Farah: Muslim Not Even in Name?
Obama has appointed Farah Pandith (more on this Hindu name after the jump) as a special envoy to the Muslim world. State’s press release follows:
… Clinton has asked Farah Pandith to head the new Office of the United States Special Representative to Muslim Communities. Special Representative Farah Pandith and her staff (S/SRMC) will be responsible for executing the Administration’s efforts to engage with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organizational level…
Pandith, a Muslim, immigrated to the United States with her parents from Srinagar, India. She has said that she sees her personal experience as an illustration of how Muslim immigrants to the US can successfully integrate themselves into American society. She grew up in Massachusetts with a diversity of faiths, ethnicities and perspectives.
Wait a second. Excuse me. Pardon my ignorance. But Pandith is not a Muslim last name from any part of the world. A “pandith” is a priest in Hinduism and the last name is taken by such people.
Names are very important in India and are indicative of race, religion, region and caste. You can distinguish between Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, or adherents of any other religion, by their names.
Pandith is a Hindu name, through and through. It is of Kashmiri origin, and Kashmiris are even stricter about their choice of names. For instance, Jawaharlal Nehru is a Hindu name; Abul Kalam Azad is a Muslim name. Abhishek Chawla is a Hindu name; Iqbal Kazmi is Muslim. Get it?
Muslims do not take Pandith as their name unless they are married to a Hindu, born to a Hindu, or a convert. In the first two cases, Muslims don’t really like to associate with such people (pardon the intolerance, but accept the reality) and, in the last, any Hindu would drop a name like “Pandith,” which is associated with the Hindu priest-caste.
Call me a bigot, or ignoramus or what you will. But this is the reality in Asia. There’s no other way to look at it.
While this whole naming concept may be foreign to Americans and it may be cool in the USA to call every turban wearing Sikh a Muslim, it is entirely unacceptable for anyone to display such a degree of ignorance when trying to reach out to the Muslim world. Especially when that “anyone” is President Barack Hussein Obama, erst. of Kenya.
Moreover, while we in the USA may claim to not care about names, religions and such petty considerations, in favor of merit and experience, folks in Asia and the Third World are very sensitive to such issues.
Farah Pandith as Muslim envoy may be construed as an insult more than anything else, unfortunately.
Obie is…
seeking “a new beginning” in the relationship.
What a brilliant way to do so by naming a Hindu-named “Muslim” to become the “envoy” to the Muslim world.
And, what will Farah do anyway? Grovel even more to despotic, criminal rulers of the Islamic world?
#1 by Tahir Qadri on June 27th, 2009
I am amazed at the ignorance of the writer of this article. In Kashmir, where I come from, Pandith is also the family name of some well known Muslim families, and in fact, the family that Ms. Farah Pandith comes from, is a highly respected and religious family. Please be informed accordingly.
#2 by Tahir Qadri on June 27th, 2009
Please communicate the message to the writer.
#3 by Naina on June 27th, 2009
She is a Muslim by cast pandit. Its a cast in Indian held kashmir among muslims. She is not a hindu. You can confirm that. There are so many people of this cast. basically there grand grand or you can say forefathers converted from hindu family,called pandits so they carry on with this cast after conversion too. We should be proud some Muslim or Kashmiri Muslim get in into the white house and hope she will promote the Kashmir cause well, as she also did her thesis on Kashmir insurgency.
#4 by observer on June 27th, 2009
Muslims don’t have castes.
#5 by observer on June 27th, 2009
Tahir, I am from India. I have never heard of a Pandith family that is Muslim.
And, anyway, her dress and demeanor hardly betray her Muslim “religious” roots.
#6 by Ghulam-Nabi Fai on June 27th, 2009
Farah Pandith comes from a deeply respected Muslim family and her grandfather Abdul Samad Pandith was known as an honorable businessman in the Valley of Kashmir. We wholeheartedly congratulate her on this achievement and are confident she will brilliantly fulfill her responsibilities.’
