Were Indians forced to convert to Islam from Hinduism?

Answer 1

Answer 1

Islam does not allow it's followers to enforce the religion upon any one. It was never spread on the basis of the sword but solely upon the surrender of the nation itself in front of the great leaders and knowledgeable able preachers. That is how great Islamic empires were formed and that is how great Islamic invasions took place.

Answer 2

Depending on the Muslim ruler of India, there were events of forcible conversion. King Aurangzeb is well-known in India for this act as well as destroying major Hindu Temples such as the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Kesava Deo temple and Somnath temple. His grandfather, Akbar the Great, by contrast, was known for permitting the free and equal practice of religion.

However, the majority of Islamic converts in India came from the Untouchable and Sudra Hindu Castes who never would have had a chance to be well-treated in Hindu society. However, in Islam all men were equal before God, making conversion an escape from this social suppression. This was welcomed by the lower classes.

However, unlike other areas that came under Muslim domination, Islam did not penetrate India nearly as well as it did in North Africa or the Middle East. Similar to the situation in Southeastern Europe, the indigenous faith (Christianity in Europe and Hinduism in India) was deeply entrenched, many places were remote and difficult to access, and Islamic rule did not come until at least the mid-1500s. This led to lower conversion rates and of Islam only becoming dominant in relatively small pockets. This is the reason why today, the ratio of Muslims to Hindus on the Indian Subcontinent is still 1:2.