Syed Ameer Ali: Views On The Hindu Worship And The Caste System (Part One)

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 23 September 2025 Abstract: A Short History of the Saracens by Syed Ameer Ali tells the story of the rise and fall of the Saracens (Muslims). It explains how Islam spread from Arabia to Asia, Africa, and Europe. The book describes their empire, culture, politics, and wars. It shows Muslim achievements in science, philosophy, and art. It also explains the Crusades and the clash between Muslims and Christians. The author presents Muslims as a strong and civilized nation, not just warriors. This book is important because it gives a clear history of early Muslims. Main Points: 1. Islam spread quickly from Arabia to Africa, Asia, and Europe. 2. Saracens built strong empires with great political and military power. 3. They contributed much to science, medicine, mathematics, and philosophy. 4. Crusades show conflict between Christian Europe and Muslim Saracens. 5. Syed Ameer Ali shows Muslims as civilized, not only fighters. ----- Introduction: Syed Ameer Ali studied Hinduism deeply and provided detailed observations on its religious practices and social structure. According to him, Hinduism in India, introduced by the Aryans, was mainly based on ancestor worship and worship of natural forces. Later, the Upanishads introduced philosophical ideas, such as Unity of Existence (Monism), but these did not fully satisfy the emotional and devotional needs of the common people. He noted that popular worship, like Krishna devotion or Kali worship, became widespread, showing the gap between philosophical teachings and popular practice. Regarding social structure, Ameer Ali emphasised the strict caste system in Hindu society. The Manu Dharma Shastra clearly defines the four main castes: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, each with specific duties. Life was also divided into four stages (Ashramas): student, householder, retirement, and renunciation. He highlighted harsh punishments for breaking caste rules, showing strict social segregation. Over time, non-Aryan tribes and their deities merged into Hindu worship, creating a mixture of old and new beliefs. In conclusion, Ameer Ali saw Hinduism as a complex religion combining spiritual philosophy, popular devotion, and strict caste hierarchy. His analysis reflects both its religious depth and social inequalities. Syed Ameer Ali (1849–1928) was among those remarkable Indian intellectuals who studied Islam on a scholarly and research-based foundation. He wrote several rare and important books on this subject, which include: A Critical Examination of the Life and Teaching of Mohammad (Published in London, 1873 – Urdu translation also available). A Short History of the Saracens (Published in London, 1889). The Ethics of Islam (Published in 1893). The Legal Profession Women in Islam (Published in 1912). Muhammadan Law (Two volumes). And most importantly, The Spirit of Islam (Published in London, 1891 – translated into Urdu as Rooh-e-Islam by Muhammad Hadi Hussain). In this article, we will discuss Syed Ameer Ali’s study of religions. Although he did not write a separate book devoted solely to comparative religion, his writings contain frequent discussions on this subject. In particular, in The Spirit of Islam he compared Islamic teachings with Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Zoroastrianism. A closer look at his works shows that he studied not only Islam but also other religions with depth and insight, and had a strong command over their original sources. In the preface of The Spirit of Islam, he provides valuable reflections on Semitic and non-Semitic religions. Hinduism: Paying Respect to Nature and Ancestors: It is an established truth that the ancient religion of India is Hinduism. While discussing its origin and development in The Spirit of Islam, Syed Ameer Ali writes: “For centuries the flood of Aryan conquests kept moving towards the east and south of India. The religion that the Aryan invaders brought from their homeland was mainly based on two elements: worship of ancestral spirits and worship of natural forces embodied in visible phenomena. In Punjab, these beliefs developed further. In the Vedas we see progress towards higher ideas, and finally in the Upanishads Hindu religious thought reaches its peak. The Upanishads display such intense spiritual fervour that they approach the highest form of monotheism… but later decline replaced progress, and the Upanishads were followed by the Puranas, which were later replaced by Tantric practices…” (Spirit of Islam, translated by Muhammad Hadi Hussain, Lahore, 1999, Vol. 1, pp. 11–12). From this observation, Ameer Ali concludes that the Aryan religion in India was not originally monotheistic, but based on polytheism and ancestor worship. However, he also notes that the Upanishads contain concepts which point towards unity of God, thus allowing for monotheistic interpretations. He further explains: “The Upanishads often repeat the idea that the ‘Supreme Being’ manifests Himself in different forms. This gave rise to the belief in Avatars… Since the monotheistic fervour of the Upanishads could not satisfy the emotional needs of the people, they soon accepted the idea of a divine incarnation. Thus, Krishna was regarded as an Avatar of God who lived among human beings.” This shows that emotional and devotional needs pushed people towards incarnational beliefs, which became central in Hindu worship. The Different Social Groups in Hinduism: Syed Ameer Ali then examines Hinduism’s social structure. He observes: “The popularity of Krishna worship, like Kali worship, proves that by the 7th century CE India was suffering from religious disorder. Moreover, the Aryans and their priests had established very strict social rules to prevent intermixing with the conquered peoples. These subjugated groups were pushed to the lowest rungs of society and declared untouchable. The higher castes were forbidden to share religious rites with them. This rigid social segregation reflected deep inequalities.” (Spirit of Islam, pp. 12–13). According to Ameer Ali, this clearly indicates that caste and social divisions are ancient features of Hinduism. These divisions penetrated every aspect of society, including religion and politics, and their traces remain visible even today. In his discussion, Ameer Ali refers to the Manu Dharma Shastra, the Hindu legal text, which sets out caste distinctions. It divides society into four classes: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, each with specific duties. Life is also divided into four stages (ashramas): Brahmacharya (student life), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (retirement), and Sannyasa (renunciation). He comments: “Even though Shudras were allowed to worship their ancestors, if they happened to hear a Brahmin chanting sacred verses, molten lead was to be poured into their ears. If they sat on the same seat as a Brahmin, their body was to be branded with hot iron. Intermarriage between Shudras and higher castes was strictly forbidden. Such cruel punishments reveal the rigidity of the caste system. However, with time, non-Aryan deities and beliefs gradually merged into Hinduism, leading to a mix of old and new doctrines.” (Spirit of Islam, p. 13). Conclusion From the above reflections, it is clear that Syed Ameer Ali studied Hindu religious texts and society in detail. His analysis shows that: 1. Hinduism originally contained ancestor worship and nature worship rather than monotheism. 2. The Upanishads introduced profound spiritual and almost monotheistic ideas, but these were later replaced by polytheistic practices. 3. Caste and social divisions became deeply entrenched in Hindu society, extending even into religion. 4. Harsh punishments and discrimination were prescribed against lower castes, particularly Shudras. 5. Over time, Hinduism absorbed beliefs from conquered peoples, resulting in a mixture of diverse doctrines. Thus, Ameer Ali’s study of Hinduism in The Spirit of Islam reflects his broader comparative approach to religions. He did not confine himself only to Islam, but also examined the philosophies, practices, and social systems of other faiths with remarkable depth. ------ Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi is an author and a New Age Islam Regular Columnist URL: https://www.newageislam.com/books-documents/syed-ameer-hindu-worship-caste-system-part-one/d/136946 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism