The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c12.s3.16

c12.s3.16

Similarly, in Mewat, converts to Islam have ever remained half-Hindu. Many such converts do not have even Muslim names: they have only Hindu names like Ram Singh, Ram Din and Jai Singh. Islamic fundamentalists fearing that some of them might revert to their original faith have organised repeated preachings to make them into *pucca* Muslims. Some modern works throw light on this activity. Shah Muhammad Ramzan (1769-1825) was a crusading *tablighi* of Haryana. He found that the converted Rajputs and Jats (Muslim Rajputs and Maula Jats) were in no way different from their Hindu counterparts in culture, customs and celebrations of religious festivals. They were not only *pir-parast* (Guru-worshippers) and *qabr-parast* (Grave-worshippers); they were also idol-worshippers. Muslim Rajputs worshipped in Thakurdwaras. They celebrated Holi, Diwali and other Hindu festivals with zeal and dressed in the Hindu fashion. Shah Muhammad Ramzan used to sojourn in areas inhabited by such converted Rajputs, dissuade them from practising Hindu rites and persuade them to marry their cousins (real uncles daughters which converts persistently refused to do). They equally detested eating cows flesh. To induce them to eat beef, he introduced new festivals like Mariyam ka Roza and Rot-bot. On this day, observed on 17 Rajjab, a pao of roasted beef placed on a fried bread, was distributed amongst relatives and near and dear ones. Shah Muhammad also encouraged such people to build mosques in large numbers. Such endeavours have ruled out the possibility of reconversion and have helped in the Islamization of neo-Muslims. Curiously enough, this *tablighi* was killed by his co-religionist Bohras at Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh.