Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam, I like your Q&A part of your site very much. I have some confussion about division in society,if u can help me to solve my problem i will b happy. Islam restrict the division in the society.In Dawoodi Bohra Samaj some bohris differetiate them between KHANDANS(in different groups).The so called high families do not give away teir duaghters in marriage to so called low families.Is it fair?????to do like this. Why are such people not guided.  

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Answer:

Division in societies

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 49 Surah Hujuraat verse 13: O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

The guidance of Allah Subhanah in the Holy Quran is that he created all mankind from a single pair of Prophet Adam and Hawwa, and made nations and tribes so that people may recognize one another. There is absolutely no room for upper/lower castes, or differentiation amongst people because of their race, tribe, color, language, etc. in Islam. Allah Subhanah has clearly declared that the one who most righteous, is the one who is most honorable in the sight of Allah.

The example of universality was laid by the Messenger of Allah (saws) himself when he married a member of his family and his own cousin, Hadrat Zainab (r.a.) to a free slave Hadrat Zaid ibn Haritha (r.a.).

The people who consider themselves and their families ‘higher’ than the other believers, do it in their ignorance, arrogance and pride! Islam propagates that every believer is a brother unto another believer, regardless of his race, tribe, heredity, color, language, status, etc. There is absolutely no room for any segregation of society in this Universal Deen of Allah Subhanah.

The caste system is an evil of society, and the people who call themselves muslims but propagate the division of society into castes are influenced by pagan societies and cultures. In the Hindu culture, the supposed religious or learned people (the Brahmins) segregated themselves from the others, and self-declared themselves superior to the others! If the Bohra leadership has chosen the same path, and conveniently declared themselves superior to the others, they are following the example of the pagans, rather than following the guidance and teachings of Allah and His Messenger (saws)!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan