Why did the areas of current day Pakistan & Bangladesh get quickly Islamized but the present day area of India remained predominantly Hindu to this day despite constant invasions by Islam for 1200 years?
Read this thread for an interesting hypothesis
Read this thread for an interesting hypothesis
The analysis is long but the simple summary – Present day Pakistan and Bangladesh were not exactly Hindu when the Islamic invasions started between 7th-8th century, they were Buddhist.
Buddhism of those areas in that time was monastic and centralized.
Buddhism of those areas in that time was monastic and centralized.
Buddhism of that time did two things
1) It made the population demilitarized
2) It created an Achilles heel where if a hostile force attacked the power structure at the center then the masses would implode, society would surrender to Islam with mass conversions.
1) It made the population demilitarized
2) It created an Achilles heel where if a hostile force attacked the power structure at the center then the masses would implode, society would surrender to Islam with mass conversions.
Hinduism was too decentralized and power was spread across the Jaati-varna system.
Like the grass that survives the storm by being very spread out and flexible while the mighty Oak falls .
Jaati-varna is much cursed today but its primary responsible for Hindus remaining Hindu.
Like the grass that survives the storm by being very spread out and flexible while the mighty Oak falls .
Jaati-varna is much cursed today but its primary responsible for Hindus remaining Hindu.
Areas of present day Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh-Bihar were either directly Buddhist ruled or the Hindu kings had disproportionate Buddhist influence in governance.
Within a century of the first invasions they were fully converted
Within a century of the first invasions they were fully converted
However Hindu India resisted and kept Buddhism alive at least in the monasteries around Bihar.
And then in the year 1193, these invaders led by Mohammad Bakhtiar Khilji, attacked and burnt down the heart of Buddhism in India – Nalanda university.
And then in the year 1193, these invaders led by Mohammad Bakhtiar Khilji, attacked and burnt down the heart of Buddhism in India – Nalanda university.
Mirjah-i-Siraj the famous Persian Muslim historian in his chronicle Tabaquat-I-Nasiri has left a detailed account of Khilji’s violence
The gigantic library complex of Nalanda of over 9 million invaluable manuscripts were set on fire and the burning continued for over six months.
The gigantic library complex of Nalanda of over 9 million invaluable manuscripts were set on fire and the burning continued for over six months.
He says that "…smoke from the burning manuscripts hung for days like a dark pall over the low hills”.
This invaluable collection of works that were destroyed was the products of centuries of scholastic studies.
A few monks managed to escape with a few manuscripts to Tibet
This invaluable collection of works that were destroyed was the products of centuries of scholastic studies.
A few monks managed to escape with a few manuscripts to Tibet
Mirjah-i-Siraj reports that thousands of Buddhist monks were burned alive and thousands beheaded as Khilji who tried his best to uproot Buddhism and plant Islam by the sword.
He says that Buddhism virtually disappeared under the brutal impact of Muslim fanaticism.
He says that Buddhism virtually disappeared under the brutal impact of Muslim fanaticism.
The Generals of Qutb-ud-Din, the first Muslim who ruled Delhi, resorted to widespread destruction of Buddhist monasteries
Many Buddhist monuments and sanctuaries near Benares were destroyed.
Eventually leading to extinction of Buddhism in India as a mainstream faith.
Many Buddhist monuments and sanctuaries near Benares were destroyed.
Eventually leading to extinction of Buddhism in India as a mainstream faith.
Hinduism on the other hand was extremely decentralized & resilient. There was brutality after brutality with mass murders but each time the specific area that suffered would pick up the pieces and resurge to live and fight for another day
Islam was never able to conquer Hinduism
Islam was never able to conquer Hinduism
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