A Brief History of the Early Origins of the Conflict Between Islam and India

Since the establishment of Israel as a nation in the Middle East, Islam as a religion and as a political force has been thrust into the world spotlight once again over the past decades. Yet around the world there is an appalling void in regards to an understanding of the roots and progression of Islam over the centuries. Often, current events that baffle the media and general public can be understood by simply by looking to the past. A key aspect to understanding Islam as a force today is to look back and understand how it has developed over the centuries. The past explains why we see the conflicts we do today. All nations act out of a deep historical memory that lies subconscious in the hearts and minds of its people, and Islam is no different.

One of the most revealing areas of early Islamic history was its actions in present-day India. The contrast of Indic religions like Buddhism and Hinduism with Islam during the Muslim expansion into South Asia in the 10th to 12th centuries reveals the foundations of conflicts we see played out around the world today, namely between Pakistan and India. Understanding the past is the first step to solving the issues the world faces today. The early entrance of Islam into South Asia reveals the source of the tensions facing Pakistan and India today. Although Pakistan would not emerge as a nation until centuries later with the exit of the British from India, it is important to see that that conflict was not created in a void, but was rather a direct continuation of ancient, but extremely influential Islamic empirical past.