Role of Hamid Dalwai in Muslim Women Emancipation

Role of Hamid Dalwai in Muslim Women Emancipation

In the history of world women always has got secondary place. An Indian woman also is not exception for this. In ancient and medieval period all women’s status was subordinate. In modern age a class of youth has arisen who is newly educated in western education. This newly educated youth tried to improve the status of Indian women and also tried to attain equal status with the men in the society. In this context various social reformers came forward on their own like Raja Rammohan Roy, Mahatma Phule, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, Maharshi Karve, Maharshi Shinde etc. They tried utmost to eradicate destructive unjust and inhuman tradition and customs as well as castism, exploitation of weaker sex, the dominance of orthodox Brahmins. They also try to awaken the society and to make it rational progressive and scientific. But all these works of the social reformers were related with Hindu women. It is important to note that as compared to other religions there were very few reformers who tried to bring about socio-religious reforms in Muslim community. After Independence Hamid Dalwai a “Satyashodhak Social Reformer” from Muslim community devoted his life for emancipation of Muslim women. He has done noteworthy work with regard to Verbal Divorce system, female education, family planning and changes regarding maintenance, the implementation of Common Civil Code and opposed Shariyat Law and questions of divorced Muslim women. Though Hamid Dalwai’s selfless women’s emancipation work is noteworthy, it has remained, to a large extent unstudied by scholars and society.

Therefore, I have tried to throw light on Hamid Dalwai’s work on women emancipation through my research paper.

For writing of this research paper, I will make use of contemporary extant documents, biographies, autobiographies, periodicals, news papers, etc.

Khwaja Altaf Hussain Haji and Shaikh Mahmud Abdulla concentrated on Muslim girl’s education.¹ An organization ‘Anjuman’ established circa 1914, which consistently insisted on education of Muslim girls. In 1916 a resolution was passed in Anjuman’s conference on opposed Polygamy.² Majalis sanstha enforce Muslim law regarding the questions related with the suppression of women.³ But not much could happen regarding the status of women. Hence, the work of emancipation of Muslim women by Hamid Dalwai is noteworthy.

Hamid Dalwai was born on 29^th Sept. 1932 at Mirajoli village near Chiplun, Dist Ratnagiri.⁴ Because of poor economical background he could not complete his higher education. In 1946 he entered in Sane Guruji’s “Rashtra Seva Dal.”⁵ In 1963 to 1968 he worked as a journalist in a famous Marathi Daily ‘Maratha’ edited by Acharya Atre.⁶ After 1968 he left his job for the work of social reforms in Muslim community.

The contemporary Muslim community was largely uneducated and was under the dominance of lots of customs, traditions and forces. Because of ‘Verbal Divorce’ system the life of women became insufferable. The husband can leave his wife any time, by pronouncing one side three times ‘Verbal Divorce’. The women do not receive maintenance after verbal divorce. Therefore, a woman faces starvation. After such divorce, a woman feels helpless and has no way but to choose any means of survival. She may take bad ways of survival. The Muslim women are always in danger of co-wife due to the tradition of Polygamy in Muslim society. Veil system causes not only mental harassment of Muslim women but also causes restrictions on taking education and going out of house. They remained illiterate because of lack of education. Lack of education and the dominance of religion results negligence in family planning. Women harassment arises due to acceptance of Shariyat Law instead of Common Civil Law. Therefore, the conditions of women became worst. Hence there is need to improve the poor conditions of Muslim women.

In the history of Hindu religion there is epic tradition of reformers, who make religious analysis like Raja Rammohan Roy, Mahatma Phule, G. G. Agarkar and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar etc. In the history of Islam there is no place for tradition of religious analysis. In Islam Hamid Dalwai put, the foundation of tradition of religious analysis.⁷ The place of Muslim women is secondary and oppressive in religion and society. However, as per the prevalent Indian law, Muslim women have no rights as compared to Hindu women. By reforming Muslim women’s pitiable condition, women – women parity within society and women – men parity within religion, is the core of Hamid Dalwai’s mindset.⁸ For this reason by relinquishing rights to Muslim women, Hamid Dalwai done the work of men - women equality by way of Muslim women emancipation.  

