National Law Institute University

Casteism in Islam

Submitted to: Submitted By: Hirak Mukhopadhyay

Bir Pal Singh Roll No: BA.LL.B. 2008 – ‘76’

Assistant Professor Enrolment No: A-1026

As part of Sociology - II

Declaration:

The text reported in the project is the outcome of my own efforts and no part of this

report has been copied in any unauthorized manner and no part in it has been

incorporated without due acknowledgement.

INTRODUCTION

The Indian caste system describes the system of social stratification and social

restrictions in India in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous

hereditary groups, often termed jātis or castes. Within a jāti, there exist exogamous

groups known as gotras, the lineage or clan of an individual. Endogamy within a gotra is

permitted and alternative mechanisms of restricting endogamy are used (e.g. banning

endogamy within a surname). The Indian caste system involves four castes and outcasted

social groups.. Castes systems in India and caste like groups--those quintessential groups

with which almost all Indians are associated--are ranked. Within most villages or towns,

everyone knows the relative rankings of each locally represented caste, and people's

behavior toward one another is constantly shaped by this knowledge. Castes system in

India are primarily associated with Hinduism but also exist among other Indian religious

groups. Although generally identified with Hinduism, the caste system was also observed

among followers of other religions in the Indian subcontinent, including some groups of

Muslims and Christians .Muslims sometimes expressly deny that they have castes--they

state that all Muslims are brothers under God--but observation of Muslim life in various

parts of India reveals the existence of castelike groups and clear concern with social

hierarchy. Historically .A classical example of scholarly declaration of the Muslim caste

system is the Fatawa-i Jahandari, written by the fourteenth century Turkish scholar,

Ziauddin Barani, a member of the court of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, of the Tughlaq

dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. Barani was known for his intensely casteist views, and

regarded the Ashraf Muslims as racially superior to the Ajlaf Muslims. Even in his

interpretation of the Koranic verse "Indeed, the pious amongst you are most honored by

Allah", he considered piety to be associated with noble birth. Barrani was specific in his

recommendation that the "sons of Mohamed" [i.e. Ashrafs] "be given a higher social

status than the low-born [i.e. Ajlaf]

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

To study the caste system prevalent amongst Indian Muslims and its effect on the Muslim

society

OBJECTIVES

1: To study the origin of caste system of Muslims in India.

2: To study the 3 castes of the Muslim caste system i.e. Ashraf, Ajlaf & Arjal.

3: To study the effect of the Muslim Caste system in the Muslim society and the entire

society as a whole.

DATA COLLECTION

Secondary Data - Doctrinal Method

HYPOTHESIS

1) The caste system amongst Muslims may have originated due to the influence of

Hinduism on Islam

2) Lower Caste Muslims may have to face restrictions similar to lower Caste Hindus.

ORIGINS OF CASTE SYSTEM IN ISLAM:

Most studies of caste in India deal with the classical Hindu caste system or with its

present forms among the Hindus. Since caste is the basis of the Hindu social order and is

written into the Brahminical texts, studies of caste have been largely Hindu-centric.

Following from this, the existence of caste-like features among non-Hindu, including

Muslim, communities in India is thus generally seen as a result of the cultural influence

on these communities of their Hindu neighbours or of Hinduism itself. However while

the influence of Hindu social mores on the Muslims might partially explain the continued

salience of caste among them, it does not fully explain how the Muslims of the region

came to be stratified on the basis of caste in the first place. The vast majority of the

Indian Muslims are descendants of converts from what is today called

'Hinduism'. Earlier, Individual conversions to Islam were rare. Rather, typically, entire

local caste groups or significant sections thereof underwent a gradual process of

Islamisation, in the course of which elements of the Islamic faith were gradually

incorporated into local cosmologies and ritual practice while gradually displacing or

replacing local or 'Hindu' elements.1 However some part of Hindu culture was retained.

