The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c12.s3.4

c12.s3.4

During the medieval period, forcible and hurried conversions to Islam left most of the neo-Muslims half-Hindus. With his conversion to Islam the average Muslim did not change his old Hindu environment and tenor of life. The neo-Muslims love of Hinduism was because of their attachment to their old faith and culture.¹⁸ High class converted Hindus sometimes went back to Hinduism and their old privileges.¹⁹ At others the various classes of which the new Muslim community was composed began to live in separate quarters in the same city as described by Mukundram in the case of Bengal. Their isolation gave them some sort of security against external interference. On the other hand Indian Islam slowly began to assimilate the broad features of Hinduism.²⁰ Such a scenario obtained throughout the country. A few examples would suffice to bring out the picture dearly.