Recently more than 3,000 people Attended the ‘Ashraf Sangamam 2018,’ the get-together of the All Kerala Ashraf Collective at the Kozhikode beach in Kerala.
About:
Although Islam does not recognize any castes, Muslim communities in South Asia apply a system of social stratification.
It developed as a result of ethnic segregation between the foreign conquerors (Ashraf) and the local converts (Ajlaf), as well as influence of the indigenous Hindu culture.
Ghaus Ansari (1960) named the following four broad categories of Muslim social divisions in India:
ASHRAF, who claim foreign-origin descent from Balochs, Afghans, Arabs etc. e.g. Sayyid, Mughal, Baloch, Pathan, and Sheikh
Converts from upper castes e.g. Muslim Rajputs
Converts from other "clean" castes e.g. Darzi, Dhobi etc.
Converts from untouchable castes which are considered clean by Muslims and part of Ummah e.g. Bhangi
The non-Ashrafs are categorized as ‘AJLAF’.
The untouchable Hindu converts are also categorized as ‘ARZAL’. They are relegated to menial professions such as scavenging and carrying night soil.
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