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milieu. This is integral to the Indian nationalists’ view of a diverse but
inclusive India. The Bangladesh War of 1971 and the separation of Bengal
dented the idea of Pakistan and enhanced the demographic position of the
Indian Muslims. According to the latest 2011 census, Muslims constitute
the second largest religious community in India and with over 170 million
they make about 14 per cent of India’s total population (India, Office of
the Registrar General & Census Commissioner 2011 ). According to a
PEW study conducted in early 2015, India has the second largest Muslim
population in the world after Indonesia (Desilver and Masci 2017 ).
The Indian Muslims are anything but homogenous. Geographically
spread across the country, they are culturally diverse, linguistically differ-
ent and encompass various sects and branches of Islam. Though a majority
adheres to Sunni Islam, there are a considerable Shia population and fol-
lowers of other heterodox sects of Islam. India has the second largest Shia
community (PEW Research Center 2011 ) after Iran and has the largest
adherents of Sufis, Ismailis, Ahmadiyyas and Baha’is (PEW Research
Center 2009 ). Most Sunni Muslims follow the Hanafi School of Islamic
jurisprudence, and Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools are also followed in
certain parts of the country.^1
Culturally the Indian Muslims observe and adapt many local traditions
and share commonalities in terms of language, dress, cuisine and even
local rituals with their counterparts from other religions. This cultural
proximity is geography specific; the food and dress habits of Muslims in
Tamil Nadu are closer to their non-Muslim neighbours than their co-
religionist in the northeast. The prevalence of the caste system can also be
attributed to local influences and the concept of hierarchy could be noticed
among the Sayyids (those attributing lineage to the Prophet or his family)
and others.
(^1) A number of schools of thought had developed in early years of the advent of Islam and
as the faith spread to other parts of the world and many new adherents started to study the
‘divine scriptures,’ several new interpretations of obligations, methods of prayer, and so on
became popular. Gradually, however, Muslim states started to endorse one specific school of
thought as their preferred jurisprudence and eventually, these became consolidated with a
few recognized madhab or school of jurisprudence. In the contemporary Islamic world four
Sunni, two Shiite (Ja’afri and Zaidi), two others Ibadi and Zahiri schools are recognized. In
the Indian case, the Sultanate and Mughal rulers had adopted the Hanafi School of jurispru-
dence and hence, the Hanafi School is predominantly followed among Indian Muslims,
though other schools of thought too are followed in some parts. See (Karandikar 1968 ;
Sharif 1997 ; Syed 1986 ; Reetz 2006.
P. R. KUMARASWAMY AND MD. M. QUAMAR