India



*Muslims were able to gain some converts from India, however, it wasn't as efficient and quick as most other countries, but ultimately Indians continued to practice Hinduism. Muslim culture such as archetiture was spread into India as the Muslim conquest rapidly became apparent.
 * Notes: **
 * Muslim invasion of India
 * Began in the 12th century
 * Started with the Rajput Kingdoms in North India
 * The Indian Empire had already been attacked by:
 * Central Asian nomadic tribes
 * Persian Empire
 * Fall of Sasanids
 * Arrival of the Caliphates
 * Muslims took control of the area
 * Remained following their own system of identity
 * Destroyed the cultures of the people they ruled
 * Socially
 * Religiously
 * Lifestyle
 * Muslim migrants
 * Held their own beliefs and rituals
 * Hindus virtually could not take in their religion and beliefs
 * Placed more emphasis on worship of:
 * Gods
 * Goddesses
 * As a way to neutralize the Muslims
 * Proved to be effective during the spread of Buddhism
 * Bhaktic cults
 * Worshipers of Gods and Goddesses
 * Allowed even the untouchables to join
 * Included
 * Men and women
 * Women were popular in:
 * Songs
 * Poetry
 * Writing
 * Bhakti
 * Stressed strong bonds and ties with the god and goddesses
 * Chants, dancing, and occasionally drugs were used
 * As a way to become spiritually active
 * Individual salvation
 * Once one had become devoted to god
 * Sins were removed and the caste system had no meaning
 * Gained many followers from low-caste groups
 * Brahmins
 * Considered the Muslims as a threat to Hindu beliefs
 * Denounced the Muslims by:
 * Claiming that they were polluting Hindu Temples
 * Polluted meat-eaters
 * Chaitanya
 * Known as the Hindu holy man
 * Composed songs (15th century)
 * Compassion for Hindu deities
 * Wanted Indian Muslims to renounce Islam
 * Muslim ulama
 * Grew aware of the dangers of Hinduism
 * Tried to fuse the two religions together
 * Ended in failure
 * One needed to follow the teachings of the Qur'an
 * Pray
 * To be a true Muslim
 * Tried to strengthen Muslim community
 * Converters were gained at last once Muslims conquered most of the Indian subcontinent
 * South of the Himalayas
 * Hindus rejected Muslim faith
 * No sign of converting
 * Even if a Muslim was to conquer their land
 * Arab traders:
 * Spread the new Islamic religion through trading
 * First mosque was built in India in 629 A.D.
 * Rama Varma Kulashekhara was the first Indian to convert
 * Malabar:
 * The Mappilas was the first Indian civilization to convert
 * More closely related to Arabs
 * Providence of Sindh
 * In 8th century
 * Conquered by the Arab army
 * Led by Muhammad bin Qasim
 * Became the eastern providence of Umayyad
 * Indian architecture:
 * Took some ideas of Muslim technology
 * Use of shapes (primarily used natural forms)
 * Decorative lettering using calligraphy
 * Colored marble
 * Plaster
 * Tiles
 * Cement -> using mortar
 * Muslims previously experimented with in other countries before attempting to build in India
 * Architecture is broken down into
 * Religious
 * Mosques and tombs
 * Secular
 * Forts
 * Trade
 * Arabia and India had began to trade before Islam was created (7th century)
 * Muslim traders and merchants spread Islam wherever they had went
 * First mosque in India is considered to be built in 629 A.D.
 * By Rama Varma Kulashekhara (Considered to be the first Indian Muslim)
 * First contact with the Indians
 * Arab attacked pirates near modern day Bombay to protect the Arabian Sea
 * While doing so, they also settled at Indian ports
 * Spread their culture
 * Growth of converts increased
 * Hindu kings hired Muslim mercenaries to protect them
 * ** Sher Shah Suri **
 * Built large networks of trade
 * Grand Trunk Road (1540-1544)
 * Connected Calcutta and Kabul
 * Still in use today


 * Questions: **

** How did Islam spread? **
Islam spread into India through a series of conquest made into India. Before the Muslims entered India, it was already attacked by nomadic groups and the Persian Empire (attacked after the fall of the Sassanids). After the fall of Sassanids the growth of the caliphates began and Muslims controlled part of India. The Muslims kept their trace of religious thoughts and actions, however, by doing so they did eventually caused the destruction of the culture and society of the people they ruled (socially, religiously, and their lifestyles). At first, the Muslims had migrated to India, but those who believed in Hinduism generally could not take in Muslim beliefs becuase they only believed in one god and had many differences from the Hindu belief.

** Growth of trade within the Islamic world: **
Trade was one of the main reasons why Islam had spread to India. The Arabs were trying to protect the Arabian Sea against pirates who attacked near present day Bombay. While protecting the Arabian Sea, Arabs settled on the Indian ports eventually spreading their culture. In fact, Islamic traders and merchants were the main source of the spread of Islam into South India. Hindu kings eventually hired Muslims and made them into mercenaries. Sher Shah Suri was the first Muslim to build a large network of trade which consisted of roadways. The trade routes were known as the Grand Trunk Road which connected Calcutta and Kabul and to this very day it is still in use. They traded goods such as Indian spices, ivory, gold, and other goods.

** Urbanization and Islam: **
Most of the Indians whom were in the lower caste system (peasants and untouchables) had converted because it allowed them to have more freedom compared to Hinduism and being in a low class. Intermarriages between Indians and Hindus were common. Muslims didn't require Islams to convert due to their clash with Hinduism. The main converters as stated earlier was the Indians in the lower caste system. However, the Indians in the higher class system remained as Hindus since they the caste system didn't affect them. Though, Islamic cultures were evident in India, as Indians built mosques. They used shapes to build their estates, decorative lettering in the form of calligraphy, colored marble, plaster, tiles, and cement made of mortar which were all adopted techniques from Islam.

** Architecture throughout throughout the Islamic world: **


India had adapted Islamic uses of building mosques, use of shapes which they primarily used natural forms, decorative calligraphy, colored marble, plaster, tiles, and cement made from mortar. Indians broke architecture into two forms: religious and secular. An example of religious would be mosques and tombs. Tombs weren't really associated with religion, however, they were as detailed as mosques were based on the fact that Indians did believe in the afterlife from their early Hindu/Buddhist views. Secular would be associated with forts.

** Examples of Syncretism and Islam: **


Indians in the higher caste systems did not convert because Islam did not mesh well with their own religion: Hinduism. Islam did not tie in with Hindu beliefs. There was only one god which was Allah whereas the Indians were polytheistic and believed in natural gods. However, even with the whole ordeal of no conversion and Muslims finding it hard to gain followers, Indians did make mosques. Islam is the second most practice religion in India (the first being Hinduism). Muslims tried to gain converters, but most Hindus remained practicing their own religion.

** Reactions to Islam: **


As stated in previous questions, Indians in the higher caste system did not convert. In fact, they rejected the Muslim beliefs and placed more emphasis on the worship of gods and goddesses just like they did during the spread of Buddhism. They did this due to the fact that they found Muslim beliefs and ideals to be dangerous to their own and simply because they thought that the Muslim's cultures were inaccurate compared to theirs. Brahmins considered the Muslims as meat eating polluters and were destroying the Hindu temples. Others known as the Chaitanyas composed songs that denounced Muslim teachings and beliefs. The untouchables and peasants found Islam as a salvation, simply because they were rejected in the Indian community. By converting they found a new life and a new beginning, they also were rid of the caste system that bounded them to poverty and hatred amongst others. Muslims gave religious toleration and had lower tax rates.


 * Sources: **
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