Ayas bin Jaffar Bannu Hanifa. Hazrat Khola gave birth to Hazrat Ali's famous son Muhammad bin Ali known as Muhammad bin Hanfia.

Most of the Dhanyals are settled in the cities of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and in Kotli Sattian and Murree Hills. Some other branches of the tribe live in kashmir, Abbottabad, Sialkot and Hazara.

Dhanyals are famous for their bravery. Members of this tribe were recruited into the
armies of the Mughal Empire, British Empire and after Independence, into the Pakistan Army.

After independence however the Dhanyals in urban areas have turned to other fields such as education, medicine, engineering, business and social sciences.

The name ‘Dhanyal/Dhanial’ is derived from Mohazzam Shah which was the name of chief and famous Sufi saint of Lower Himalayas who shifted from Dhanni (old name of Chakwal) in late 12th century. Forefathers of Mohazzam Shah who were Arab Muslims, migrated from Iraq into Multan during the era of Muhammad Bin Qasim. Desandants of Mohazzam Shah ruled Multan state for about 190 years. Mohazzam Shah supported Muhammad Ghori to curb the activities of Hindu Rajputs who aggressively attack Muslim army of Muhammad Ghori. Due to influence of Mohazzam Shah alias Hazrat Baba Dhanni Pir, many non-Muslims of this area converted to Islam. 

The forefather of Dhanyal tribe was inspired by Syed Ali Hamdan Ali Shah-i-Hamdan of Srinagar, Kashmir. Mohazzam Shah sacrifices his life with the battle of Hindu Dogra Rajputs in Kashmir in 13th century. Mohazzam Shah was the spiritual leader of Dhanyal, Satti and Abbasi tribes in the area of Kotli Sattian and Murree Hills, plain area of Potohar and Kashmir. 

Hazrat Baba Dhanni Pir’s shrine is situated in Mouri Sayyaedan, a valley on Lehtrar Road in tehsil Kotli Sattian, District Rawalpindi, Pakistan. An Urs (annual death anniversary) is held every year in April at his shrine.

Some members of Dhanyal tribe use the title "Raja" with their names,  which does not mean that the tribe is any offshot of Rajput – they are Alvi and Arab Muslims like Awan and Shaikh or Qureshi, Abbasi and Sayed. Some member of the tribe called themselves as Shah, it does mean that they are Sayed, it is proved that Dhanyals are non-fatimi descendants of Hazrat Ali Al-Murtaza (RA). Most of the historians do not recognized them and even in the era of british rule, they were counted as Rajput tribe in 1891, 1901, 1911 and 1931 census.

Origin of Dhanni Peer is as follows

1. Imam Ali al Murtaza
2. Muhammad ibn Hanfiyya
3. Ibrhaim
4. Hasan
5. Zayd
6. Ismail
7. Hasan al At'rush
8. Qasim
9. Hassan
10. Ibrahim
11. Ali
12. Muhammad
13. Abdullah
14. Muawiya
15. Jafar
16. Amir Malik
17. Khusro Shah
18. Muazam Shah / Dhani Pir