Persian And Islamic Culture example essay topic
401 words
In the Tenth Century following the downfall of the Gupta dynasty, northern India suffered a period of invasions from Central Asia. The Turks, pushed west by Chinese expansion, brought a wave of Islamic plundering expeditions to India. The invasions had a feature of Islamic expansion, although the primary goal was to ransack for Indian treasures. The style of Islam imposed on the conquered was harsh and intolerant. Nevertheless, Persian and Islamic culture began to diffuse through India from the north. According to Greaves a main result of the Islamic incursions and sultanates on India was a general mistrust in politics and government in general, as well as a mistrust of elements of Islam where they were linked to state policy. Still, the consequent India demonstrates a fusion of Hindu elements with Buddhism along with Iranian influences brought by the Turks. As a later result of sultan dictates against the Hindus, the powerful if simple spiritual movement of the Bhakti and Sufi unfolded capturing followers even among Muslims. It is also worth mentioning that Islam won some Indian converts. Trade continued between India and Southeast Asia; the two areas had a spiritual kinship that went back through the Buddhist missions of Ashoka. The immense area occupied by present day Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines retained their individual pre Indian cultures, but adopted some Islamic influences from converted Indian traders.
Muslim traders from the Middle East traveling the sea route to China probably influenced portions of Southeast Asia, but Islam arrived in no small measure through friendly trade with India. India did not seek conquest or control. Indian influence had already brought Hindu and Buddhist religious beliefs and culture which had been accepted variously in the region. For Southeast Asians, Islam and its Persian characteristics must have had an appeal, but voluntary conversion to the Islamic community for Southeast Asian traders also had business advantages in an area of increasingly Islamic dominance. Like newly converted Africans, Southeast Asians were selective in how they adapted Islamic culture. Both groups rejected the custom of Purdah.
Southeast Asians in Indonesia and the Philippines deviated from the rigid rules regarding prayer and fasting, while retaining Indian forms of dance, music, literature and art. The epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana are still appreciated there today.
