Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c14.26

c14.26

Arab Muslims first settled on the Malabar coast about the end of the seventh century. ‘These Arab traders who settled down on India’s coast between the seventh and the ninth centuries were treated with tolerance by the Hindus', and so they grew in numbers. In the early part of the eighth century, Hajjaj bin Yusuf (who sent Muhammad bin Qasim to Sind), drove out some persons of the house of Hasham, and they left their homeland to settle in Konkan and the Cape Camorin area. Refugees or traders, Muslims were welcome in India, and 'apparently, facilities were given to them to settle and acquire lands and openly practice their religion...'.¹⁸ In course of time mosques were erected at eleven places on the Malabar coast.¹⁹ But till the end of the tenth century their settlements were only too small. The Muslim Arab historio-geographers, while describing the achievements of Muslims on the Malabar coast, exaggerate their numbers and influence for Sulaiman, who visited India in the ninth century, states that he did not find any Muslims or Arabic-speaking people on the western coast.²⁰