Taconic

Predatory behavior of Muslim males has been in the news recently. Predictably, there has been a vociferous reaction from both the left and Muslim society. The latest example is the essay by actor Saif Ali Khan. In a meandering essay he frames the issue as one of "intermarriage". He describes his family as one where "all religions are practised". Other prominent Muslims like Shahrukh Khan have made similar statements.

I don't wish to question their sincerity. I also do not want to reduce the issue of predatory Muslim male behavior to movie star marriages. Instead, I want to examine one aspect of Hindu Muslim "intermarriage" in India: Names.

Names are a very important part of our self image. The names we choose for ourselves and our children tell us a lot about who we are, who we aspire to be, who we revere. The names we do not choose also tell us a lot about our attitude to life. For example, an Indian who does not adopt an American first name is revealing his intention to resist America's strong pull towards assimilation. Indians who choose names common to both cultures (e.g. Maya which is both a Sanskrit and Hebrew name) reveal their desire to straddle the two cultures. An Indian who names his American born child "Venkatasubramaniam" is making a very strong statement about how he views his place in Amerrican society.

So lets examine names chosen by Indian Muslims. I start with movie stars (no particular reason).

First off, one notices that ubiquity of the surname Khan among Indian Muslim movie actors. Whats going on here? It helps to understand that the name Khan is a title in Persio-Mongol nobility. It happens to be the lowest rank but still an indication of nobility.  The Mughals bestowed this title for services rendered, thereby raising commoners to nobility. These titles are not hereditary, but rather have to be bestowed by the ruler on each new generation. It goes without saying that it was a serious offence to claim a title without approval by the ruler. Even though the titles are not hereditary, some people like Saif Ali Khan have a loose claim on the title because of their noble ancestry (his ancestors were awarded a state by the British in 1804 for their services in the Anglo-Maratha wars).

Others like Aamir, Shah Rukh, Salman simply choose to use Khan as a family name. This would be similar to using Duke, Earl or Marquis as a family name. As far as I can tell none of their ancestors were ennobled by anyone. So this seems like a straightforward case of "aspirational self-ennoblement".

The key point is the choice of the title: one indicating nobility in the Moghul empire, which has ceased to exist since 1857 (and de facto ceased to exist from the 1750s). This clearly shows an emotional attachment and yearning for the glories of Muslim rule in India.

Now lets look at the names chosen for the offspring of these so called "intermarriages".

Notice a pattern? My short response to Saif Ali Khan: Actions speak louder than words. I will take your words seriously when you name your next child Rama or Krishna or Shiva.