10-30-2006, 12:17 AM
The Muslims of Pakistan also have a notion of martial races vs. non-martial races.
Mohammed Ali Jinnah is viewed by the Pakistani Punjabis as a short, dark, skinny, puny Gujarati Muslim.
A similar view is held of all Urdu speaking, South Indian and Bengali Muslims. All of whom are "Kaale Kutte" (Black dogs) according to them.
The Upper castes of Pakistan are the Sayyads, Sheikhs, Mughals and Pakhtoons (Pathans).
The Sayyads, Sheikhs are equivalent to the Hindu Brahmanas and are a priestly/religious group.
The Mughals(Turks) and Pakhtoons(Afghans) are the "Kshatriyas", the warrior class of Islam. These are ones who conquered Hindusthan for Islam.
There is a second class of warrior castes ranked below the above two.
They are the Muslim Rajputs, Gujjars, Jatts, Awans, Janjuas and other farming castes of Punjab. These castes consider themselves as martial, but are regarded as second rate by the Turks and the Pakhtoons.
Apart from these there are lower castes known as Ajlaaf.
Even below these are the untouchable or outcaste Muslims know as the Arzal.
Historically these people were slaves during Islamic rule.
The British freed them and they have improved to "outcaste" status now.
The Arzal group was recorded in the 1901 census in India:
âwith whom no other Muhammadan would associate, and who are forbidden to enter the mosque or to use the public burial ground...They are relegated to "menial" professions such as scavenging and carrying night soil"
Mohammed Ali Jinnah is viewed by the Pakistani Punjabis as a short, dark, skinny, puny Gujarati Muslim.
A similar view is held of all Urdu speaking, South Indian and Bengali Muslims. All of whom are "Kaale Kutte" (Black dogs) according to them.
The Upper castes of Pakistan are the Sayyads, Sheikhs, Mughals and Pakhtoons (Pathans).
The Sayyads, Sheikhs are equivalent to the Hindu Brahmanas and are a priestly/religious group.
The Mughals(Turks) and Pakhtoons(Afghans) are the "Kshatriyas", the warrior class of Islam. These are ones who conquered Hindusthan for Islam.
There is a second class of warrior castes ranked below the above two.
They are the Muslim Rajputs, Gujjars, Jatts, Awans, Janjuas and other farming castes of Punjab. These castes consider themselves as martial, but are regarded as second rate by the Turks and the Pakhtoons.
Apart from these there are lower castes known as Ajlaaf.
Even below these are the untouchable or outcaste Muslims know as the Arzal.
Historically these people were slaves during Islamic rule.
The British freed them and they have improved to "outcaste" status now.
The Arzal group was recorded in the 1901 census in India:
âwith whom no other Muhammadan would associate, and who are forbidden to enter the mosque or to use the public burial ground...They are relegated to "menial" professions such as scavenging and carrying night soil"