[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [General history and culture](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general) › [Indian Muslims: Who Are They](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.lal-1990) › c8.s5.2 # Indian Muslims: Who Are They c8.s5.2 Indian Muslims: Who Are They c8.s5.2 - **Language:** English ### [c8.s5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.lal-1990.c8.s5.2) We have referred at many places to the losses of Muslims in war. But a major portion of Muslim armies consisted of Hindus. Even Mahmud of Gaznis forces had Hindu contingents. During the Sultanate period Muslims, especially foreign Muslims, belonged to the officer cadre and were mostly cavalrymen; Hindus are often mentioned as Paiks or footsoldiers. The Paiks formed the rank and file and probably the bulk of the Muslim armies. There were large armies in India, both in the North and the South, of Bahmani, Vijayanagar, Mughal. The second volume of Abul Fazls \*Ain-i-Akbari\* gives lists of the large number of Hindu contingents that could be called to duty under Akbar. Naturally it is these who were killed in large numbers in wars being placed, as infantry was then placed, in a vulnerable position.⁵¹ The Hindus thus died not only for defending their kings and kingdoms during the unending process of Muslims territorial expansion; they also died in large numbers for their Muslim masters as soldiers in the latters armies.⁵² Compared with theirs, the loss of the Muslim numbers was small. Muslim population at least was not affected by these wars, because any loss in battles was more than made up by the number of captives, who used to be converted and also by replenishment through immigration. - [Previous: c8.s5.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.lal-1990.c8.s5.1) - [Next: c8.s5.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.lal-1990.c8.s5.3) - [Up: c8.s5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.lal-1990.c8.s5) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.lal-1990.c8.s5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.lal-1990.c8.s5.2) · Pramāṇa