There is no mention in the Quran that one can suggest that it propagates casteism. Rather, there is a very famous verse in the holy book, in which Allah says, ‘I have created you from male and female, and I have created your races and tribes, so that you can identify each other. The most honorable among you in the sight of Allah are those who fear him the most. (Sura: Huzurat Ayat No. 13) It is based on this verse that it is said that Islam does not endorse racism/casteism and this distinction has been made only for the sake of identification and differentiation. Still, the Ashraaf ulema and other Muslim intellectuals often argue in favour of casteism. They interpret, or rather misinterpret Sura: Huzurat Ayat No. 13 to further their narrative, saying that caste can never be eradicated because it is inscribed in the Quran that castes have been created for the purpose of identification. Drawing reference from the above verse, some scholars of the Ashraaf Ulema have also noted that as per Islam, a man will only be considered superior to a woman if he is a muttaqi (God-fearing/religious). An Arab (a resident of Arabia) obtains superiority over a non-Arabian on this basis only. Sayyid has also been considered superior to Arabic and non-Arabic Muslims on the basis of the taqwa factor. But, socially, men, Arabs and Sayyids, irrespective of their obeisance to taqwa, are always considered superior. Ashraafs further say that as per the tenets of Islam, the main criteria for being ‘superior’ is being religious, provided one does not take pride in it. So, even though it is forbidden to take pride in being religious, it does not mean that religious people are not superior. Similarly, it is prohibited to take pride in one’s superior race/caste but that does not mean that people belonging to such caste/race aren’t superior. (Page No.11, Nihayatul Arib fi Gaytoon Nasab, Mufti Shafi Usmani, Jamiatul Musleheen Saharanpur) Still, the Ashraaf ulema and other Muslim intellectuals often argue in favour of casteism. They interpret, or rather misinterpret Sura: Huzurat Ayat No. 13 to further their narrative, saying that caste can never be eradicated because it is inscribed in the Quran that castes have been created for the purpose of identification. Drawing reference from the above verse, some scholars of the Ashraaf Ulema have also noted that as per Islam, a man will only be considered superior to a woman if he is a muttaqi (God-fearing/religious). An Arab (a resident of Arabia) obtains superiority over a non-Arabian on this basis only. Sayyid has also been considered superior to Arabic and non-Arabic Muslims on the basis of the taqwa factor. But, socially, men, Arabs and Sayyids, irrespective of their obeisance to taqwa, are always considered superior. Ashraafs further say that as per the tenets of Islam, the main criteria for being ‘superior’ is being religious, provided one does not take pride in it. So, even though it is forbidden to take pride in being religious, it does not mean that religious people are not superior. Similarly, it is prohibited to take pride in one’s superior race/caste but that does not mean that people belonging to such caste/race aren’t superior. (Page No.11, Nihayatul Arib fi Gaytoon Nasab, Mufti Shafi Usmani, Jamiatul Musleheen Saharanpur) Still, the Ashraaf ulema and other Muslim intellectuals often argue in favour of casteism. They interpret, or rather misinterpret Sura: Huzurat Ayat No. 13 to further their narrative, saying that caste can never be eradicated because it is inscribed in the Quran that castes have been created for the purpose of identification. Drawing reference from the above verse, some scholars of the Ashraaf Ulema have also noted that as per Islam, a man will only be considered superior to a woman if he is a muttaqi (God-fearing/religious). An Arab (a resident of Arabia) obtains superiority over a non-Arabian on this basis only. Sayyid has also been considered superior to Arabic and non-Arabic Muslims on the basis of the taqwa factor. But, socially, men, Arabs and Sayyids, irrespective of their obeisance to taqwa, are always considered superior. Ashraafs further say that as per the tenets of Islam, the main criteria for being ‘superior’ is being religious, provided one does not take pride in it. So, even though it is forbidden to take pride in being religious, it does not mean that religious people are not superior. Similarly, it is prohibited to take pride in one’s superior race/caste but that does not mean that people belonging to such caste/race aren’t superior. (Page No.11, Nihayatul Arib fi Gaytoon Nasab, Mufti Shafi Usmani, Jamiatul Musleheen Saharanpur) But the Ashraaf Ulema presents Zaid’s marriage, which was broken in the lifetime of Muhammad, as an example to conclude that a marriage of unequals is not a good idea, thereby promoting discrimination. So even though the Quran does not endorse racism/casteism, the Ashraaf ulema have tried their best to propagate racism in their own interpretations of the Quran. Being a victim of racial discrimination himself, Muhammad fully understood this agony and tried his best to end it with his own behaviour and conduct.