Fleeting agencies: a social history of Indian coolie women in British Malaya

Abstract

this, myth number three alleges that there is an organised conspiracy by Muslims to overtake the Hindu population in order to capture political power. Yet again he quashes this suggestion by producing a graph which clearly shows that the rate at which the Hindu population is growing within the next 150 years will far outstrip that of the Muslims (Figure 9:1, p. 262). Myth number four is the idea that because Muslims practise polygamy they are increasing the population. Citing a study carried out by the Committee on the Status of Women in India in 1974, which revealed that all communities practise polygamy, the statistics show that of all the communities the Muslims were the least polygamous at 5.70% (with Hindus at 5.80%) whereas the tribal communities in India at 15.25% were the most polygamous (Figure 4:3, pp. 113–14.). He also makes clear that there is a general misconception that Islam encourages polygamy – rather he says that the Quran only permits polygamy subject to two stringent conditions – absolute equality among wives and marrying widows (Surah An Nisa – The Women, 4:3, p. 124). Myth number five suggests that Islam is against family planning. Yet again he counters this myth stating that there is no mention in the Quran prohibiting family planning – rather there are interpretations for and against. Numerous verses of the Quran and the Hadith – the actions and sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) – emphasise quality over numbers, the health of women and children and the right of children to a good upbringing. Although sterilisation is forbidden, birth spacing is encouraged. ‘The empirical data clearly indicate that Muslims as a religious group in India are not averse to acceptance of family planning. In fact, they are the fastest accepting population segment. They are much ahead in acceptance of spacing methods of family planning than their Hindu counterparts’ (p. 67). What is needed, he says, is for the religious leaders to be involved in ‘advocacy and programme implementation’ (p. 67). ‘Those Muslims’, he continues, ‘who think that Islam is opposed to family planning should, on their part, understand that Islam, on the contrary, is indeed the originator of the concept’ (p. 157). At a time when relations between Hindus and Muslims in India are worsening, and the once secular state of India is becoming increasingly subjected to right-wing Hindu fanaticism, Dr Quraishi’s book is essential reading for both Muslims and Hindus. While Muslims can take heart that some sane writing is prevailing, Hindus can acknowledge that fears which might have been instilled in them for malicious reasons, are groundless. As the author concludes, the purpose of his book is ‘about understanding this misinformation propagated and deliberately perpetuated to create a rift between Hindus and Muslims and polarise them for political gains’ (p. 261).