Hence, even after conversion to Islam marriage continued to take place within the

original caste group. This is how Muslim society came to be characterized by the

existence of multiple endogamous caste-like groups. Many of the converts retained

several of their local, pre-Islamic beliefs and practices. It was thus not the influence of

Hinduism among a previously 'pure', 'uncontaminated' Muslim community as such, but,

rather, the continued impact of Hindu beliefs and customs on the converts who still

remained within a largely Hindu cultural universe and retained many of its associated

beliefs and practices2

1  Ikram, S. M. (1964). "The Interaction of Islam and Hinduism". New York: Columbia University Press.

2 Singh Sikand, Yoginder.Islam And Caste Inequality Among Indian Muslims. Hamdard University. 2006-10-18.

STRATIFICATION OF THE CASTE SYSTEMS OF

MUSLIMS:

Scholarly writings on caste among Indian Muslims generally note the division that is

often made between the so-called 'noble' castes or ashraf and those labeled as inferior, or

razil, kamin or ajlaf.  The ashraf-ajlaf division is not the invention of modern social

scientists, for it is repeatedly mentioned in medieval works of ashraf scholars

themselves.Along with these two castes,there exists another caste i.e. Arjals that is unique

to the caste system of Muslims in India

ASHRAF: The Ashraf or the noble class includes all descendants of foreign

Muslims(Arabs, Persians and Afghans etc) and also converts from upper class

Hindus .Like the higher Hindu Castes they considered it degrading to engage in menial

labour or to handle the plough3. The Ashraf castes includes Sayyads, Sheikhs, Mughals

and Pathans. all four noble castes permit interdining, but commensality with the lower

castes, consisting of groups descended from Indian converts, is not allowed.

a) Sayyads: Just as Brahmins are at the apex of the Hindu social structure. Sayyad

(meaning Prince) are placed at the top of the Indian Muslim Social Structure. Persons of

this caste use the word Mir or Sayyad before their name.

b)Sheikh: Literally Sheikhs means the chief or the head. Sheikhs are counted after the

Sayyads. Generally, the sheikhs are the religious teachers of Islam. Among the sheikhs

there are several subcastes like Usman, Siddiqui and Ansari etc.

c)Mughal: The Mughals are so called due to the country of their origin,Mongolia.They

use the surname Mirza after their name.Amongst the mughals there are several subcastes

such as Uzbeg,Turkman etc.

3 Ahmad Imtiaz (13 May,1978 ):”Ashraf and Ajlaf categories In Indo Muslim Society”: Economic and Political Weekly, New Delhi

d)Pathan: Ancestors of Pathans came from Afghanistan.They use the surname Khan

after their proper names.amongst Pathans there are several subcaste such as Afridi,khalil

Lodhi etc.

AJLAF: Ajlafs are Muslims who have converted from the lower caste Hindus. Ajlaf

means 'wretches' or 'mean people': They are also called Kamina or Itar, 'base' or Rasil i.e.

'worthless'. These include various functional castes such as weavers, oil pressers, Tailors

etc. Each Ajlaf caste has a traditional occupation, which may or may not be practiced

today. It is usually by this occupation that each caste is known. The distinction between

Ashrafs and Ajlafs corresponds closely to the Hindu division of the community into

Dwijas or caste born of twice born rank which comprised of various classes of Aryan

invaders. The Ajlafs came from lower class the Hindus and continued with their previous

occupations. There was no significant improvement in their social and economic status.

However there was an exception. There were many Rajputs who converted to Islam

under the fear of the sword or due to greed of Money or Prestige. Since, amongst them,

the idea of higher and lower castes was deeply embedded ,they maintained the same

attitude after converting to Islam. They kept their relations confined to equal or higher

caste Muslims. They included castes like Tomar, Chandel, Chauhan etc.

The line between Ashrafs and Ajlaf castes corresponds to that between the upper three,

“twice-born” varnas in the Hindu system (Brahmins, kshatriyas, and vaishyas) and the

sudras and untouchables beneath them.

ARZAL:The term "Arzal" stands for "degraded". The Arzal group of Muslims was first

recorded in the 1901 census in India and are also called Dalit Muslims “with whom no

other Muhammadan would associate, and who are forbidden to enter the mosque or to

use the public burial ground”4. They are relegated to "menial" professions such as

scavenging and carrying night soil. Though the Muslim Saints considered all humans to

be equal, one may find untouchability prevalent amongst the Muslim Society, However

Untouchability is more of a religious Character not social. Hence it is less rigorous than

found amongst Hindus.  The lowest of among the Muslim communities is a "Muhajir".

They are mainly assigned the position of a laborer and looked down upon by the

4 http://4freedoms.ning.com/group/EDL/forum/topics/europe-waking-up-to-honour

Ashraf.The Arzals are further subdivided into Bhanar, Kasbi, Lalbegi, Halalkhor, Hijra,

Maugta and Mehtar.

