Dynamics of Social Fabric of Sialkot City: the Case of Anjuman-i-Islamia since 1911.

Abstract

Every human society as a collective whole is segregated into different sections comprising of so many contesting interest groups determining their identity-relations on ethnic, religious, sectarian, lingual, regional, professional, etc., basis. How these segregated and contesting sections of Society live in interdependent homogeneity; how the people adjust, assist and treat one another in multitude of relationships and interests; are the questions that constitute the nature of social fabric in any given society. Other than power oriented governmental structures, major part of social relations is developed voluntarily and is maintained through volunteer social organizations. In South Asia the culture of such organizations grew rapidly during the British colonialism. One popular idea of such organizations emerged t in the form of religious and sectarian organizations and associations. During the first half of twentieth century, thousands of such religious and sectarian Anjumans belonging to different religious denominations can be found functional in South Asia. Among the Muslims two popular forms of such Anjumans were Muslim Leagues and Anjuman-i- Islamia, established in different parts of South Asia independently.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of Anjuman-i-Islamia, Sialkot of Punjab Province of Pakistan that was established in 1911 in the social fabric of Sialkot city. How the Anjuman-i- Islamia was formed, determined its role and consummated it in the formation of social fabric of Sialkot; are the questions to be explored in this paper. Based on the archival studies, mixed method interviews, participatory observations, chronological analysis and inferential and referential methods are used to conclude the paper. The paper concludes that although the Anjuman developed a very strong social fabric of religious communal ties through social participation and welfare agenda, it developed segregation between different religious communities and the trend continued even after the formation of Pakistan.