The Coming
of Islam to
South Asia
Chapter 7 (part 3 of 4)
India had long history of being invaded
Most invaders converted to one of the 2 major religions at
the time in India: Hinduism or Buddhism
India had more material culture than invaders, so most
invaders wanted to assimilate
Muslims Arrive In India (600s)
First time Indians invaded by civilization as
advanced, or more advanced, than the Indians
Islam v. Hindu
Islam
Hinduism
Belief in one God
(Allah)
Idol worship
Socially egalitarian –
everyone considered
equals
Socially hierarchy
through Caste system
More rigid than
Hinduism
More tolerant than
Islam, able to adapt
But quickly
became
peaceful, and
most interaction
was peaceful
At 1st, interactions
b/t Hindus and
Muslims was
violent
Muslims
actually
used
Hindus
(locals) to
rule areas
for them
India Before
Muslim
Invasion
Guptas fell in the 400s
Regional dynasties fought
for control next 200 years
Harsha Builds
an Empire
Leader of local dynasty, expanded it and
built largest empire in India since the Gupta
Harsha’s empire had long period of peace
and prosperity –built roads and hospitals
Kannauj – capital of empire, had big walls,
huge homes, and garden with pools
Harsha’s Death
Harsha died in 646,
and the kingdom
fell apart due to
internal fighting
India was no longer
united, and that
opened way for
Muslim invasions,
beginning in 711
The Spark
Arab trading ship
was attacked near
India (attackers
from Indian state
of Sind)
Muslims respond
and attack and
conquer Sind, led
by Muhammad
ibn Qasim
Muhammad
ibn Qasim
Islam Brings Little Change to
India – At First
Muslims were tolerant of local religions and promised
low taxes, so many Indians did not resist their rule
Muslims respected the Brahman caste, and local leaders
(Hindus) used by Muslims to help rule
There was little effort by Muslims to convert Indians to
Islam (remember, this is during Umayyad period)
Indian Culture Reaches the Middle East
Arabs learn algebra
and geometry from
India
Indian doctors
brought to Baghdad
to run hospitals
Arabs (Muslims) Move to India and
Assimilate to Indian Culture
They ate Indian foods
They wore Indian clothing
Leaders rode elephants
like Hindu leaders
Other than Sindh,
Muslims took very
little land in India
962 – A 2nd wave of
invasions by Muslims
into India occurs, and
Muslim rule gets
stronger
Turkish slave and
leader of Afghanistan
Conquered much of
India to spread Islam
and gain wealth
Began 200 year
Muslim rule in
north India
Mahmud of Ghazni
Muslim ruler who
took over after
Mahmud of Ghazni
assassinated in
1206
Able to conquer
almost all of north
India
Muhammad of Ghur
Next 300 years,
Muslims ruled
north and central
India
Made Delhi the
capital, show
Muslims wanted
central India too
Muslim Control of India under Muhammad of Ghur
Leaders were
called Sultans
of Delhi
Built large
armies with
cavalries on
elephants, like
local Hindus
Built large
bureaucracy,,
and tried
making money
off the people
Muslims used
Hindus to help
rule, so never
got too
powerful
Most Indians not forced
to convert, and few in
areas that Muslims ruled
converted (shows it
wasn’t focus of Muslims)
Islam spread by
merchants and sufis, and
there was a lot of
intermarriage, which led
to people converting
Conversions
Many converts became
Muslim to avoid paying
extra taxes, such as the
tax on non-believers
(jizya)
Most converts came from
Buddhism, or from lowcaste Hindus who liked
that Islam preached
egalitarianism (equality)
Islam Had Little Impact on Hinduism
While many converted
to Islam, Islam had little
impact on Hinduism
Mostly Hindus and
Muslims lived
separately and were not
friends
High-caste Hindus
disliked Muslims (they
were corrupting minds
of low-caste Hindus)
Muslims In India Adopt Hierarchy System
Muslims
become
divided along
caste lines
Recent
Muslims
arrivals
High-caste Hindu converts
Artisans and merchants
Low-caste Hindu converts
Example of why
Indians thought
Muslims would
absorb into the
culture and not be
threat
Women’s Status Decline as
Muslims Come to India
Muslims Adopt Some Hindu Practices That
Are Bad for Women
Marrying at
young age
Forbid
widows
from
remarrying
Sati –
widows
jump into
fire of
cremated
husband
Hindus Realize Muslims A Threat
Muslims in India
adopted much of the
culture
Despite this, Hindus
saw Muslims were not
going to adopt
Hinduism,
Hindus realize that
Muslims pose a threat,
unlike past invaders
who were assimilated
into Indian culture
Kabir
Muslim mystic who downplayed the difference b/t Islam
and Hinduism, but efforts like his usually unsuccessful in
uniting the 2 religions
Bhakti
Bhakti = Hindu
cults, membership
open to all
(including women
and untouchables)
that were very
popular
Bhakti cults so
popular that many
didn’t convert to
Islam
Used dances and
even drugs to reach
intoxification
needed for
salvation
Mira Bai
Famous Hindu poet
Showed openness of Bhakti cults to women
Hindus and Muslims Remain Apart
Brahmans saw Muslims
as threat and
denounced them
Indians believed
Muslims would
eventually be
absorbed into
Hinduism
Despite many Indians
being ruled by
Muslims, most Indians
don’t convert to Islam
Hindu mystics tried to
re-convert Indians
back to Hinduism
Muslim ulama
rejected attempts
like Kabir’s to fuse
the 2 religions,
remain rigid