The Dafali are a Muslim community found in India with the majority being in the state of Uttar Pradesh surname Masoodi. They have been categorized in Other Backward Class (OBC) category in Uttar Pradesh. Dafali are also found in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

The Dafali are found throughout the country, primarily in Uttar Pradesh, with special concentrations in Pilibhit, Rampur, Moradabad, Sambhal, Badauon, Saharanpur,Kanpur and Bareilly districts in the west, where the community speak Khari boli, while in Awadh, they are found mainly in the districts of Lucknow, Bahraich, Balrampur, Gonda, Shravasti and Sitapur, Basti district, Balrampur, Gonda, Shravasti and Sitapur, Sidharth Nagar District/Sidharthnagar, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Jaunpur where they known as Hashmi, where the community speak Awadhi and their tribal language 'Madaah'.^[1]