As per the concern of Hamid Dalwai until unless there is changes in Islamic marriage system, Verbal Divorce system, approach toward women, Shariyat Laws there is no possibility of enlightenment.⁹ For this purpose Hamid Dalwai staging a historical  morcha with the seven divorced Muslim women along with signboards displaying “Stop Verbal Divorce System” and “Implementation of Common Civil Law” in hand, in front of Mumbai Legislative Assembly in 1966.¹⁰ This is the phenomenal incident in 1400 years history of Islam. This morcha became a forerunner for the Muslim enlightenment Movement in future.

In April 1968, Hamid Dalwai established an organization named ‘Sada-E- Niswa’ (The voice of women) for the purpose to expose the problems of Muslim women.¹¹

With a view to integrate, strengthen as well as for implementation of “National Integrity by secular life and scientific approach, separatism, opposed to blind respect, to give equal rights to Muslim women”¹² he established “Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal” in Pune on 22^nd March 1970.¹³ With the help of Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, he and his associates tried their utmost to educate the Muslims, eradicate Verbal Divorce System, Changes regarding law of maintenance, problems of Muslim women, employment for women, family planning, implementation of Common Civil Law and Oppose the Shariyat Law.

Hamid Dalwai participated and guided the audience and he tried for social awareness in various Conferences like All India Forward Looking Conference, Delhi (1971), Muslim Social Reform Conference, Mumbai (1973) and Educational Conference, Kolhapur (1973) Organized by Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal.

With a view to get acquainted with Muslim women difficulties and to find out some solutions to their problems under the Leadership of Hamid Dalwai, ‘Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal’ Organised Muslim women Conference at Pune on 27^th and 28^th December 1971. 176 women participated in this conference from all over India. Resolutions for equal rights to Muslim women, apply prohibition of Bigamy Law on Muslims, Ban on Verbal Divorce System by Law was passed in this Conference.¹⁴ This is the First Conference all over world which demanded Muslim women Rights. In 1973 a conference was organized under the leadership of Hamid Dalwai for Divorced Muslim women at Pune.¹⁵ Another conference was organized for Divorced Muslim women on 23^rd Nov. 1975 at Pune.¹⁶  In this conference he guided the Muslim women.

Other than this Hamid Dalwai arranged Foreign Tours in America, England, France and Germany and delivered lectures.¹⁷ He tried to emancipate Muslim women by doing open and private discussions and write various Articles. 

He suddenly passed away on 3^rd May 1977 at Mumbai due to kidney failure.¹⁸ When he was alive he was awarded by a cash award of Rs. 15000/- by “Fay Foundation”.¹⁹ According to Prof. Fakruddin Bennur, “Sudden death of Hamid Dalwai caused a great loss not only on Muslim Renaissance but to the Social Renaissance in India”.²⁰

CONCLUSION:-

            Hamid Dalwai has done peerless work for Emancipation of Muslim Women by hammering harmful tradition in Muslim Community which is fundamental by nature.  He opposed Verbal Divorce System as well as Bigamy System in Muslim. He tried to solve problems of Muslim women, focus on women education, he tried for implementation of Common Civil Law and opposed to Shariyat Law. Even today, the stimulus work of Hamid Dalwai’s for emancipation of Muslim women is always guiding and inspirable.  

REFERENCES : -

            1. Naniwadekar Medha (Ed.), Maharashtratil Stree Chalwalicha Magowa, Pratima Prakashan and Women Study Centre, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 1^st Jan. 2006, Page no. 38.

