Muslim Dhobi
{{Short description|Muslim descendants of Dhobi}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
{{infobox ethnic group|
| group = Muslim Dhobi
| poptime =
| popplace = • Pakistan • India
| langs = • Urdu • Hindi • Gujarati • Punjabi • Seraiki
| rels = Islam
}}
The Muslim Dhobi are a South Asian Muslim caste whose traditional occupation is washing clothes. They are considered to be Muslim converts from Hinduism, where the Dhobi castes are launderers. Muslim Dhobis are found throughout the Indian subcontinent.{{cn|date=October 2023}}
The community is also known as Charhoa and Gazar in Pakistan, and Qassar in India. They also use "Hawari" as a surname.{{cn|date=October 2023}}
Present circumstances
=In Pakistan=
In Pakistan, the Punjab Qassar are mainly a rural community. The Qassar are an artisan caste, receiving a fixed share of the agricultural produce for their services. The Gazar sub-division, found in southern Punjab, have taken to agriculture. The Gazar and Charhoa are Seraiki speaking, while the Qassar in central Punjab speak Punjabi.{{cite book |title=Justice in Practice: Legal Ethnography of a Pakistani Punjabi Village |first=Muhammad Azam |last=Chaudhary |pages=7–9 |publisher=Oxford University Press |date=1999}}