Book Review: Azra Khanam. 2013. Muslim Backward Classes: A Sociological Perspective
| Date | 01 April 2014 |
| Author | Mishtu Ganguly |
| Published date | 01 April 2014 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2347797013518407 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
118 Book Reviews
Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, 1, 1 (2014): 107–122
Azra Khanam. 2013. Muslim Backward Classes: A Sociological Perspective.
New Delhi: SAGE Publications. 298 pp. ISBN: 978-81-321-1167-2
DOI: 10.1177/2347797013518407
When one comes across discussions on Muslim OBCs in the media, it does not
provide the viewers with a holistic understanding of the various problems and
issues that exist among the Muslim backward classes. Indian Muslims are often
presented and perceived by the general public as a monolithic group that is averse
to modernization because of their religious beliefs. This line of understanding
squarely puts the onus of development on the Muslims and ignores the socio eco-
nomic structural barriers to development faced by the Muslim OBC community.
Against this backdrop, Azra Khanam attempts to dispel existing stereotypes
regarding the composition of Muslims in India or the reasons for their lower eco-
nomic status and fill the knowledge gap through her book Muslim Backward
Classes: A Sociological Perspective.
The author explores why in spite of egalitarian messages of Islam, the Muslims
in India are stratified like their Hindu counterpart. She does this by reviewing the
existing literature on the historical and sociological reasons for the caste like
social structure within the Muslim community. Some of the variables that shape
Muslim stratification include the date of religious conversion, foreign or Indian
origin of the group, their pedigree in terms of their ruling status. However, much
alike the Hindus, occupation is by far is the most important variable which has
traditionally influenced social and economic status of Indian Muslims.
There is a tremendous regional variation in the composition and stratifications
of Muslims in India. The proportion or the significance of the constituting varia-
bles which define their stratification varies across regions. But what remains con-
sistent across India is the pattern that members of the lower caste are associated
with menial or less prestigious occupation, lower educational status as compared
to the members of higher caste.
As the main subject of the author’s interest is the Muslim OBCs, she pro-
vides extensive information on the origin and history of the term ‘backward
classes’ and how the Indian Constitution explains and deals with this term. Azra
also investigates the legal and constitutional provisions for the protection of
minorities, policy frameworks and affirmative action for the betterment of
Muslim OBCs.
To complement the macro level review of the trend, pattern and causes of
Muslim stratification, the author provides an in-depth micro level empirical
study of sociological profile of 500 Muslim OBC households in Pihani block, in
Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. The overall profile of the Muslim OBCs is
analyzed in terms of Millennium Development Goals (MDCs) in 2015. Much of
her investigation agrees and confirms previous findings, such as the Sachar
Committee Report in 2006, which highlighted how the Muslims are lagging
behind in terms of most of the human development indicators—such as
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