2. Naniwadekar Medha, Ibid. Page no. 41.

3. Naniwadekar Medha, Ibid. Page no. 44.

            4. Joshi Laxmanshashtri (Ed.), Marathi Vishawakosh, Vol. 13, Maharashtra Rajya Vishwakosh Nirmiti Mandal, Mumbai, 1987, page no. 784.

5.  Ghagare Suchitra, Hamid Dalwai, Daily Loksatta Vrutant, 24^th Sept. 2005, page no. 4.

            6.  Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Don Dashakanchi Vatachal, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune, 22^nd March 1989page no. 11.

7. Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, , Ibid, page no. 5.

8. Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Ibid. page no. 11.

            9. Bennur Fakruddin, Hamid Dalwai : Ek Prachand Jwalamukhi, Sadhana (Weekly), 18^th June 1977, page no. 10.

10. Ghagare Suchitra, Ibid, page no. 4

            11. Nagarkar Vasant, Tyanche Karya Nishchit Chalu Rahil, Sadhana (Weekly), 14^th May 1977, page no. 27.

12. Joshi Laxmanshastri, Ibid, Page no. 784.

            13. Garge S. M. (Ed.), Bhartiya Samaj Vidyan Kosh, Vol. 3, Samaj Vidyan Mandal, Pune, 1989, Page No. 56.

14. Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Ibid, Page No. 21.

            15. Dalwai Mehrunnisa, Mi Bharun Pavale Aahe, Sadhana Prakashan Pune, 9^th August 1995, page no. 83.

16. Joshi Laxmanshastri, Ibid, Page no. 785.

17. Joshi Laxmanshastri, Ibid, Page No. 784.

18. Garge S. M., Ibid, Page No. 57.

19. Dalwai Mehrunnisa, Ibid, Page No. 78.

20. Bennur Fakruddin, Ibid, Page No. 7. 

Role of Hamid Dalwai in Muslim Women Emancipation

 ABSTRACT

In the history of world women always has got secondary place. An Indian woman also is not exception for this. In modern age a class of youth has arisen who is newly educated in western education. This newly educated youth tried to improve the status of Indian women. In this context, various social reformers came forward on their own. They tried utmost to eradicate destructive unjust and inhuman tradition and customs as well as castism, exploitation of weaker sex, the dominance of orthodox Brahmins. After Independence Hamid Dalwai, a “Satyashodhak Social Reformer” who had follower of Islam, devoted his life for emancipation of Muslim women. Hamid Dalwai’s selfless women emancipation work is noteworthy; it has remained largely unstudied by scholars and society. Therefore, I have tried to throw light on Hamid Dalwai’s work on women emancipation through my research paper. For writing of this research paper, I will make use of biographies, autobiographies, periodicals, newspapers, etc.

The place of Muslim women is secondary and oppressive in religion and society. By reforming Muslim women’s pitiable condition, women – women parity within society and women – men parity within religion, is the core of Hamid Dalwai’s mindset. For this reason Hamid Dalwai done the work of men - women equality by way of Muslim women emancipation. Hamid Dalwai had done noteworthy work with regard to Verbal Divorce system, female education, family planning and changes regarding maintenance, the implementation of Common Civil Code and opposed Shariyat Law and questions of divorced Muslim women. Hamid Dalwai staging a historical morcha with the seven divorced Muslim women in front of Mumbai Legislative Assembly in 1966. He established “Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal” in Pune on 22^nd March 1970. Hamid Dalwai participated in All India Forward Looking Conference, Delhi (1971), Muslim women Conference at Pune on 27^th and 28^th December 1971, Muslim Social Reform Conference, Mumbai (1973), Educational Conference, Kolhapur (1973), Divorced Muslim women conference in 1973 and on 23^rd Nov. 1975 organized by Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal,

Hamid Dalwai has done peerless work for Emancipation of Muslim Women. Even today, the stimulus work of Hamid Dalwai for emancipation of Muslim women is always guiding and inspirable.