Over the past few years, a number of political forums and parties have experimented with uniting Dalits and Muslims, given their shared history of being India’s marginalised and downtrodden communities. This begs an important question: did Dalit-Muslim unity ever materialise outside parliamentary politics and if yes, then when?
The answer lies in the 1850s when the first chapter of Dalit-Muslim unity was written by Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule along with Fatima Sheikh, who took charge of spreading education among the downtrodden communities. Fatima Shiekh and Savitribai Phule
While Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule started teaching women and those from the oppressed castes, they were threatened by the locals. Their families were targeted too and were given the choice of either stopping all their activities or leaving their home. They obviously chose the latter.
Neither their caste nor their family and community members stood for what they fought for. Abandoned by everyone around, the duo searched for shelter to live in and to fulfill their educational dreams for the oppressed section of the society. During their search, they came across a Muslim man Usman Sheikh, who was living in Ganj Peth of Pune (then known as Poona). Usman Sheikh offered his home to the Phule couple and agreed to run a school in the premises. In 1848, a school was opened in the house of Usman Sheikh and her sister Fatima Shiekh.
It was no surprise that almost everyone from the upper caste of Poona was against the practices of Jyotiba and Savitribai, and there were even attempts to murder Jyotiba. It was Fatima Sheikh who helped and supported their cause in every possible manner.
Fatima Sheikh started teaching in the same school with Savitribai Phule. Savitribai and Fatima were accompanied by Saguna Bai, who later became another leader in the education movement. Usman Sheikh, the brother of Fatima Sheikh, was also inspired by the movement of Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule. According to archives from that period, it was Usman Sheikh who encouraged her sister Fatima to spread the education in the society.
When Fatima and Savitribai started going to schools which were established by Jyotiba, people from upper caste community used to harass them and abuse them. They were stone pelted and sometimes cow dung was thrown at them as it was unimaginable for the upper-caste community to see lower castes of the society getting educated. Fatima and Savitribai didn’t pay attention to these hindrances and continued their work.
The journey was even tougher for Fatima Sheikh, as she was opposed by both the Hindu as well as Muslim community both for what she was doing. However, as we now know, she never gave up and continued to go door to door, encouraging families and parents especially those from the Muslim community. As several writings say, Fatima used to spent hours counselling parents who did not wish to send their girls to schools.
Fatima Sheikh is now widely regarded as the first Muslim woman teacher of the 19th century and it is a badge which Indian Muslim community wears with pride.
Although there isn’t much literature available over the lives and works of Fatima Sheikh, there have been attempts made by the government to acknowledge her role. In 2014, Fatima Sheikh’s brief profile was included in the school Urdu textbooks of Bal Bharati Maharashtra State Bureau along with the likes of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Zakir Hussain, Abul Kalam Azad. Although some from the Maratha community objected to the same, it goes without saying that she was a Marathi too, as she was born in the region and propagated the idea of education in the same region.
On the occasion of Dalit history month being celebrated April, an internet archive ‘Dalit History’ writes about Fatima Sheikh –
The friendship between Fatima and Savitri was one of respect, compassion and synergy. Throughout their time together, Savitri would often mention her in her letters to Jyotirao with affection and concern. Their friendship lives today in the form of the work they have done in creating both foundation will and actual structures for uplifting of the marginalized.
Relationships between Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis and Bahujans have a long history of struggle against Brahminical oppression that is often erased or misrepresented by today’s political agendas. It remains undeniable that the association of Savitribai, Jyotirao, Fatima and the Dalits, Adivasis and Bahujan they worked with, represents a line of solidarity continuing into the contemporary call for “Unity of The Oppressed”. A call that seeks to merge the struggles of SC/ST/OBC and Religious Minorities. ”
Over the past few years, a number of political forums and parties have experimented with uniting Dalits and Muslims, given their shared history of being India’s marginalised and downtrodden communities. This begs an important question: did Dalit-Muslim unity ever materialise outside parliamentary politics and if yes, then when?
The answer lies in the 1850s when the first chapter of Dalit-Muslim unity was written by Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule along with Fatima Sheikh, who took charge of spreading education among the downtrodden communities. Fatima Shiekh and Savitribai Phule
While Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule started teaching women and those from the oppressed castes, they were threatened by the locals. Their families were targeted too and were given the choice of either stopping all their activities or leaving their home. They obviously chose the latter.
