Manipuri Muslims: Historical Perspectives, 615-2000 CE

Manipur’s little-known Muslim communities have a long and rich history, dating from the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). In this exhaustive historical account, Farooque Ahmed traces the arrival of Islam in the region in 615 CE through the Prophet’s companion S’ad ibn abi Waqqas, an uncle of the Prophet, who also was instrumental in spreading Islam in China. Around the same time, an Arab Muslim family settled in the Manipur region and over the centuries Muslim traders, settlers and preachers helped the nascent community expand, flourish and thrive. These waves of migrations and local conversions coalesced into a unique identity of ‘Pangal Musalman’ reflecting the egalitarian and congregational ideals of Islam.