Caste System among Indian Muslims, Slave Dynasty and Historian Ziauddin Barni
By Aftab Ahmad, New Age Islam
21 June, 2014
Islam opposed any segregation of society on the basis of caste, race, rank or birth. After the advent of Islam, the entire humanity was brought together and the principle of equality of human beings and honour of man was established on earth. The Prophet (pbuh) made it clear that no Arab had any preference over any Ajami or a white man over a black one except by virtue of Taqwa (piety). The Quran also said that God created humanity from Adam and Eve and that only Taqwa was the basis for one’s superiority over others. Caste, colour, birth or race was not the basis for pride for anyone.
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. “(Al Hujurat: 13)
God also says in the Quran that all the human beings, the offspring of Adam were respectful and honourable. That’s why no human being should be considered lowly or ignoble.
“We gave the sons of Adam honour.”(Bani Israel: 17)
Islam spread this principle of equality of human beings in Arab and in all the territories under their rule. People were judged by their educational qualifications, skills, their character and their religious or scientific knowledge. The first caliphs were appointed on the basis of their seniority in piety, knowledge and administrative abilities.
In India too, when the Arabs came, they established their rule in Sindh. They removed social inequality from among their territories and married women of low caste of Hindus. Able and qualified people from the low caste Hindus were given suitable posts in the government. Their fair, respectful and equal treatment of the low caste Hindus prompted them to embrace Islam because after coming into the fold of Islam, even Hindus would start giving them respect. This helped in the spread of Islam.
However, it did not last too long because, with the rise of the non-Arab dynasties in Islamic empire, the curse of casteism among Muslims crept into the Muslim society. In India, the caste division became more flagrant and distinct with the establishment of the Slave Dynasty founded by Qutbuddin Aybak and strengthened by Iltumish.
It was during the rule of Iltumish that the caste system was institutionalised among Muslims of India. The segregation of Muslim society in three categories i.e. Ashraf, Ajlaf and Arzal emerged mainly during the rulers of this dynasty, particularly during the reign of Iltumish. With the conquest of India at the hands of Ghori, the Ajami rule started in India. The Irani society was divided into castes even after being dominated by Islam. The Iranian society was marked by class segregation. Even scholars of Persia supported this class segregation. For example, Persian scholar Nasiruddin Tusi preached the same pre-Islamic social hierarchy. That is, Persia embraced Islam as a religion but did not accept the social order of Islam. During the pre-Islamic Sasanid Dynasty, the Irani society was divided into four classes—Warriors, priests, farmers and shepherds. Nasiruddin Tusi says that each of the class should be kept in its place, that is, the social heirarchy should be maintained at any cost.
So, when the Ajami rule was established in the subcontinent, it also introduced or strengthened the Persian social order which was further modified according to the age-old caste system of Hindus in India. Among the Muslims, the class of Ashraf, Ajlaf and even Arzal was created. During the reign of Iltumish, this social hierarchy was strictly practiced and low caste people were kept away from the responsible and respectable posts of the sultanate and were meted out very inhuman treatment. This is surprising because this practice was followed by a ruler who himself belonged to the race of slaves. It is also surprising that their master or predecessor, Muhammad Ghori or Mahmood Ghaznavi did not follow this caste discrimination. Mohammad Ghori made Qutbuddin Aybak, his slave, his deputy in India. Mahmood Ghaznavi made a Hindu Nai (barber) called Tilak the commander of his army and conferred the title of Raja on him.
This was perhaps encouraged by the scholars like Ziauddin Barni who was a historian, an Islamic jurist and an out an out preacher of social class system. He boasted of his high birth and considered people of low caste of Muslims like Julaha, Chamar, Kunjra etc undeserving of any respect and post of responsibility in the government. Not only that, he does not even speaks about them in a decent language. Whenever he talks about them, he uses abusive language about them. Syed, Shaikh, Mughals and Pathans were considered Ashrafs and the fifth category was of the people belonging to lowly professions like Julaha, Nai, Quasai (butcher) etc. There was no distinction between the low caste of Hindus and low caste of Muslims. They were considered equal in treatment.
The rulers had realised the power of this Ashraf section and so they would give the persons of this class high posts in their sultanate so that they do not revolt or instigate the people against them. Because of their influence, these rulers did not appoint even able and qualified persons of low castes at higher administrative or religious posts. Ziauddin Barni writes in his Tarikh-e-Firozshahi that people of low caste among Muslims were not appointed on important posts in the government. Not only that, if it was brought to the knowledge of the king that an officer in the sultanate is from low caste, he would be immediately removed from his post at the instance of the Ashraf In the court.
Once, a minister of Iltumish government, Nizam ul Mulk Junaidi, brought Jamal Marzouque before the king as a candidate for the Zamindari of Quannauj. He belonged to the low caste. Another minister Khwaja Aziz bin Bahroz knew it. So he recited a couplet while bowing and paying his obeisance. The couplet meant: Do not give pen to a lowly person because, if he finds an opportunity, he may even use the Hajr-e-Asvad (black stone in Kaabah) to purify himself after Istinja (urination).
Nizam ul Mulk defended Marzouque by saying that he has a beautiful handwriting and excellent writing skills. Iltumish became very angry and said, ‘You bring disgrace to the government by recommending lowly people for government jobs at the pretext of their skills.” After that, he issued the order that it should be investigated how many such lowly persons were working on government posts. 33 persons were removed from their posts. After that, an enquiry was also held into the family background of Nizam ul Mulk too and it was found that his grandfather was a Julaha (weaver). He was also fired.
