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True faith is about drawing closer to God through righteousness, not through political or social dominance ‘Religious conversions in India have long been a sensitive issue, sparking social, political, and legal debates. With its diverse religious landscape—including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism—conversion is often seen as either a matter of personal freedom or a form of coercion. Recently, the case of Pastor Bajinder Singh has intensified discussions.
A former Sikh who converted to Christianity, Singh gained fame as an evangelical pastor known for faith healing and large gatherings. However, controversy followed him, and last week, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for repeated rapes. While Article 25 of the Indian Constitution guarantees religious freedom, concerns persist over the tactics used by some Christian evangelists, particularly in rural and tribal areas.
Critics argue that coercion, deception, and financial incentives play a role, fuelling social tensions and prompting legal action in several states. The Muslim Response: Rise of Dawah Activities Observing the assertive expansion of Christian missionary activities, Muslim organizations in India also intensified their efforts in Dawah (Islamic preaching). Traditionally, Islam in India grew through trade, migration, and Sufi influence, rather than organised proselytisation efforts.
However, in recent decades, Islamic organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami and Tablighi Jamaat have increased their Dawah outreach, targeting marginalised Hindu communities, particularly Dalits, with messages of social equality and societal uplift. The bone of contention in the discourse on religious conversions lies in whether conversions are driven by genuine spiritual conviction or by socio-economic and political incentives. While an individual’s right to choose their faith is protected under Indian law, critics argue that many conversions are linked to material benefits, creating tensions among religious communities.
Roots of Islamic Conversions in India Contrary to popular belief, Indian Muslims come from diverse ancestral backgrounds, and not all are descendants of Hindu converts. The Muslim population in India is diverse, and their origins can be traced back to four distinct historical categories. During the time of Prophet Mohammad, his companions travelled to the coastal regions of India, playing a key role in introducing Islam to the subcontinent.
In Gujarat, the companions built a mosque in Barwada, facing Jerusalem, as the Kaaba in Mecca had not yet become the qibla. Later, Malik bin Dinar arrived in Kerala in the 7th century, where he is credited with establishing one of the first mosques in India, the Cheraman Juma Masjid. It is traditionally believed that the mosque was commissioned by the local Hindu King Raja Cheraman Perumal, who witnessed the Prophet Mohammed’s miracle of splitting the moon from the top of his palace.
He later heard the same story from Arab traders, who spoke of the person who performed the miracle. These early missions by the Prophet’s companions laid the foundations for Islam’s spread in India through trade, long before later military expansions. The second group encompasses those who arrived as a result of military conquests and political rule.
The arrival of Mohammed bin Qasim in 712 CE marked the beginning of significant Islamic influence in the Sindh region. However, he did not stay in India long-term, but his military campaign led to the conquest of Sindh (modern-day Pakistan). Scholar K.
K. Aziz, a historian, mentions in his work The British and the Muslims in India that “the conversions in the early years were generally by persuasion, and not by force. The Muslim rulers employed a combination of patronage, incentives, and the establishment of Islamic institutions to facilitate the spread of the religion.
" Unlike the forceful conversions during the Spanish Inquisition, Islamic rulers in India used a more nuanced strategy, which combined incentives for conversion with efforts to establish political and economic control. The emphasis was often on governance, taxation, and administration, with conversions happening over time rather than through immediate coercion. The third group includes skilled migrants and settlers who arrived during the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal period.
These migrants, many of whom were part of royal armies and administrative networks, played an important role in shaping India’s Indo-Islamic culture. Among these groups are the Hyderabadi Siddi and Chaush groups, people of African and Yemeni origins, who became an integral part of the Nizam’s military and administrative framework. Turks, Iranians, and Iraqis also migrated to India to settle under Muslim rule.
The fourth and final group consists of indigenous converts, who embraced Islam over the centuries, often drawn by its call of social equality and societal status. The Sufi tradition funded by the Muslim emperors was particularly instrumental in spreading Islam in India. Islam’s Stance on Religious Conversion in India In Islam, it is forbidden to force anyone to convert.
As stated in the Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah (2:256), “There is no compulsion in religion." This clear directive underscores that belief is a personal matter and cannot be imposed by force. Moreover, the Quran and Hadith emphasise that the responsibility of the Prophet Mohammed was simply to convey the message, not to convert individuals.
Even the Prophet himself could not bring someone to Islam including his own uncle Abu-Talib, as it was against the will and wisdom of God. This understanding explains why, despite various invasions throughout history, the majority of Indians (about 80%) remained Hindu. It was not until the late 1990s that organised Muslim missionary movements (Dawah) began to emerge with the intention of converting non-Muslims to Islam.
However, despite the exaggerated Dawah calls, conversions have remained a relatively small percentage. Christian Evangelism Vs Muslim Dawah During the era of European invasions, Christian missionaries were highly active. The Spanish Inquisition led to the forced conversion of millions of Muslims in Spain.
