Kan (tribe)
# Kan (tribe)

Islam in Bangladesh :

History

Muslim conquest

Islamic rule

Bengal Sultanate

Bengal Subah

Anjuman-i-Ulama-i-Bangala :

Culture

Architecture

Bangladeshi

Bengali

Indo-Islamic

Indo-Saracenic

Mughal

Literature

Arabic

Bengali

Dobhashi

Jangnama

Kissa

Marsiya

Puthi

Persian

Urdu

Music

Ghazal

Hamd

Nashid

Naat

Qawwali

Zari

Zikir :

Major figures

Bakhtiyar Khalji

Shah Jalal

Khan Jahan Ali

Shah Makhdum

Titumir

Shariatullah

Karamat Ali Jaunpuri

Sher-e-Bangla

Siraji

Nazrul

Bhashani :

Communities

Bengali Muslims

Dhakaiyas

Kan

Mahifarash

Mahimal

Nashya Shaikh

Shershabadia

Sylhetis

Rohingyas

Bihari Muslims

Pangals :

Ideology/schools of thought

Ahl-i Hadith

Barelvi/Rezvi

Deobandi/Qawmi

Fultali

Maizbhandari

Shia :

Educational organizations

Alia Madrasah

Qawmi Madrasah

Islamic University, Bangladesh

International Islamic University Chittagong :

Political parties

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish

Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan

Islami Andolan

Islami Front

Islami Oikya Jote

Jamaat-e-Islami

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam

Khelafat Majlish

Muslim League

Nizam-e-Islam Party

Tariqat Federation :

Influential bodies

Anjuman Mufidul Islam

Hefazat-e-Islam

Islamic Foundation Bangladesh

Tablighi Jamaat

Tamaddun Majlish :

Other topics

Bishwa Ijtema

Mosques in Bangladesh (Baitul Mukarram)

Muslim nationalism in South Asia

Muslim chronicles for Bangladeshi history

Sufism in Bangladesh :

vte :

The Kan (Bengali: কান), also known as Khalifa (Bengali: খলিফা, romanized: Khôlifa), are a Muslim community native to Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.

## Origin

The Kan, a small Muslim community, were traditionally involved in the repairing of umbrellas. According to traditions, the Kan were originally members of the Dom community who converted to Islam. In addition to repairing umbrellas, the community is also involved in the manufacture of fishhooks. The community is found mainly in the districts of Murshidabad, 24 Parganas and Nadia in West Bengal and Faridpur District in Bangladesh.

## Present circumstances

The Kan are still involved in the traditional occupation of umbrella repairing, and during the chaitra or rainy season, the community entirely devotes itself to the construction and repairing umbrellas. This season last for almost six months, while for the remaining six months the community is involved in daily wage labour. A significant numbers of the community are now cultivators. They grow mainly paddy and wheat.

The Kan occupies distinct quarters in villages known as a paras. Each of these settlements contains an informal caste council known as a panchayat, which acts as an instrument of social control. The community are strictly endogamous, and marry close kin.

