India > Culture > Muslims

Islam Community in India

Islam is the 2nd most accepted religion in India with a percentage of 13.5 (13.5%) of total population, according to the census report 2011. Basically, Islam religion begun to spread from 11th century by many Islam's spreaders of several countries namely Turkey, Israel, Iran, Yemen and Afghanistan. Gradually they started to reside in India permanently and increased their communities in several parts of the nation.

Some predominant Muslim rulers or dynasties migrated here from outer world and captured the control of Indian administrative system. Some considerable of them are the Lodi Dynasty, Delhi Sultan, Khilji Dynasty, Mughal Emperor, Chengis Khan, and many more. Mughal emperors were the most powerful Muslim ruler in Indian history. Moghul emperors Akbar established a new religion called Din-e-Elahi which based on the Islam rituals. Aurangazeb was a horrid Muslim ruler who forced people to be Muslim.

Allah and worships

According to Muslim followers Allah is their one and only deity. They believe that Allah is the most powerful and all-knowing person who is the creator, sustainer, designer of universe. The word Islam means submission to God and an adherent of Islam is called a Muslim. Quran is a holy book for Muslim where all the messages of Allah have been written.

Muslims' worship and prayers stand upon a framework. These are the Shahadah (creed), daily prayers (Salat), almsgiving (Zakat), fasting during Ramadan and pilgrimage to the Mecca (hajj) at least once in the life of a Muslim.

Islamic Creed: Shahadah or creed is a process by which one expresses or recites his own point of view on religious faith. Actually creed is a expression process of one's political or social beliefs and it performed during any Islamic festival in India.

Islamic Salat: According to Islamic customs a Muslim should pray or Salat (Azan) 5 times a day. In the time of Islamic prayer recitation of the Holy book Quran is compulsory. These five times prayers are called as Fard, Sunnah, Wajib, Nafl and Witr.

Islamic Zakat: Zakat is a social activity by which one reach person provides money or wealth to the poor and needy people. Basically this is a religious activity and it performed during the festival of Bakra Eid.

Islamic hajj: Mecca is a Mosque or Masjid placed in the country of Saudi Arabia. It is the most important pilgrimage place for all Muslim communities. There is a ritual in Muslim community to go at least one time to Mecca for each and every Muslim in the world. This ritual is called Hajj in Muslim society.

Different types Muslim in India

Mophilla community of the state Kerala is descendants of Arab merchants. Pathan community is descendants from Tribes of Israel. Normally the Pathan community of India has an image of being brave, honest and righteous. Many native Indians converted into Muslim and they claim themselves as a Pathan which not always true. The Muslims of western India mainly include in Bohra and Khoja communities. Basically these two communities are native Indian but in the time of medieval history they were converted in Muslim from different religions.

Indian Muslim communities can be classified three classes according to the rank or position in Muslim societies. Higher class Muslim includes Syeds, Moghals, Pathans, Shaikhs, etc are most respectful in Indian Muslim societies. Middle class Muslim includes Shaikhzada, Khanzada and Malik etc are better respectful then backward class in Indian Muslim societies. Backward or lower class Muslim includes Ansari, Kalus, Jolas, Nikaris, Kunjra, Churihara, Dhobi and Halalkhor, etc are bellow above two classes in Indian Muslim societies and they are not allowed to make a marital relation with upper two class.

There have a religious clash in Indian Muslim societies between Shia and Sunni communities, Hanafi and non-Hanafi. It has continued from the time of origin the religion. According to the census report 2011, major inhabited states of this community in India are Lakshadweep (93% of total state population), Jammu and Kashmir (67% of state population), West Bengal (25% of state population), Uttar Pradesh (18.5% of state population) and Bihar (16.5% of state population).