Re: Why r ppl classified into Syeds, Rajputs..
ummm no…not really. The reason hindus converted readily to islam was to escape this caste system and because islam is in theory an egalitarian religion which states that every human is equal to another regardless of color, race , etc…so technically this concept of ‘zaat’ or jati had been eradicated as soon as they converted.
but humans are such complicated creatures. they accepted islam as a religion but found it hard to let go of certain cultural practices that they had followed all their lives e.g wedding rituals (the singing dancing, mayoo rasams, wearing red on wedding and green on valima, yellow on mehndi etc etc), and the jati concept somehow did make it into their lives.
I guess people like to make themselves look ‘different’ from others by categorizing. be it based on somewhere u were born(e.g punjabis, sindhis etc), a common leader, or a common trade (e.g banyaas).
as far as i know “zaat” like rajput etc is not such a big deal in pakistan, in terms of socializing and marriage etc. I have met only a handful of people who will not marry outside their “zaat”.
so it is correct that they have it instilled in their minds but using the word ‘descendant of hindu caste system’ because there are major differences in what the rigid rules of the caste system are and the menial importance of ‘zaat’ in desi muslims…
now if u’re talking punjabi vs pathan vs sindhi or shia vs sunni its a whole different ball game 