Farah Pandith is a young and bright Kashmiri-American who has the tremendous responsibility of planting the seeds for a new beginning for Islam-West relations. This, undoubtedly, is an enormous responsibility, however, her credentials are remarkable.
Farah Pandith ‘has made the entire Kashmiri people in general and Kashmiri American community in particular proud with this achievement.’
Ghulam-Nabi Fai
#7 by Syed on June 27th, 2009
What unbelievable ignorance. Islam is not a superficial religion that recognizes a muslim by the name they carry. Abdullah was the biggest hypocrite (munafik) at the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Abdullah being a very arabic/muslim name. Infact it is the name most beloved to God according to Islamic teachings. You’d be surprised how many people of different faiths including Hindus come to see the light and embrace the religion of Islam. Furthermore, there is no requirement in Islam to change one’s first or last name when one enters Islam. One who embraces Islam is free to choose a new name if they wish but are not required to. Islam is a religion of depth and character. It is not based on the color of one’s skin, or cast, nor social class and standing. “All men/women are equal before God like the teeth of comb and the best among them is he/she that regards God most.” And as for what will Farah do anyway? Well that remains to be seen. Grovel even more to despotic, criminal rulers of the Islamic world? Well I say safely say much to my regret that that job/position is already taken by the majority of the inhabitants/citizens of the so called Muslim world. Here is one muslim who is not groveling but building bridges and making history. That is a lot more than I can say for most of you.
#8 by Jahangir pandith on June 28th, 2009
I think writer is keeping grudge in his/her chest against muslim world. I would like to tell him that it is not good for his/her health.
Also I would like to tell author to please COME OUT OF THE COCOON of ignorance.
Writing anything in cozy room against islam is not good.
Islam is a religion of peace. The people like you maligned it.
Syed has rightly said that Muslim is known by his/her character rather than by the name he carries.
Ms. Farah Pandith is a Muslim. It is loud and clear. I think you are baffled by the news of her new status.
Jahangir Pandith,
Financial Advisor,
jahangeerpandith@gmail.com
#9 by Naeem Najmi on June 28th, 2009
article.
Great comments.
#10 by Naina on June 30th, 2009
Undoubtedly mankind is divided into many races, clans, tribes and castes. By the passage of time there was division and subdivision of these races. Arab society was itself divided into many clans. Among these our Prophet (PBUH) belonged to the most influential and respectful tribe called ‘Hashmi’. The miracle of Islam was to build one solid Ummah on different races but this division remained there, hate and prejudice was eliminated by Islam. Quran says that different races and clans are for your own identity. But before Allah only that man is great whose character is great.
So in Kashmir the advent of Islam changed moral and social fabric and conduct of the people but with this transformation many people who adopted the new religion they carried on the name of their race or tribe with them which was sometimes rooted in their professions also. So there is no contradiction among Muslims or Kashmiri Muslims when they continue with their pre-Islamic tribal name with them. But Kashmiri Muslims belonging to Pandit dynasty do not write ‘H’ with it.
However as Kashmiris we would like to watch the role of Farah Pandit as Muslim-American in building useful relations between west and Islam. No doubt she cannot deviate from American policies but she can use her genius to remove prejudices spread by vested interests against Muslims and the demands of Kashmiris for their just cause.
#11 by Aryan on July 13th, 2009
I hope she is a Kashmiri Pandit and helps the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits against the Pakistani terrorists. 60% of the terrorists in Kashmir are not even Kashmiri – but Punjabi. This is completely political and has nothing to do with religion – too bad Pakistan censors the reality and just shows PTV…
#12 by observer on July 14th, 2009
Interesting. Farah is Kashmiri, but she’s Muslim who escaped from the insurgency to the US. I think she might understand the plight of all Kashmiris. But, does it matter?
