ہندومت کا نظامِ ذات پات اور فقہ اسلامی کا تصورِ کفائت: ایک تقابلی جائزہ

Caste System of Hinduism and the Concept of “Kafaat” in Islamic Law: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Hinduism is generally believed to be a religion promoting and safeguarding caste system and that it has divided the human community in different categories by their caste. The four major castes (Barehman, Kushtriya, Viash and Shudra) are well known. There is also another category of people who are considered to be “Achoot (Untouchable)”. The division not remained limited to this little number, but today there are hundreds of communities (known as “Jaties”) by caste and they treat one another by value and importance according to the caste status they carry. On the other hand, Muslims consider their Religion “Islam” as religion of equality as it is known from Quranic verses and the last Khutba of the Prophet Muhammad (S. A. W. S). But when a common person comes to know about the concept of “Kafaat” mentioned and explained by Muslim Jurists which emphasis on the marriage of a Muslim woman with a man at least of the same level as of the woman; He, perhaps, may get confused and thought Islam to be promoting inequality. This article is deemed to address this question by comparing position of both the Hinduism and Islam in this regard.