Indian Muslims: Who Are They c9.s3.14

c9.s3.14

In the Mughal period Hindus began to be appointed to high posts but for getting these there was no need to convert. Power sharing by the Mughals was not due to liberal Islam. It was prompted by exigencies of the situation, and in the power-equation conversion stood ruled out. Manucci states that under Aurangzeb three Rajas embraced Islam against promises and temptations offered by the emperor, but later they regretted their conversion and remained unhappy²⁷ because Hindu converts to Islam commanded little respect.²⁸ Needless to add that lower Hindu castes could not get equality with the other Muslims in the democratic Muslim social order. They carried their caste and social status with them even after their conversion and high class Muslims would not mix or even eat with them if modern practices are any indication for the medieval.²⁹