Interaction and Mobility

 

The Ashrafs and non-Ashrafs are collectively referred to as 'oonchi zat' (high caste) and

'neechi zat' (low caste).Interactions between the oonchi zat and neechi zat are regulated

by established patron-client relationships of the jajmani system.The patrons, who belong

to the oonchi zat, are referred to as the jajmans, and the clients, comprising the various

occupational castes of the neechi zat, as kamin.Like the Ashraf castes, which are ranked

hierachically amogst themselves , the non-Ashraf castes also relate to each other in a

hierarchical manner. In their case the superiority or inferiority of a caste is determined by

the relatively pure or impure nature of the occupation associated with each. The dominant

lineage of the Kidwais enjoys a uniformly superior status to all the non-Ashraf castes.

The Kidwais claim to be Sayyads but the other Ashraf castes of Kasauli doubt the

authenticity of their claim, and believe that Kidwais are a sub-caste of Sheikhs5.However

In most cases it is not the ancestry but the first and foremost criterion for grading non-

Ashraf castes is the degree of impurity or pollution implicit in the nature of their

occupation.In addition, there was another related criterion, viz. physical proximity of a

non-Ashraf caste to Ashraf castes while performing services for them6. Mirasis (singers)

were thus higher than Nais (barbers), and both higher than Dhobi (laundrymen). Mirasis

were higher than Nais because Mirasi women sat among Ashraf ladies to sing and singing

had no polluting connotation. Women of the Nai caste who massaged Ashraf women and

Nai men who cut hair performed services in physical proximity to the Ashraf caste but

were rated lower than Mirasis because both services were regarded as impure.On the

other hand, the Dhobi not only washed dirty clothes, which was a polluting occupation,

their services did not require physical proximity to the Ashrafs and hence they were still

lower in the caste hierarchy.Things are not only impure or pure, but some things are more

impure than others. In the course of practising their traditional occupation, castes which

habitually handle very impure things are lower in status than those which handle things

which are not so impure.  physical contact with individuals of these castes is avoided not

only by Ashrafs but also by non-Ashrafs. Among the Muslims, if a person accidentally

touches an individual of an unclean caste, the former must purify himself by a simple

bath, particularly prior to performing a religious function like saying 'namaz', reading the

Koran or entering a mosque. However There is a difference here between Muslims and

5  Social Stratification Among Muslims in India by Zarina

Bhatty(http://www.anti-caste.org/muslim_question/caste/bhatty_article.html)

6 Ibid

Hindus, and it lies in the fact that, unlike among Hindus, no elaborate rituals are

prescribed for Muslims for purifying themselves in the event of physical contact with an

individual from an unclean caste.7Status differentiation implicit in the caste system finds

expression in restrictions on marriage and eating together. Normally endogamy is strictly

adhered to, both among Ashrafs and non- Ashrafs8.Between the two endogamous

subdivisions of Ashrafs there is no restriction on eating together, but their interaction is

so limited that, in practice, it rarely occurs. This Muslim version of the increased

attention to purity and piety among aspiring Hindu castes that sociologist M. N. Srinivas

called “Sanskritization” is often called “Islamization” by analogy.

Current position of lower caste Muslims in India:

Since Independence, India has achieved significant growth and development. It has also

been successful in reducing poverty and improving crucial human development indicators

such as levels of literacy, education and health. The Indian Constitution provides Indian

Muslims their due right as citizens of India. Muslims have as equal an opportunity as is

available to other Indian citizens with regard to leading a life of dignity and equality and

7 Ambedkar,Bhimrao .Pakistan or the Partition of India. Thackers Publishers.

8 http://www.anti-caste.org/muslim_question/caste/bhatty_article.html

observance of their religious practices. Besides the Constitutional provisions, there are

number of other directives that safeguard the religious and cultural practices of Muslims.

Freedoms to practice their faith on a daily basis and to celebrate their religious festivals

are some of the facilities Muslims enjoy along with their counterparts of other religions.

However there are indications, however, that not all religious communities and social

groups have shared equally the benefits of the growth process. Among these, the

Muslims, the largest minority communities in the country, constituting 13.4 per cent of

the population, are seriously lagging behind in terms of most of the human development

indicators. The Sachar committee9 was the first of its kind to undertake a data-based

research on the Muslims in India.

The main aim of the committee inter alia was:

1: In which States, Regions, Districts and Blocks do the Muslims of India mostly live?

2: What is the geographical pattern of their economic activity, i.e. what do they mostly do

for a living in various States, Regions and Districts?

