ByPrapti
Sarkar
Fatima
Sheikh was one of the first Muslim teachers of India
Why Should
We Know Fatima Sheikh?
Fatima
Sheikh was, according to some, India
What Makes
Her Badass
Savitribai
and Jyotirao Phule had to leave their home because they wanted to educate women
and Dalits. For going against his Brahamanical views, Savitribai’s
father-in-law threw them out of the house. In such trying times, Fatima Sheikh
offered refuge to the couple. That home soon became the first girls’ school in
the country. She taught at all five schools that the Phules went on to
establish and she taught children of all religions and castes.
Biggest
Battles She Faced
Little is
known of Fatima Sheikh’s life beyond her involvement with the Phules. However,
the resistance she faced must have been even more. She was marginalized not
only as a woman but also as a Muslim woman. The upper caste people reacted
vehemently and even violently to the start of these schools. They pelted stones
and cow dung at Fatima and Savitribai while they would be on their way. But
both the women remained undeterred. The journey was even tougher for Fatima
Sheikh. Both the Hindu as well as the Muslim community shunned her. However,
she never gave up and continued to go door to door, encouraging families and
parents especially those from the Muslim community to send their daughters to
school. As several writings say, Fatima used
to spent hours counselling parents who did not wish to send their girls to
schools.
Life
Lessons We Can Learn From Her
Fatima
Sheikh’s life stands as a testament to social reforms that were championed by
Indian women in the pre-independence era, despite facing immense social
resistance. She is an important figure in Muslim history and we, as a society,
must give her the due credit. Her work is also of a large significance as she
probably marked the first joint struggle of the Dalits and the Muslims. The
unity amongst the oppressed groups has always directed the struggle of
liberation, as was later seen in larger movements.
(Courtesy: SheThePeople)