Muslims in the Deccan: A Historical Survey of Diverse Groups

Summary

The book *Muslims in the Deccan: A Historical Survey* by Omar Khalidi explores the diverse Muslim communities in the Deccan region, emphasizing their ethnic and historical complexity. It challenges the monolithic view of Muslims in India, highlighting pre-colonial ethnic identities like Arabs, Turks, and Afghans. The study focuses on early Muslim groups such as the Konkanis and Nawaits, who arrived peacefully in the Malabar coast around 699, predating the Arab invasion of Sindh. These trading communities later migrated inland, forming one of India's oldest surviving Muslim populations. The book also examines the influential Hadrami Arabs, including Sayyids, who claimed direct kinship with Prophet Muhammad and established religious and political roles in Deccan sultanates. Their migration patterns, social status, and contributions to culture are analyzed. Additionally, the Habashis, a small African Muslim group, are discussed for their unexpected prominence in Deccan society despite their minority status. The Shias, another key community, are examined as a sociological group with both Indian and Iranian origins. The Pathans and Mahdawis are also covered, tracing their migration, assimilation, and eventual integration into broader Sunni Muslim society. The author argues that a unified Deccani Muslim identity emerged only in the late 19th century through shared geography, intermarriage, and cultural cohesion. The study concludes with the impact of Hyderabad State's fall in 1948 and the Rizakars' political legacy in the 1940s. While praised for its detailed historical analysis and original sources, the book is critiqued for its hasty final chapters and the absence of a comprehensive bibliography. It offers a nuanced perspective on the Deccan's Muslim history but leaves gaps in discussing conversions and modern socio-economic trends.