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Followers of the Islam religion constitute India's largest religious minority. Muslims as they are called is the most recent and widespread of Asian religions.
Prophet Mohammed, was the fonder of the religion. He was born in 570 AD at Mecca, which is now a part of Saudi Arabia. His first revelation from
Allah (God) occurred in 610 and had many more visions and all are compiled into the Muslim holy book, the
Koran. As his purpose in life was revealed to him later he began preaching against idolatry. The center was Mecca. All the Muslims are monotheistic and they consider the worship of image a sin. Muslim thoughts and teachings have close similarity with the Old Testament of Bible, and Moses and Jesus are both accepted as Muslim Prophets, although Jesus is not believed to be the Son of God.
Mohammed attacked idolatry and local business and that eventually caused him and his followers to be run out of town in 622. They fled to Medina, the city of Prophet, and by 630 were strong enough to march back to Mecca and take over. Although Mohammed died in 632, most of Arabia had been converted to Islam within two decades.
The Muslim faith was more than a religion: it called on its followers to spread the word. In the succeeding centuries Islam was to expand over three continents. The Arabs, who first propagated the faith, developed a reputation as being ruthless opponents but reasonable masters, so people often found it advisable to surrender to them. In this way, The Muslims swept aside the crumbling Byzantine Empire, whose people felt no desire to support their own distant Christian emperor.
At an early stage in its history, Islam suffered a fundamental split that remains to this day. The third
Caliph, successor to Mohammed, was murdered and followed by
Ali, The prophet's son-in-law, in 656. The governor of Syria assassinated Ali in 661, and set himself up as
Caliph in
preference to descendants of Ali. Most Muslims are Sunnites, followers of the succession from the
Caliph, while the others are Shias or
Shiites who follow the descendants of Ali.
Converts to Islam have only to announce that "There is no God but
Allah and Mohammed is his prophet" to become Muslim.
Friday is the Muslim holiday and the main mosque in each town is known as the
Jama Masjid or Friday
Mosque. One of the aims of every Muslim is to make a pilgrimage
(Hajj) to Mecca and become a Hajji.
Despite its initial vigor, Islam has eventually become inert and unchanging. However the effects of Muslim influence in India are particularly visible in architecture, art and food.
Sufism
Sufism is a branch of Islamic Philosophy, which has its basis in the belief that abstinence self-denial and tolerance- even of their religions- are the route to union with God. This religious tolerance sets the Sufis very much apart from conventional Islamic thought, which has led to their persecution in some countries; in India, the sect appeals to the members of all religions and is growing in popularity.
Sufis also believe that the achievement of a trance-like state of ecstasy brings the believer close to God, and to this end music and dance are used extensively.
Qawwali music (rhymed, devotional Urdu couplets, usually with harmonium accompaniment) is still performed at
Darghas (shrine tombs) of Sufi saints of the Chisti sect in India today. It is at such times that
Dervishes (Sufi holy men) become so entranced they go in to a fit of frenzy.
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