Hinduism was born in India, but with the rise of the Moguls, India became
a permanent home for another of the world’s major religions: Islam. Hinduism
and Islam have little in common, often resulting in conflict between their
adherents. Here are some of the ways in which the teachings and beliefs differ:
These differences are further highlighted when one considers that much of
the art produced by these groups is religious in nature (especially the Hindu
depiction of various gods), meaning that their unique beliefs become even
more distinct in contrast to each other. Differentiations are also stressed
because both Hindus and Muslims are forbidden by their beliefs to intermarry or even to eat together. The Muslim views the cow, considered holy by the
Hindu, as a suitable meal.
There were some attempts to bridge the differences between Hinduism and
Islam during portions of the Mogul period, especially during the reign of Akbar.
The Sikh movement is the most notable effort to bring the two religions closer
together. Sikhism stressed monotheism and personal devotion, and Sikhs do
not believe in the caste system. Although the Sikhs and other movements ultimately
failed to bring the two religions closer together, their influence is still visible.
Islamic emphasis on monotheism is more pronounced, perhaps in
response to the Indian experience in which many gods were competing for converts.
Muslims also began to hold saint-like figures from their history in high
regard, and marriage was influenced by the caste system. Akbar’s tolerance of
non-Muslims is probably one of the most obvious examples of Hinduism influencing
the Islamic state.
For Hindus, the unity of god(s) was a distinctive characteristic of
their beliefs during the Mogul period. Other ways that Islam influenced
Hinduism are evidenced in the Sikh and other reform movements
that sought to end the caste system. Bhakti, an approach
whereby salvation is gained through religious devotion or piety, is
also a Hindu concept with foreign roots.
There was some compromise and occasionally each group took an
idea or concept from the other, but there has never been wholesale
blending of Hinduism and Islam. The fact that the two religions are still
clearly identifiable today is a testament to the success of past attempts
made by each group to retain its identity. Much has been written about
the conflicts between Islam and Christianity, especially in regard to the
Crusades, but the conflicts between Islam and Hinduism are at least
equally important in defining Islam. In fact, the clashes in India during
the Mogul era may be a significant factor in the longevity of the two
belief systems: Each had a competing, almost completely opposite
worldview from which it could distinguish itself. Consequently, both succeeded
in establishing themselves as distinct religions with clear and
identifiable traits.
