Influence of Indian Religious Ideas on Islam    

Such influence has been traced notably in the growth and development of Islamic mysticism or Sufism. As Titus pointed out ‘ here the contribution seems to be made in thought, religious imagery of expression and pious practices which came from Vedantic and Buddhist sources’. According to Vorlesungen iber den Islam by Seelye ‘ The Aghani has preserved for us atleast one portrayal of an unmistakable Buddhist way of Life and the Zindiq monks described by Al-Jahiz (9th century a.d.) were either Indian Sadhus, Buddhist monks or their imitators’. They were responsible for preaching Indian ideas to Arab scholars.

One such scholar Abu-al-Ala-al-maarri (973 to 1057 a.d.) who is described as the philosopher of poets and poet of philosophers was so much inoculated by Indian ideas that he adopted a vegetarian diet and a life of seclusion. (Hitti). Even in building mosques they were indebted to India for craftsmen and ideas. (History of the Philosophy of Islam by T J De Boer). Early Arab geographers derived from India the notion of world-center, which they called Arin, a corrupt form of Ujjayini, which was famous for its astronomical observatory.

A few thoughts on the similarities between Sufism and Vedanta. Recently, a famous Sufi mystic from Sindh, Pakistan visited Mumbai to meet his followers, one of whom is a Hindu Sindhi friend. Amongst others, he had done a Ph.D in Vedanta. Why on earth would he study Vedanta? In Islam there is only the Prophet, there is no concept of having a Guru or Pir, and then how do we have Sufi Pirs. Music is not part of Islam but is an important of Sufi culture, remember Nusreh Fateh Ali Khan. Other similarities are physical exercises like restraining of breadth, recitation of sacred words, and tolerance of other religions and belied in union with the Supreme Being through love and Shakti.

The end of this period coincided with the invasion of India by Mahmud Ghazni.