Similarly, Christianity spread in the Philippines during Spanish colonization and in Africa and India during the British Raj. Missionaries initially cast doubts on both Islam and Hinduism, sometimes altering religious practices and rituals to suit their agendas. One of their common tactics was misrepresenting Prophet Mohammed’s marriage to Aisha, despite such marriages being a cultural norm among pre-World War II Jews and Christians.
In South Africa, missionaries used similar shaming tactics, which led a Muslim shop owner, Ahmed Deedat, to become an aggressive Christianity basher. Deedat eventually adopted a “turn the tables over" approach, using the Bible itself to counter missionary arguments. This method became his signature style in debates against Christian evangelists.
Later, Zakir Naik adopted a similar pattern in India. However, there is a chalk-and-cheese difference between the audiences of India and South Africa. Under the Congress-led UPA government, Christian missionaries conducted large-scale conversion drives in South India, particularly in Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.
They targeted poverty-stricken Hindus and Muslims, enticing them with monetary benefits, free education, and medical treatment in Christian schools and hospitals. The underlying motive was largely political—to increase the Christian population and form a Christian-majority political influence. In response, Jamaat-e-Islami in India employed similar tactics, using social welfare initiatives as a means of conversion.
Notably, many donors of Zakir Naik and Dawah centres inspired by him are funded by Jamaat-e-Islami members. Zakir Naik’s father was a core Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) member, and Naik often flaunted his association with the Pakistan-based scholar, the late Israr Ahmed. Naik organised large-scale Dawah conferences in India, where he invited prominent Islamic scholars.
Under the Congress-led UPA government, he was granted permission to host these events. In 2006, Naik handpicked Asif-MBA from Hyderabad—a hardcore Jamaat-e-Islami member—to organise a conference hosting Israr Ahmed. Despite having other capable students, Naik specifically chose Asif due to his strong ideological ties with Jamaat-e-Islami.
Another key figure in this network was the late Riyaz Moosa Malabari, a Jamaat-e-Islami member whose Kuwait visa was revoked after he visited Iran in 1980 as part of a Jamaat-e-Islami delegation to meet Ayatollah Khamenei. Despite Tablighi Jamaat’s reputation as a religious movement focused on improving the faith of Muslims, it had never actively engaged in converting non-Muslims—until recently. This shift was driven by figures like Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui and Riyaz Malabari, who initiated dedicated Dawah efforts within the Tablighi Jamaat to convert non-Muslims.
Historically, Sufis played a significant role in the spread of Islam, but in modern times, they no longer engage in organised conversion movements. Ahl-e-Hadees group follows a similar approach, despite theological differences with Sufism. Ahl-e-Hadees, on the other hand, have traditionally focused on purifying existing Muslims from practices they deem as shirk (polytheism) and bid’ah (religious innovations).
However, over time, both Tablighis and Ahl-e-Hadees have initiated Dawah movements due to their insecurity with Jamaat-e-Islami’s outreach strategies. Moreover, Jamaat-e-Islami frequently organizes conferences and luncheons for non-Muslims, particularly Dalit Hindus. The primary motive is political rather than purely religious—to convert large numbers of lower-caste Hindus and create a Muslim-dominant voter base.
This political-religious strategy has led to tensions in society. The mainstream media has widely reported on alleged deceptive tactics such as “Love Jihad", where young Muslim men are accused of converting Hindu girls to Islam through marriage. Self-Reflection Over Political Aspirations Throughout history, very few prophets became rulers, while thousands remained purely spiritual guides.
Among those who became Rulers were David, Solomon, Moses, Joshua, and Prophet Mohammad. Even when Angel Gabriel offered Prophet Mohammed a choice—to be either a prophet and king or a prophet and servant—he chose to remain a servant of God, prioritising humility over power. Jesus never became a king or ruler.
He never craved it. For both Muslims and Christians, the focus should not be on political dominance or religious expansion through force, but rather on personal growth, education, and spiritual purification. Faith is not about ruling over others but about guiding oneself toward righteousness.
Islam has already spread across 52 Muslim-majority nations, and Christianity remains the largest religion globally. Neither faith needs political conquests to validate its truth. Instead of striving to “convert" others, believers should first work on bettering themselves, living as examples of faith through their character and actions.
However, if a non-Muslim chooses Islam or a non-Christian embraces Christianity, it should be their personal decision—free from coercion or pressure. People of faith should support sincere seekers but never impose beliefs on others. The ultimate goal should be co-existence, mutual respect, and the freedom to practice one’s faith without fear or conflict.
Religious communities must avoid creating division and discord, as such tensions can lead to restrictions on religious freedoms for all. True faith is about drawing closer to God through righteousness, not through political or social dominance. Zahack Tanvir is an Indian-origin activist and founder of The Milli Chronicle, a UK-based publication.
With expertise in geopolitics and counter-extremism, he provides insights into global affairs. He holds certifications in Counterterrorism from the University of Leiden of the Netherlands, and Georgetown University of Washington DC. He tweets under @ZahackTanvir.
The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views..
