Dissertation Synopsis of

The Identity of Muslims in India;

Before and After the Partition

Submitted to:

Co-ordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC)

H.O: Wafa Campus, Pang, Malappuram

Submitted by:

IQBAL BIN MUHAMMED

Email: iqbalbinmuhammed@gmail.com
CIC No: 6758

Under the guideship of

FAISAL WAFY KADAMPUZHA

Email: faisalwafykpz@gmail.com

Dept. Of Tahreeq Wal Halara

KKHM Islamic and Arts College
Markaz Campus, Karthala Po, Malappuram, Kerala

2022
 Introduction

In 708, the Muslim rule began in the Indian subcontinent after the conquest
of Sindh and Multan by Muhammad bin Qassim during the period of the
Umayyad dynasty.
From the 12th century onwards, various Muslim empires established themselves
in the Indian subcontinent like Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal empire. Other
Muslim kingdoms, which ruled most of South Asia during the 14th to 18th
centuries were the Bahmani sultanate, Bengal Sultanate, Deccan
Sultanate, Gujarat Sultanate, and Mysore Sultanate.
From the 15th century, European exploration was started in India by the
Portuguese, then Dutch, and French. They colonized several parts of India and
happened a lot of conflicts for freedom.
In the 17th century, The British came to India for trade in the form of the East
India Company and slowly, but steadily began to take control over India. That
was the end of the era of the Mughal empire.

The Mutiny of 1857 - popularly known as the First freedom struggle of India
was the first expression of organized resistance against the British East India
Company. The revolt marked the end of the East India Company’s rule in
India and the beginning of the direct rule of the British crown.

At the time of the first freedom struggle, the Muslim community in India had to
endure a lot of persecution by the British police. They were attacked, killed,
tortured more than other communities.
After a while, the Muslim community started to restore their existence through
the community leaders like Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan, Nawab Muhsin ul Mulk
and Waqar ul Mulk. They organized the Muslim community and tried to
provide them with quality education. Their efforts led to the formation of the
All-India Muslim League.
The All-India Muslim League, the first centrally organized political party for
Muslims was founded in Dhaka on 30 December 1906, followed by the
footsteps of Sir Syed. The communal idea of the Muslim League that to make
an identity for Muslims in Indian politics and it became the sole representative
body of the Indian Muslims.
In 1945, the Labour Party came to power in Britain and pledged to grant
independence to India. Elections were held in all the provinces of British India,
the Indian National Congress won in seven out of eleven provinces and the
Muslim League won all the seats reserved for Muslims. In 1946, the British
Government sent the Cabinet Mission to India to secure arrangements for a
peaceful transfer of power.
At that time, an interim government was in charge of the Congress and Muslim
League sharing ministries. But soon the arrangement broke down and Lord
Mountbatten put the proposal to partition India using the three regions as had
been suggested by the Cabinet Mission
On 4 June 1947, the scheme to Partition India was announced by Mountbatten
and endorsed in speeches by Jawahar Lal Nehru and Muhammed Ali Jinnah on
All-India Radio.
British India was separated into two independent Dominions: The Republic of
India, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The partition involved the division
of two provinces, Bengal and Punjab, based on district-wide Muslim or non-
Muslim majorities.
The Partition of India was one of the most defining events in the history of the
Indian subcontinent. With no accurate accounts of how many died or lost their
homes, estimates suggest that perhaps up to 20 million people were affected by
the Partition.
The partition widely affected the Muslim community across the country. The
Majority of the Muslims were migrated to Pakistan. Including the Major
community leaders. Muslim women were abducted, raped, mutilated, and killed
along with children, both born and unborn. Families abandoned their ancestral
properties. Then the ordinary Muslims who couldn't migrate became insecure
and illiterate. They have questioned their identity.
After the partition, the All-India Muslim League was dissolved on 14 August
1947. It continues to exist in various forms as political parties in Pakistan and
India. In India, the Indian Union Muslim League was reorganized as a political
party under the leadership of Quaid-e-Millat Muhammed Ismail Sahib.
Normally, the political power of the Muslim community was depleted after the
partition. They were backward educationally and financially.
In 2005 Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh issued a Notification for the
constitution of a High-Level Committee chaired by Justice Rajinder Sachar to
prepare a report on the social, economic, and educational status of the Muslim
community of India. The Sachar committee was prepared a 403-page report and
presented it to the Lok Sabha. This report highlighted issues facing the Muslim
community and their representation in Indian public life.
We can divide the living conditions of Muslims in India into two different
periods. Before the Partition and after the Partition.
Here, the researcher intends to do a study the identity of Muslims in India
before and after the Partition.

