M WADOOD SAJID
The worrying low ratio of Muslim representation in the Indian Civil Services is often presented as one of the major issues being faced by the Muslim community. In order to grasp the seriousness of the issue it has to be seen in context that if the total population of Muslims is 18%, in Civil Services their percentage is two or three percent only.
In general the key positions come under key categories of Civil Services like IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS. There are other categories too but three of these play major role in the internal affairs of the country.
The exams for these services are held by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in more than one stage. The procedures adopted by UPSC [to conduct these exams] are considered overtly to be extremely transparent and free from any prejudice and discrimination. From this point of view, the entrance of maximum number of Muslims (or within the ratio according to their population), in Civil Service is comparatively easier. Obviously if the Muslims in the bureaucracy are conscious and feel the pain of fellow Muslims only then they will be able to help solve their problems.
Let’s now, for a moment, discuss a different aspect of this issue. Few days back I had the privilege of attending briefly a programme organised by a private organisation at India Islamic Cultural Centre on ‘Ek shaam shaheedoN ke naam’ (An Evening in Remembrance of the Martyrs).
A young Muslim girl, Farah Hussain, from Rajasthan was also invited to this programme. The programme organiser, who is by the good luck is a Maulvi and an Urdu journalist as well, had emphatically told me that ‘unhoN ne IAS nikala hai’ [she has won IAS]. I have quoted the exact words spoken by the organiser.
Later, I learnt that when the said ‘IAS’ delivered her speech she failed to contain herself to some limits and went as far as saying that she wondered what the people who sport beards and don caps on their heads do under the cover of those beards and caps.
Because I was not present there at this particular time, I will not quote everything I have been told by others as that might not be the exact words uttered by her. But the gist of what I have been told by reliable sources is that Farah Hussain used choicest words for those who sport beards and don caps. The climax of it was when she pointed her finger at a really gentle soul and an Imam of a Jama Masjid of Delhi and said, ‘He too wears a beard but may not be such a [bad] person.’ After this that Maulana walked out without saying a word.
One or two people did, however reportedly, raised objections at this but neither the programme organiser objected to this utterance nor did the organiser say a word of disapproval while both of them sport beards.
Farah Hussain also expressed her views on Vande Matram and asked, ‘What on earth is the objection on singing and reciting it? If others get some pleasure from it, there is no harm in singing Vande Matram. You can keep your views to yourself but don’t make them public.’ She also opined that chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ is a harmless slogan.
Only if, along with big conferences and meetings, we pay attention to reformation and rectification will there be any benefit of proportional representation of Muslims in Civil Services. Otherwise for us the ‘others’ and ‘these Farhas’ are all the same. If they can express such hateful views in the gathering of Muslims what would it be like when they are among those where no one will be there to challenge them. On the contrary in those gatherings they would be encouraged and rewarded for such views.
I feel sad because had I been present there at that time, I would have expressed some reaction. I would have told her, ‘Madam, the expenses borne by the Zakat Foundation for your UPSC interview coaching came from Zakat funds; not all donators of which would be beardless. Surely some of them would be those who sport beards and don caps. Even some of the members of this very organisation have beards and wear caps.’
I would have told her that, ‘The independent country in which you are born and are living as a free citizen, its independence became possible due to the sacrifices of the beard and cap wearing ones. The majority of those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country had beards and wore caps.’
I would have also told her, ‘if you know that it were Patel and Gandhi who got the country its liberation then you should also be aware that it were these beard and cap wearing men who made Gandhi a “Mahatma” when the Jamiat-ul-ulema-e-Hind collected funds and sent Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on a tour of 30 countries [to solicit for the cause of liberation].
I would even have told her that it is because of these beard and cap wearing men that your parents have been able to name you as ‘Farah Hussain’ otherwise in the Meo region where you come from, for a long time after independence Muslims used to have the names like ‘Iqbal Singh’ and ‘Ram Rakhkha’. They then did not even know what the Kalima is. What they merely knew was that they were Muslims and their parents were Muslims too. They had no concept of praying and fasting. As a matter of fact they had adopted all such customs that have nothing to do with Islam.
I would have also told her that ‘one of the members of the fraternity of Civil Servants that you have joined is a senior officer Amir Subhani who sports a proper Islamic beard on his face and is a Home Secretary in Bihar. What do you think about him, Madam?’
