Naushad Ansari
The Fajr Trust organized a thought-provoking lecture on “Peaceful Arrival of Islam in India through Merchants and Sufis” on April 18th at the Piccadilly Community Hall in Thanisandra, Bangalore. The session featured renowned historian and author Syed Ubaidur Rahman, who shed light on the lesser-known yet significant historical trajectory of Islam’s peaceful spread in the Indian subcontinent.
In his welcome address, Mr. Masood of the Fajr Trust, emphasized the event’s relevance as part of an ongoing public awareness series. He shared the Trust’s broader vision as a non-profit, voluntary charitable organization dedicated to uplifting disadvantaged communities. Key initiatives by the Trust include Interest-free Financial Assistance through Microfinance, School Re-enrollment Program for Dropout Students, Livelihood Support through the Distribution of Sewing Machines, Marriage Assistance Program for Underprivileged Girls etc.
Delivering the keynote address, Syed Ubaidur Rahman presented a well-researched historical analysis that challenges the commonly held belief that Islam spread in India primarily through conquest. Instead, he highlighted the critical roles played by Arab traders and Sufi saints in the organic and peaceful dissemination of Islamic teachings across India.
He cited compelling historical evidence indicating that Islam reached India as early as the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad, primarily via Arab merchants who had established flourishing trade relations with Indian coastal regions like Malabar, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, centuries before the Delhi Sultanate.
Mr. Rahman noted that Hindu rulers had, in some cases, integrated Arab migrants and their descendants into local administrative structures, reflecting a period of religious coexistence and mutual respect. A prominent historical example discussed was the conversion of King Cheraman Perumal of Kerala—one of the earliest documented instances of Islam’s arrival on Indian soil.
The speaker also delved into the transformative influence of Sufi missionaries, especially those belonging to the Chishtiyya and Suhrawardiyya orders. He praised figures like Baba Farid Ganj-i-Shakar and Bahauddin Zakariya for their role in promoting messages of brotherhood, equality, and spiritual unity, which deeply resonated with the marginalized segments of Indian society.
To substantiate his arguments, Mr. Rahman referenced works by scholars including T.W. Arnold, whose seminal book The Preaching of Islam acknowledges the non-coercive nature of Islam’s expansion in India.
During the event, Mr. Rahman also introduced his latest publication, “Peaceful Expansion of Islam in India”, published by Global Media Publications, New Delhi (gmpublication@gmail.com) The book critically examines and debunks popular myths about Islam spreading by force in India. It has garnered acclaim from noted academics such as Prof. Sreemati Mukherjee (Presidency University, Kolkata), Prof. Ishtiaq Ahmed (Stockholm University), and Dr. Suchetana Chattopadhyay (Jadavpur University), who praised the work for its rigorous research and for presenting a more nuanced narrative of India’s religious history.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Azmatullah, and witnessed a large and engaged audience, underscoring the community’s interest in historical clarity and interfaith understanding.