3: What is their relative share in public & private sector employment? Does it vary across

States and what is the pattern of the variation? Is the share in employment in proportion

to their population in various States? If not, what are the hurdles?

4: What is the proportion of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from the Muslim

community in the total OBC population in various States

5: Does the Muslim community have adequate access to education and health services,

municipal infrastructure and, bank credit provided by Government public sector entities?

The Sachar committee put a lot of analysis about the Indian Muslim with "statistical

reports" based on information from government agencies, banks, Indian Minority

Commission, NSSO, different state governments and its agencies

.The Main findings of the report were:

9 http://zakatindia.org/Files/Sachar%20Report%20(Full).pdf

1: In the field of literacy the Committee has found that the rate among Muslims is very

much below than the national average

2: Substantially larger proportions of the Muslim households in urban areas are in the less

than Rs.500 expenditure bracket.

3: The presence of Muslims has been found to be only 3% in the IAS, 1.8% in the IFS

and 4% in the IPS.

4: Most of the variables indicate that Muslim-OBCs are significantly deprived in

comparison to Hindu-OBCs. The work participation rate (WPR) shows the presence of a

sharp difference between Hindu-OBCs (67%) and the Muslims. The share of Muslim-

OBCs in government/ PSU jobs is much lower than Hindu-OBCs.

5:  25 per cent of children of Muslim parents in the 6-14 year age group have either never

attended school or have dropped out.

Apart from its findings, the committee also helped in removing certain misgivings

about Indian Muslims. Some of them were:

1: Only four per cent of Muslims students actually go to madrasas primarily because

primary state schools do not exist for miles. Therefore, the idea that Muslims prefer

madrasa education was found to be not true

2: That Muslims wherever spoken to complained of suffering the twin calumnies of being

dubbed “anti-national” and of being “appeased”. However, the Indian Muslim

community as a whole had never indulged in anti-national activities and the conditions

borne out by the committee's findings clearly explained that no "appeasement" had taken

place.

3: In private industry like the BPO industry, Muslims have been able to do well and find

employment in large numbers. However this is restricted to large companies mainly.

The Main Recommendations of the Sachar committee were:

1: Mechanisms to ensure equity and equality of opportunity and eliminate discrimination.

2: An Equal Opportunity Commission should be constituted to look into the grievances of

the deprived groups

3: The UGC should evolve a system where part of the allocation to colleges and

universities is linked to the diversity in the student population.

4: Form an autonomous Assessment and Monitoring Authority to evaluate the extent of

development benefits

5: The real need is of policy initiatives that improve the participation and share of the

Minorities, particularly Muslims in the business of regular commercial banks.

6: Provide financial and other support to initiatives built around occupations where

Muslims are concentrated and have growth potential.

CRITICISM OF THE MUSLIM CASTE SYSTEM:

Some Muslim scholars have termed the caste-like features in Indian Muslim society as a

"flagrant violation of the Qur'anic worldview." Other scholars tried to reconcile and

resolve the "disjunction between Qur'anic egalitarianism and Indian Muslim social

practice" through theorizing it in different ways and interpreting the Qur'an and Sharia to

justify casteism10.Mr B.R Ambedkar was the most prominent crticizer of the Muslim

Caste System and said the rather than improving the existing social Conditions of the

lower caste people who had converted to Islam in search of a better life,the Islamic Caste

10 Yoginder Singh Sikand, Caste in Indian Muslim Society

system was worse than the Hindu Caste System and  the social evils in Muslim society

were "worse than those seen in Hindu society"11.He argued that there was no social evil

which is found among the Hindus and is not found among the Muslims. He was

extremely critical of the Muslim Caste System and their practices, quoting that "Within

these groups there are castes with social precedence of exactly the same nature as one

finds among the Hindus but worse in numerous ways".He was also critical of the precept

of literalism of scripture among Indian Muslims that led them to keep the Muslim Caste

system rigid and discriminatory.  He condemned the Indian Muslim Community of being

unable to reform like Muslims in other countries like Turkey did during the early decades

of the twentieth century.Islam in South Asia historically has been unable to avoid the

impact of class and caste inequalities. As for Hinduism, the hierarchical principles of the

Brahmanical social order have always been contested from within Hindu society,

suggesting that equality has been and continues to be both valued and practiced in

Hinduism.12

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

11 Ambedkar, Bhimrao: Pakistan or the Partition of India. Thackers Publishers.

12 Jalal,Ayesha0: Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asia:Cambridge University Press