I would have asked her which bearded man was it who has made you carry such hatred for each and every man sporting beard so much so that despite it not being the topic of discussion you thought it necessary to speak about it? She might have had a bad experience at a hand with someone sporting a beard but then I would have asked her, ‘Is it just a Muslim who, the moment he grows a beard, becomes a bad person? If so, which one of those who brutalised and raped Nirbhaya in a bus in Delhi, had a beard? And if beard is the root cause of all the problems then your Prime Minister sports a beard as well. Tell us something about him too? Or is it just a Muslim on whose face you don’t like to see a beard? You should give some explanation of your outbursts.’
Let’s now talk something in the light of statistics. This year round UPSC has selected only 1078 candidates. Of these only 91 are in the category of IAS. Therefore, in accordance to ranking system, starting from number one up to 91 candidates have been allotted IAS category. Muslim candidates who have been allocated IAS category have been selected in reservation category. Of these only five are Muslims. One Muslim candidate has, however, achieved second position on his own merit. Similarly 25 candidates have been selected for IFS and 77 for IPS.
This is followed by group A. Farah Hussain comes at number 267. This means she did not get either IAS nor IFS; nor IPS category. But in spite of this members of our community, including the bearded ones, make such a fuss and give so much respect to her despite the fact that she stokes hatred against bearded and cap wearing Muslims that she could not resist giving vent to her contempt for them publicly in a gathering organised by those ones who sport beard and don caps.
One wonders of what benefit such candidates succeeding in UPSC exams will be to Muslims? And what interest will they have in the issues being faced by the community? We have no doubt that no one would have asked her about her views on beard and the cap in her UPSC exam. However, now after learning about her golden views why would not her bosses be pleased and ready to reward her?
Organisations and institutions that are coaching Muslim candidates for Civil Service Exams are doing a great service. They include Hamdard Study Circle, Zakat Foundation of India, Jamia Millia Islamia and Mumbai Haj Committee. Obviously in the limited amount of time these organisations have at their disposal to prepare these candidates, it is not possible for them to learn and grasp the views and outlook of them all. This is not also possible for them to correct the twisted views of these candidates. Such a training is given at home under the supervision of parents. Do our Muslim organisations and the Ulema have any idea about the harm of the twisted views these ‘Farhas’ carry?
Only if, along with big conferences and meetings, we pay attention to reformation and rectification will there be any benefit of proportional representation of Muslims in Civil Services. Otherwise for us the ‘others’ and ‘these Farhas’ are all the same. If they can express such hateful views in the gathering of Muslims what would it be like when they are among those where no one will be there to challenge them. On the contrary in those gatherings they would be encouraged and rewarded for such views.
No doubt this is a difficult task but if the institutions providing coaching for Civil Services exams are able to find a way to vet the views of these candidates and also prepare a programme to correct their thoughts then we can expect some worthwhile results. I think it is better not to waste resources and time on the coaching of Vande Matram loving ‘Farhas’ and gamble on them.
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Translated by Urdu Media Monitor.Com. Urdu version of this article appeared on Start News and Jadid Khabar, 5 December 2016
The basic knowledge and philosophy of Islam is must for each youth,men and women.
I am not surprised at what she said,though I never uttered such words but had had similar feelings towards muslims.
It is the wordly desires induced in human being by the devil which makes them talk like that.
I myself belong to good muslim family and had good muslim friends who were pious and few wrong friends .
Despite being in good company of muslims students ,i was having many wrongviews .Today when I suffered for long I realise what was wrong with me…It was the devilish thoughts which enters the brain and make utter such words outof ignorance or under the influenece of evil JIN.
Islamic morality is must for every youth. And parents have much responsibilty to teach it to their children with gentle ways.
Why depend on IAS OffICERS OF LIKE OF THEM.
There are lakhs of good muslim,uneducated but having right thinking..
Dear Friends, As Salamu Alaikum,
I am very surprised you used” There are lakhs of Muslims,Uneducated”
Remember, getting a certificate, degree, & distinction or
an academic attire” do not make us educated in true sense.
People who have earned academic attire are not learned for true education is to know our Supreme Creator ALLAH SWT.
I will like to wash the feet of poor fakirs & Pious Muslims who have no academic earthly education but have adorned themselves with the honourable glorious words”LA ILAHA ILLAL LA MOHAMMED ROSUL ALLAH”
Which these boast FOOLS iS DS CS are ignorant of .
WONDERFUL
There are lakhs of good muslim,uneducated but having right thinking..
