At the end of the long golden chain of Prophets, Islam was completed and reintroducedby the Prophet Muhammad ﷺin the Arabian Peninsula, in the 7th century. Within 100 years the life-giving message of Islam spread all over the then known world.
Islam reached the western shores of Indian subcontinent in the very lifetime of the Prophet. Over time scholars and Sufi saints started to arrive in India as reformers and preachers. Then followed the rulers who freed the Indian society from the curse of casteism and degradation. The concepts of monotheism and oneness of mankind were very appealing to the polytheistic and caste-ridden society of India. The caste-oppressed and divided masses welcomed the fresh breeze of the Islamic way of life, which elevated them morally and ethically and uplifted them as equal, respected and enlightened persons.Now a new opportunity was available to them to improve their lives socially and economically also.
Afterwards came conquerors and rulers who addressed the chaotic conditions and maladministration and corruptions under thehundreds of rajas and rulers who had been fighting ceaselessly among themselves which resulted in weakening the country and poverty of the population. Significant changes took place during the Sultanate period. India reached its zenith of developments and progress in the Mughal period when India was consolidated and unified and received the world fame as oneof the greatest empires of the world with a great and shining civilization. At the end of Aurangzeb’s reign in 1707 India accounted for 27 per cent GDP of the world. Now, in the 21st century, India accounts for only 4 per cent of GDP of the world.
While Islamic teachings were reforming and uplifting the people morally, the justice-based, strong and reformed administration provided peace and prosperity to the masses. Even at the time of Mongol invasion, which destroyed large areas of the world, Alauddin Khilji (1266-1316) defended India with iron hands. As regards the Mughal period 1526 onwards, India was so strong that no foreign power could dare invade it. Thus stability, good governance and efficientadministration and economic prosperity gave a respectable place to India in the comity of nations.
Muslims gave a respectable name and distinguished fame to India and enhanced its reputation in the whole world. They not only promoted morality and tawheed (monotheism) but also paved the way for social reform of the Hindu majority through introduction of universal literacy and spread of knowledge among the suppressed sections of society. They paved the way for Bhakti movement and development of Sikhism which promotes oneness of God and equality of all people.
Another lasting contribution of Muslims is the development and enrichment of Indian languages with fresh ideas and concepts from Muslim lands borrowed through Arabic, Persian and other languages. Muslims also immensely enriched India in the fields of literature, poetry, agriculture, architecture, history writing, calligraphy, etc. because of this all round progress was made and India became the golden land of the world.
Today, in spite of the overwhelming prevalence of hate and prejudice, it is time for Indian Muslims to stand up and repeat the history of their valuable contributions to India. Let us reaffirm our resolve to uplift India and make it once again a peaceful, democratic, all-inclusive and progressive country.