Islam, respect for Humanity, Equality and Oppressed Dalit Communities

Dalits should convert to Islam if they want real equality By Maulana Nadeemul Wajidi Translated from Urdu by Syed Raihan Ahmad Nezami     The author of this article, Maulana Nadeemul Wajidi (Urdu Text below) believes that Hinduism, as a religion is responsible for the degradation of Dalit (lower, oppressed) castes. He says that Dalits have no option but to convert to Islam, if they want real equality. New Age Islam considers this gratuitous advice with incendiary potential and truly uncalled for. Dalits are a very perceptive and alert community, quite capable of making their own choices. They are better off than Muslims in many respects.  They have successfully acquired real power in several states and have powerful representatives in the council of ministers at the centre.  Many higher caste Hindus believe they are more equal than others among Hindu castes and spend money buying fake Dalit caste certificates in order to partake of the privileges granted to them in the Indian constitutional system.  If Dalits feel they are not getting enough respect or equality –– they would know how to fight for their rights in the legal, religious, social and legislative spheres. And if some of them feel they have no option but to leave the Hindu fold, they have a wide open field, full of choices. People belonging to all religions seem to be operating at more or less the same spiritual level. All religions and philosophies have almost equally failed in creating an equal society, a better human race. To single out Islam as the best, as the one that provides the most equality is a travesty. It is contrary to the facts of life in the world today. If anything non-Islamic societies are somewhat better off in this respect. India, for instance, gives religious rights to its minorities –like allowing them to organise their p[personal lives  in accordance with their own religious personal laws - that no other democratic society does. Muslim societies come off as the worst in granting human rights to religious minorities. If at all we find some Muslim societies aspiring to become democratic, they are the ones neighbouring India and envy for India's successful democracy is certainly part of the motivation. But even in these countries, granting equal rights to religious minorities or other weaker sections a la India is not part of their agenda. They are merely aspiring to become electoral democracies. Muslims would do better to introspect, try to organise their own lives more in conformity with Islam's universal humanitarian precepts, before criticising other religions and giving unwarranted advice to other communities. Let us set our own house in order first. Sultan Shahin, Editor, New Age Islam

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