Another king of the Slave Dynasty, Sultan Ghayasuddin Balban also issued an order that an able, experienced and a person of high descent should be brought to him for appointing him as the Jagirdar of Amroha. A person called Kamal Mihyar was brought in. When Kamal Mihyar was paying obeisance, the king asked the courtiers to inquire him of his antecedents. He replied that his father Mihyar was a Hindu Ghulam (slave). Balban was so displeased and upset that he retired to his room. After that he called his senior ministers and warned him not to appoint any person of low caste in any post of the sultanate. He said, “I belong to Afrasiab and so I cannot appoint any person of low birth at a place of respect and honour. If such a person is brought before me, my blood begins to boil. Therefore, I cannot appoint anyone, no matter how qualified and able he is, at a respectable post in my kingdom which has been bestowed on my by God.”
To make sure that people of low caste, Ajlaf and Arzal (converts) did not get appointed at government posts, he formed a committee of expert genealogists. Prof. Khaliq Ahmad Nizami writes in his book “Some aspects of Religion and Politics in India during the 13th century:
“Sayyid Ashraf Jahangir Samnani( d. 1405 A.D.) writes in one of his letters that Balban had made very thorough enquiries about the families of all his officers and government servants. Expert genealogists had assembled in Delhi from all parts of the country to help him in determining the family status of the persons.”
This practice came to such a passé that if any ruler appointed a person of low caste or birth on any high or respectable post, the powerful Ameers, Ulema and ministers would topple his government by hatching a conspiracy or staging his assassination. This famously happened with Iltimush’s daughter Razia Sultan who made a Negro Ghulam the head of ministers in her sultanate. They revolted and Razia, Yaqut and her husband were killed. Some other Sultans who also tried to practice Islamic principle of equality were either killed or conspiracies, failed or successful, were hatched against them.
There were other self-styled Islamic religious scholars, jurists and Sufis who preached casteism and believed in the social hierarchy which Islam prohibits. One of them was Syed Hussain Jalaluddin Bukhari alias Makhdum Jahaniyan Jahangasht during the reign of Feroz Shah Tughlaque. Feroz Shah reappointed all the Amirs, Sufis and scholars who had been removed by Muhammad bin Tughlaque because of their unIslamic thoughts and practices. Ziauuddin Barni writes:
“All the Sadats got a new life.”
Makhdum Jahanian was made “Sheikhul Islam”. Sheikh ul Islam Sheikh Ruknuddin Multani was removed from his post because he strictly opposed the practices that were bid’ah and influenced by Hinduism. Maulana Ziauddin Barni and ‘Sheikhul Islam Makhdum Jahanian and Islamic scholars and Sufis like them promoted unIslamic practices of class segregation and persuaded the king not to do anything for the educational and social unplfitment of the low castes – the Ajlaf and Arzal. According to Ziauddin Barni, education gives the low castes the opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ashraf. So they should be deprived of education. He writes:
“The government should keep the youth coming from low castes away from education and whoever dares to educate them should be punished. He should even be banished from the country.”
He further says:
“Everyone should be forced to adopt the profession of his forefathers.”
Barni condemns Muhammad bin Tughlaque for honouring people of low caste with posts in his government. He writes:
“Sultan made the bastard Aziz Khumar (Araquee) the Zamindar of Dhar and handed over the entire Malwah to him and gave him lakhs of rupees to elevate his status.”
He further expresses his pain and agony at this practice of Muhammad bin Tughlaq in the following words:
“Similarly, he (Tughlaq) elevated the status of Feroz Hajjam (Nai), Menka Tabakh (Bawarchi) Masood Khumar (Araquee) Ludhia Baghban (Mali) and other bastards and gave them estates and lands. He made Sheikh Babu Naik son of Julaha his close aide. He made Peera Mali (gardener) who was the lowest of the Arzal a minister in his government. He gave Kishan Bazran who was the lowliest among the Razeels the area of Awadh.”
Ziauddin Barni and other sycophantic Sufis and scholars in the Sultanates of Iltumish and Balban distorted the Islamic Fiqh and teachings only to gain the king’s favours and to strengthen his kingdom. They compromised with their position and knowledge to gain worldly and material benefits and wealth and power. So, in his old age he admits to his crime and confesses that his wrongdoings and misinterpretations of Islamic and Quranic teachings had earned him God’s wrath and he lived a miserable life. He confesses in the following words:
“Some of us who had knowledge that becomes the cause of honour and respet had suffered from hypocrisy. We were close aides of Sultan but did not speak the truth when it came to punishments in violation of Islamic Shariah because of fear of life and greed for wealth that was mortal. We thought it convenient not to speak the truth. We would support him while he gave punishments in violation of Islamic Shariah only for fear of life and greed for wealth. We assisted him in the violation of the ordainments of Deen by narrating false traditions. I do not know what fate they have met but as a result of what I have said and done, I have become very humiliated and insulted in this old age. I am suffering from penury and have become helpless. I am running from pillar to post and am disgraced. This is my condition in this world. I do not know what fate awaits me in the Hereafter and what punishments and torments I will have to go through.”
Thus the creation of the classes among Muslims are the creation of the Muslim rulers ignorant of Islamic principle of equality and a distortion of opportunist Islamic scholars and jurists who misinterpreted Islamic teachings to suit their own material and worldly pursuits. Islam does not class segregation of Ashraf, Ajlaf and Arzal. It says only pious are the true mumin in the eyes of God.
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Aftab Ahmad is a columnist for New Age Islam. He has been studying the Holy Quran for some time
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-history/caste-system-among-indian-muslims,/d/97662