Dear Plain Truth read above sentence I wrote there are lakhs of “”GOOD MUSLIMS “”uneducauted But having “””RIGHT THINKING”””
YOU UNDERSTOOD ME WRONG.
WHAT I MEANT WAS ALREADY WRITTEN BY YOU
problem is many of these (Muslims) are having inferiority complex it is because they know nothing about Muslims and Islam in general like they don’t read Quran and understand it that is why they are so confused. I am sure when we learn to read Quran and understand it it will be altogether different Muslims. Wish and hope that we improve.
I agree with your comment & we need an awareness campaigns in muslim communities about true Islaimic faith ,I know many Muslim are unaware of their religion & just talk for sake of talking.
we need to do Islah in Muslim community & Dawaah to other religions.
BUILD STRONG ISLAMIC MORAL CHARACTER SINCE CHILDHOOD.
SIMPLY COACHING FOR IAS,IPS,IFS WILL NOT HELP.
HAVE YOU NOT HEARD OF EDUCATED WELL TO DO WESTERN WOMEN CONVERTING TO ISLAM….BECAUSE THEY UNDERTSTAND WHAT ISLAM IS .
WOMEN LIKE FARAH GETS EASILY CARRIED AWAY BY FLOOD OF IGNORANCE .
I KNOW OF TWO STAUNCH RSS WORKER WHO HAD MORE KNOWLEDGE OF ISLAM THAN MUSLIMS .AND AGREED TO WORSHIP ONE GOD …..
THERE ARE MANY MORE….LIKE THAT…
ONE WILLLLL GO ANOTHER WILL COME IN ,THAT IS THE RULE.
MAY ALLAH SAVE OUR “IMAN” AMEEN
Good
I m shocked 2 read about d VIEWS of a so called Civil Servant who claims 2 b a Muslim. Most of people must b having d doubts about her ISLAM as getting a birth in a Muslim family doesn’t at all MAKE him / her a Muslim. 1 NEEDS 2 b educated & trained in a good religious environment so as 2 became a Muslim. I regret if I m wrong reg my observation given below. “problem lies NOT with Ms Hussain but with her parents as they didn’t give her good religious education & training at home during her childhood” & sonsequently, results r before d whole of d community. May I plz know as 2 what does community / Zakaat Foundation / Hamdard Study Circle / Mumbai Hajj Committee get out of such so called Muslims as is Ms Hussain or her parents etc.
I request d organizers of such programs / coaching centers etc 2 plz, 4 ALLAH’s sake, emphasize on QUALITY & NOT on QUANTITY else results r a mere wastage of underprivileged community’s scarce resources.
Regards,
Dr Mohd Asif Khan,
President: All India BC/SC/ST & Minorities’ Association, Delhi.
President: AMU & Centres Dev & Defense Foundation, Aligarh.
Treasurer: Shamsh Edu & Welfare Society, Moradabad & formerly,
Elected Representative of Professors, Associate Professors, Readers, Ast Professors & Lecturers on AMU Court, Executive Council, Academic Council, Grievances Committee & SBC Committee, and
former Proctor, Senior Most Provost, International Students’ Advisor, Hockey Team Manager, NRSC Club President, AMU Aligarh – 202002 (UP)
What about chanting “bharat mata ki jai” and “vande marram” you dint say a single world about it
What this article seems to be suggesting is that Muslim do not need to be civil servants but terrorist. That a Muslim should not be involved in policy making of the nation but converting by any means necessary non muslim to islam.
Lot of peoples in all religions were bearded & cap wearing. I don’t think this is a big issue for discussion. To become a good person neither big degrees like IAS or Harward or Oxford degree or a more learning of religion will help, unless a persons heart & mind are free from arrogance & hate. It is written in HOLY BOOK. Most important for us(Indian Muslims) to increase our pass % in IAS,IFS,IRS exams more than 18%. Then we should question them, if they don’t do anything to improve the economic & social condition of Indian Muslims. We Indian Muslims should be UNITED for the improvement of economic & social condition of all Indian Muslims. We should not HATE EACH OTHER.
The last line I love the most.
“I think it is better not to waste resources and time on the coaching of Vande Matram loving ‘Farhas’ and gamble on them.”
Completely agreed
Farha’s religious concept hurt me a lot. I can not imagine that how badly her parents has grown her, so that she has such harsh views. Even non Muslims don’t share this types of views