Need and Significance of the Study

Currently, there are no more relevant research has been done on this specific
topic. But we can find so many books about Muslims in India, their history, and
culture. There are some books about partition and its consequences. We are
trying to study the existence of Indian Muslims. It is very important in the
current political incorrectness.
Today Indian Muslims are facing a lot of problems like illiteracy, poverty and
they are being questioned about their identity.
It is a step to recover the identity of Indian Muslims.
 Aims and Objectives

➢ To understand the political identity and living conditions of Indian

Muslims before partition
➢ To evaluate the reasons and after-effects of the partition
➢ To compare the identity politics of the Muslim League before and after
the partition
➢ To Analyse the scope of Integration between Indian Muslims
➢ Step to give the existential consciousness for Indian Muslims across the
country

Research Methodology

It is a mix of historical and descriptive methods of the research study. The

historical method used for the following topics;
• The heritage of Muslims in the Indian sub-continent.
• The condition of Muslims at the time of the first freedom struggle
• The contributions of the All-India Muslim League in the elevation of
Indian Muslims before partition
• The reasons and after-effects of the partition
The descriptive method used for the following topics;
• The current condition of Muslims in India
• The responsibilities of the Muslim league in the development of Indian
Muslims
• The scope of Integration between Indian Muslims
 Review of Literature

There are some research studies based on the partition and other books about
Indian Muslims.
1. Historian Priya Satya- Professor of International History at Stanford
University- studied the history of the partition and how that is at the root
of today’s continuing tensions between Pakistan and India.
2. ‘The psychological impact of the partition’ is a work by Sanjeev Jain and
Alok Sarin that reveals the psychological impact of Partition through
medical and psychiatric perspectives. The Partition of India was a
partitioning of minds as much as it was a geographical division. This
book examines the partitioning of human experience and its impact on
social life and psychological health.
3. Al Muslimuna Fil Hind is a famous Arabic book by Maulana Abul Hasan
Ali Nadwi. It gives a detailed exposition of the achievements of Muslim
scholars in India and their contribution to the freedom struggle. It was
translated to English and Urdu
4. M C Vadakara was a Kerala historian who has written several books
about the Muslim League and its political history. He simply connects the
important incidents that happened in the history of India and the Muslim
league.
 Proposed contents

1. Identity of Muslims before the partition

1.1. What is meant by identity?
1.2. Heritage of Indian Muslims
1.2.1. Arrival of Muslims in India
1.2.2. Muslim empires in India
1.3. First freedom struggle of India
1.3.1. European exploration and conflicts
1.3.2. The arrival of British in India
1.3.3. Cruelty of the British government on Muslims
1.3.4. Aftereffects of first freedom struggle
1.4. All India Muslim League
1.4.1. Thoughts and effort of Sir Sayed
1.4.2. The great leaders of Muslim League
1.4.3. Resurrection of Indian Muslims

2. The Partition of India

2.1. Reasons for the partition
2.1.1. Religious interpretations
2.1.2. Concept of Muslim League
2.1.3. A geographical analysis
2.2. Incidents at the time of partition
2.2.1. Fleeing of Muslims to Pakistan
2.2.2. The communal riots
 2.3. Indian National Congress
2.3.1. Concepts and ideology
2.3.2. Dealings and temptation to Muslim leaders

3. Indian Muslims after Partition

3.1. Consequences of the partition across the country
3.1.1. Condition of North Indian Muslims
3.1.2. The Sachar Committee Report
3.1.3. RSS and Its Agenda
3.1.4. Attacks against Muslim identity

3.2. Indian Union Muslim League

3.2.1. Continuity and growth
3.2.2. The concept of secularism
3.2.3. As a political identity of Muslims
3.2.4. Relevance and responsibilities
3.2.5. Other political parties addressing the Muslim society
3.3. How Kerala is different?
3.3.1. The great leaders of Kerala
3.3.2. Contradiction and diversity of organizations

4. Challenges and possibilities

4.1. Make the existential consciousness
4.1.1. Identity politics propaganda
4.1.2. Development of education
4.2. Scope of integration
4.2.1. Integration through politics
4.2.2. Unity of minorities
 References

1) Dr Shashi Tharoor – From Midnight to the Millennium 1997

2) Jawaharlal Nehru – The discovery of India in 1946
3) Barney White-Spanner - Partition: The story of Indian independence and the
creation of Pakistan in 1947
4) Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi - Al Muslimuna fil Hind
5) Lapierre Dominique & Larry Collins – Freedom at midnight-1975
6) Arjun Subramaniam - India's wars; a military history, 1947-1971
7) William Dalrymple – The last Mughal-2006
8) Yoginder Sikand - Muslims in India-2006
9) Yoginder Sikand - Muslims in India since 1947: Islamic perspectives on
interfaith relations-2004
10) Yoginder Sikand – Muslim education in contemporary India: A classified
and annotated bibliography-2008
11) Yoginder Sikand - Bastions of the Believers: Madrasas and Islamic
Education in India
12) Yoginder Sikand – Issues in Madrassa education in India-2008
13) M C Vadakara – Muslim league nilapaadukalude Neethishaasthram
14) MC Vadakara – Muslim league charithrathinte dashasanthikalil
15) MC Vadakara – Muslim rashtreeyathinte nooru varshangal