Neither their caste nor their family and community members stood for what they fought for. Abandoned by everyone around, the duo searched for shelter to live in and to fulfill their educational dreams for the oppressed section of the society. During their search, they came across a Muslim man Usman Sheikh, who was living in Ganj Peth of Pune (then known as Poona). Usman Sheikh offered his home to the Phule couple and agreed to run a school in the premises. In 1848, a school was opened in the house of Usman Sheikh and her sister Fatima Shiekh.
It was no surprise that almost everyone from the upper caste of Poona was against the practices of Jyotiba and Savitribai, and there were even attempts to murder Jyotiba. It was Fatima Sheikh who helped and supported their cause in every possible manner.
Fatima Sheikh started teaching in the same school with Savitribai Phule. Savitribai and Fatima were accompanied by Saguna Bai, who later became another leader in the education movement. Usman Sheikh, the brother of Fatima Sheikh, was also inspired by the movement of Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule. According to archives from that period, it was Usman Sheikh who encouraged her sister Fatima to spread the education in the society.
When Fatima and Savitribai started going to schools which were established by Jyotiba, people from upper caste community used to harass them and abuse them. They were stone pelted and sometimes cow dung was thrown at them as it was unimaginable for the upper-caste community to see lower castes of the society getting educated. Fatima and Savitribai didn’t pay attention to these hindrances and continued their work.
The journey was even tougher for Fatima Sheikh, as she was opposed by both the Hindu as well as Muslim community both for what she was doing. However, as we now know, she never gave up and continued to go door to door, encouraging families and parents especially those from the Muslim community. As several writings say, Fatima used to spent hours counselling parents who did not wish to send their girls to schools.
Fatima Sheikh is now widely regarded as the first Muslim woman teacher of the 19th century and it is a badge which Indian Muslim community wears with pride.
Although there isn’t much literature available over the lives and works of Fatima Sheikh, there have been attempts made by the government to acknowledge her role. In 2014, Fatima Sheikh’s brief profile was included in the school Urdu textbooks of Bal Bharati Maharashtra State Bureau along with the likes of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Zakir Hussain, Abul Kalam Azad. Although some from the Maratha community objected to the same, it goes without saying that she was a Marathi too, as she was born in the region and propagated the idea of education in the same region.
On the occasion of Dalit history month being celebrated April, an internet archive ‘Dalit History’ writes about Fatima Sheikh –
The friendship between Fatima and Savitri was one of respect, compassion and synergy. Throughout their time together, Savitri would often mention her in her letters to Jyotirao with affection and concern. Their friendship lives today in the form of the work they have done in creating both foundation will and actual structures for uplifting of the marginalized.
Relationships between Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis and Bahujans have a long history of struggle against Brahminical oppression that is often erased or misrepresented by today’s political agendas. It remains undeniable that the association of Savitribai, Jyotirao, Fatima and the Dalits, Adivasis and Bahujan they worked with, represents a line of solidarity continuing into the contemporary call for “Unity of The Oppressed”. A call that seeks to merge the struggles of SC/ST/OBC and Religious Minorities. ”
There is a chance to make Meta Facebook accountable for its hate generating content on May 31, by voting YES for Proposal 7 titled “Assessing Allegations of Biased Operations in Meta's Largest Market” which is to be presented at Meta's AGM on May 31, 2023. It highlights allegations against Facebook for disseminating hate speech, its failure to address risks and political bias, voices concerns around inadequate content moderation and lack of transparency in platform practices. The writer calls on readers to participate in this campaign on social media to make our republic hate-free
There is a chance to make Meta Facebook accountable for its hate generating content on May 31, by voting YES for Proposal 7 titled “Assessing Allegations of Biased Operations in Meta's Largest Market” which is to be presented at Meta's AGM on May 31, 2023. It highlights allegations against Facebook for disseminating hate speech, its failure to address risks and political bias, voices concerns around inadequate content moderation and lack of transparency in platform practices. The writer calls on readers to participate in this campaign on social media to make our republic hate-free
A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.
Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .
Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .
A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.
