It has been an irony that Islam has been regarded as anti-caste and Muslim society as a casteless society. Whereas theoretically casteism exists in Islam and in Muslim society of the whole word.
In Turkey, only Saiyad could wear black turban; it is seen in Kashmir province of India as well. Untouchability is common among Yemen’s Akhdams who are sweeper or scavengers.
As well as Doctrinal and theoretical nature of Islamic casteism is concerned, it is well known that there is no such verses in the Qur’an which should be quoted in support of casteism,but there is a strange thing that mostly Ashraaf ulama (clerics, priest, scholar) have tried his best to give the colour of casteism in their interpretation of those Verses of the Qur’an which are in opposition of casteism or racism.
In other official authoritative sources of Islam, the Hadiths and Islami fiqh (law) are dominated by casteism from the selection of first Caliph to marriage, although some Hadiths will also be found which strongly oppose casteism.
Whether there is casteism in Islam or not could be a matter of cognitive perceptual debate, but the Islam which is prevalent in the present time is completely full of casteist colour.
In Islam the appointment of first Caliph, the fixation of his salary and other allowance, the murder of third Caliph were all race/caste based and the importance of a particular race/caste in the Khutbah of Juma’a and a strong caste bond in marriages, in these scenarios how could Islam claims to be free from casteism so far.
An interesting point is that the names of periods in Islam history are also on race/caste based such as Ahde Banu Umayya(Bannu Umayyad period) Ahde Banu Abbasiya (Banu Abbasi periods) Ahde Usmani (Period of the Turkic peoples of the Turkic race).
If we talk about India, then with the arrival of Arab, Iranian and Central Asian Muslims the Islamic style of racism/casteism also starts here. Which is clearly visible during their reigns (which can also be called Ashraaf rules).
Such was the feelings and incorporation of the nobility of race and caste that they intensely had a formal organized department called Niqabat which used to investigate caste and race of applicants for appointment in the Government administration and also investigated the suspicious people already appointed.
During the reign of Altamash there is evidence of the dismissal of 33 such people from the administration, who were related to the so-called low caste.
In this case, they were so secular in this regard that they didn’t spare even his fellow co-religionists (Pasmanda) of Indian origin.
In the changing situation and scenario, after the arrival of the British, the Ashraaf Muslims (Sayyad, Shaikh, Mughal and Pathan) played the game of two-nation theory, Khilafat movement and even the partition of the country just to maintain their power and supremacy.
Throughout this period Ashraaf enslaved the indigenous Pasmanda Muslims (Tribal, Dalit & backward of Muslim faith) in the name of Islam and religious unity, although the first Pasmanda movement led by Asim Bihari opposed the partition till the last time. The remaining Ashraafs in post partition India, maintained thair power and supremacy through the Congress’s policy of Muslim appeasement and organization such as the Muslim personal law board.
Ashraaf Muslims have been serving their interests in the name of Muslims and Minorities, they used to keep Indic Pasmanda Muslims participation in the institutions established by them at the minimum level.
If we look at the number of Muslims representatives of the Lok Sabha members so far, it is found that Ashraaf have received more than double the share of their number, While pasanda is equal to “no” in proportion to their population. It should be noted that the population of indigenous Pasmanda is 90% of the total Muslim population.
Ashraaf muslims in the political parties never allowed Pasmanda problems to come in front of common society and in the eyes of the Government, Although committees and commissions formed from time to time did expose it, but Ashraaf did not let anyone run on this serious issue.
Ashraaf muslims started spreading confusion about the Sachar committee’s statement that “the condition of Pasmanda Muslims are worse than that of Hindu Dalits” by saying that “the condition of all Muslims are worse than that of Dalits”.
It is clear from the above description that Ashraaf has been protecting his own interest only by showing the mass of Indic Pasmanda Muslims in the name of Muslim and minority politics of religious Identity.
Various Pasmanda organization active across the country have openly oppose it, considering the untouchability, feeling of upper-lower, casteism prevalent in Muslim society as an evil and considering it as an obstacle in nation building.
Various demands have been made by these organizations from time to time to improve the condition of Pasmanda and to bring them into the mainstream. It seems appropriate to mention some of the major demands here.
In all the institutions and organizations run by Ashraaf Muslims in the name of Muslims and minorities like Muslim personal law Board, waqf Board, renowned Madrasas, Imarat-e-Shariya, Aligarh Muslim University etc., should be ensured Pasmanda representation as per their population.
All political parties should allot seats to the Pasmanda according to their population in the election of Gram Panchayat, Kshetra Panchayat, District Panchayat, Municipality, Municipal corporation, Legislative Assemblies and Lok Sabha.
On the basis of the basic spirit of secularism, by abolishing Para 3 of the President’s order of 1950 on Articles 341 of the Constitution, reservation should be made for Dalits of all the religions equally at all levels.
Pasmanda Scheduled Tribes should be identified and included in ST category and many more backward Pasmanda castes which have been left out from OBC category should be included.
The representation of Pasmanda should be ensured in all minority establishments and institutions under the central and state Governments.
By : Faiyaz Ahmad Fyzie
Author translator columnist, media panelist, social activist and a Physician