Islam in India

How Islam First Reached India​

1. During the Lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ​

Islam reached the western coast of India very early, through Muslim merchants who traded with regions such as Malabar (Kerala).
There are historical reports that the people of Malabar had contact with Arab merchants during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. Although these reports are not hadith and are not used as religious evidence, they illustrate that Islam's entry was peaceful and trade-based rather than military.

2. Expansion Through Trade and Migration​

Muslim traders from:

• Yemen
• Oman
• Hadramawt
• Bahrain

settled along the Indian coastline, especially in Kerala, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. These merchants were known for:

• honesty,
• fair dealings,
• good character.

This attracted many locals to Islam, because good manners are a core part of the religion.


The Prophet ﷺ said:
"I was sent to perfect righteous manners."
Arabic: إنما بعثت لأتمم صالح الأخلاق

3. Islam Through Muslim Rule​

Islam later spread further inland during the rule of various Muslim dynasties:

• The early Umayyad presence in Sindh (711 CE) through Muhammad bin Qasim.
• Later, the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire.

However, political spread does not necessarily indicate purity of Aqeedah. Much of the ruling elite and Sufi movements carried practices and beliefs not aligned with the Qur'an and Sunnah.

How Islam Grew in India​

1. Through Trade and Da'wah​

The greatest long-term growth came through da'wah, not military campaigns.
Many communities embraced Islam due to:

• the manners of Muslim merchants,
• fairness in business,
• justice in Islamic law.

2. Through Scholars Who Taught Tawheed​

Certain scholars came from Yemen and Hijaz and taught pure monotheism (Tawheed) in parts of India.
However, these efforts were limited compared to the influence of Sufi tariqahs.

Are Muslims in India Today Upon the Correct Aqeedah?​

1. Islam in India is Diverse​

There is no single creed followed by all Muslims in India. Instead, there are multiple trends:

Groups Dominant in India​

• Sufi/Barelvi
  Heavy emphasis on graves, saints, intercession, and innovated practices.
• Deobandi
  More conservative, but still influenced by the Hanafi madhhab and certain Sufi orders.
• Jamaat-e-Islami
  Political and ideological reformism, not focused on Aqeedah.
• Ahl al-Hadith / Salafi
  This group calls to Tawheed, rejection of innovations, and adherence to Qur'an and authentic Sunnah.

2. The Majority Are Not Upon Pure Tawheed​

Most Muslims in India have been influenced by:

• Sufi grave-worship,
• tawassul and isti'anah (seeking help) from the dead,
• celebrating Mawlid,
• innovations not practiced by the Prophet ﷺ or his companions.

These matters contradict the Aqeedah of the Salaf.

Allah said:

"And the mosques are for Allah alone, so do not invoke anyone alongside Him."
Arabic: وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًا


The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Whoever introduces into this matter of ours what is not from it, it is rejected."
Arabic: من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد

3. The Presence of Ahl al-Hadith​

There is, however, a significant population of Ahl al-Hadith in India, especially in:

• Kashmir,
• Bihar,
• Uttar Pradesh,
• Hyderabad.

They generally adhere to Tawheed and the Sunnah, similar to Salafi communities worldwide.

I honestly didn't know much of this, especially regarding the early merchants in Malabar and how the spread was largely through trade. Beautifulideas.in
Thank you for the clarity and the references.