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Jan 1, 711
First Large Expansion of Islam on Indian Subcontinent
In 711, the Umayyad dynasty of caliphs appointed Muhammad bin Qasim to go on a conquest to Sindth in present day Pakistan with an army of 6,000 soldiers. Many cities he traveled through along the Indus River voluntarily came under Muslim control. -
Jan 1, 712
All of Sindh Under Muslim Control
Muhammad bin Qasim was opposed by the Raja of Sindh, Dahir. Muhammad bin Qasim's army was able to defeat Dahir's army, putting all of Sindh under Muslim control. The people of Sindh were not forced to convert to Islam and there was religious freedom in the area. This event helped increase Islamic influce on the Indian subcontinent. -
Jan 1, 1279
Vijayanagara Empire Invites Seljuk Turks for Trade Relations
The newly formed Vijayanagara Empire, located at the southern end of present day India, invited the Seljuk Turks for trade relations. Turkish traders and missionaries settled around the empire spreading Islam and creating an Islam community of almost one million believers called Rowthers. -
Jan 1, 1300
Arabs Move to Southern Coast of India
In the 1300s, Arabs settled in the southern Indian regions of Nagore, Kilakkarai, Adirampattinam, Kayalpatnam, Erwadi, and Siri Laka. They brought large Islamic communities to India and a number of natives embraced Islam. This was the first Shafi facion community of Islam in the area and they were known as the Marakkar. The Marakkars eventually became a large Islamic community with about 2.5 million people. -
Nov 12, 1526
Babur Invades India and Conquers Delhi
Babur was an ethnically Turkish prince who invaded India and conquered Delhi in 1526. he established the Mughal dynasty that would control northern and central India for the next two hundred years. During this dynasty, the Muslim population grew rapidly. -
Britain Assumes Direct Control over India
Starting in the early nineteenth century, Britian began gaining control in India by taking the Mughal ruler under their protection. After a massive anti-British rebelion in Northern India, it was decided that the Mughal rule would be abolished and Britain would directly controll India. Having the ruler of India far away and disconnected from the Indian world led to many consequences. -
Creation of Pakistan
Pakistan was created by Britain after World War II. This was to be a Muslim homeland in South Asia. It was thought about earlier in the twentieth century, but the idea did not gain strength until the early 1940s. -
India Becomes Independent from Britain
Britain realized it could not afford its empire after the cost of World War II. It decided to give India its independence in a hurried manner. The hurried independence of India and the creation of Pakistan led to many conflicts within each forming nation and between the two nations. -
Creation of Border Between Pakistan and India
A British lawyer, Cyril Radcliffe, who had a limited knowledge of Indian conditions and used out-of-date maps and census materials, hurriedly drew the border between the two states. This border split farms and families in two, while also causing fighting and mass migration. Many Muslims migrated to Pakistan from Inida, and many Hinus migrated to India from Pakistan. -
First War Between India and Pakistan
Both India and Pakistan wanted control of Kashmir. Even though the majority of the population of Kashmir was Muslim, the ruler of Kashmir decided to join India. This led to war between India and Pakistan and eventually led to the partitioning of Kashmir. -
Bangladesh Becomes an Independent Nation
Lack of political and economic unity between West and East Pakistan led to independence movements in East Pakistan. A rebellion was started by the separatist Awami League. Following this rebellion, East Pakistan gained independence from West Pakistan and called itself Bangladesh. This was not a peaceful rebellion and it is estimated more than two million people were killed during this struggle for independence. -
Anti-Muslim Riots of Gujarat
Though many Muslims continue to live in India, the Muslim community has been increasingly marginalized and alienated since the 1970s. The anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat exemplify this anti-Muslim effort since the majority of the victims of these riots were Muslims. Still to this day, there is a tension that looms between Muslims and HIndus in parts of India. -
Completion of First Mosque in India
The first mosque in India was called the Cheraman Juma Masjid and was built in Kerala by the first Muslim from India, Cheraman Perumal Bhaskara Ravi Varma. The ideas of Islam were spread to the Indian subcontinent though Arab traders. This event marked the conversion of the earliest Indians to Islam.