#13 by pandith farah on September 16th, 2009
Farah pandith some hindu fuck you that is why your second name is pandith u under stand , that is the resign america like such people like u, u people are selfish u don’t have any religion , you are simple label with muslim name, you are not muslim . fuck u.
#14 by observer on September 16th, 2009
You need a lesson in English grammar and punctuation, don’t you? May we suggest something?
#15 by damaka on February 10th, 2010
Pandith is a hindu name and muslim are terrorists who convert hindus & christians in kashmir & everywhere forcibly….. Muslims never love .They get married only for Hum 5 hamare 25…. Look at their houses they are dirty & so unclean with hundreds of children doing tatti… thats y othr religions dont like muslims.. nowadays…. Hindus family allow their children toget married to christians & budhists, sikhs but never want to marry muslims becoz they r dirty & harass & force conversion
#16 by KHWAJA AFTAB ALI, Florida, USA on February 12th, 2010
An Indian – American Farha Pandith is recently been appointed US Special Representative for Muslim world. Her talent and intelligence is above discussion and her appointment to this high office is in result of equal opportunities for all in USA. But her mission for Muslim world while having a Hindu last name and American way of life-dress etc, being brought up and studied in USA, is full of doubts. I am not very optimistic about her mission in multilingual Muslim world. It would have been much better to give her a job of mediation between Pakistan and India for an old dispute of Kashmir as she is of Kashmiri origin. Muslim world is headed by two leading nations of Iran and Saudi Arabia and then further divided in to Arab, African and Asian divisions. Non Arab Muslims live in many leading countries and in my opinion an Indian- American young lady may not be the right person to bring friendship or influance this complex community of the world. Generaly USA is consider a friend of currupt rulers of Muslim world having no concern with the poor and uneducated Muslims.This is my opinion based on my multi cultural background and languages skill but any way I wish Ms. Pandith best of luck. Khwaja Aftab Ali, Advocate & I.P. Attorney ( former Secretary, Iranian Embassy, Saudi Arabia.1975-1988) presently living in Orlando, Florida. USA
#17 by observer on February 15th, 2010
Finally, a reasonable comment on this issue, albeit an ancient one. Thank you, Mr. Ali.
#18 by observer on February 15th, 2010
Thank you for elucidating all of us.
#19 by My Name is Khan on February 18th, 2010
Calling Muslims dirty !!
In fact Islam tells muslims to be in state of cleanliness everytime. Like after urinating everytime u need to wash/clean ur private parts other wise u cant pray.
Well brother , where is your sense of judgement ? You dont like muslims b’coz since childhood u have been trained to oppose the muslims
#20 by observer on February 18th, 2010
Can we get back to the topic at hand (or not, since it is ancient)?
#21 by sopori on March 5th, 2010
@damaka…
may allah show you the right way!AMEEN!
#22 by sopori on March 5th, 2010
i’m from sopore and i confirm that PANDITH is just her cast and she is a kashmiri muslim.
#23 by sadaqat on April 23rd, 2010
the question is does she looks like Muslim….!!!??
#24 by In response to syed on July 10th, 2010
YOUR COMMENT HINDUS SEE LIGHT WHEN TAKE UP ISLAM
YES THEY WERE FORCED AND CONVERTED AND THEY ALL ARE SEEING LIGHT IN PAKISTAN
WHERE MUSLIMS ARE CUTTING MUSLIMS
SUNNI MUSLIMS WILL CUT HINDUS; THEN THEY WILL CUT AHMEDIA; SIKH ; CHIRSTIANS
THEN THEY WILL CUT SHIA MUSLIM
THEY WONT BE SATISFIED THEY WOULD CUT MUSLIMS
ALL PAKISTAN WERE HINDUS FORCEFULLY CONVERTED TO ISLAM
SEE THE RESULT ASS
HOPE THAT YOU HAVE LONG LIFE
#25 by observer on July 22nd, 2010
Caps lock off please. I don’t understand a word when you scream so loudly.