Religious Pluralism and Intellectual Openness in the Golden Age of Islam

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 24 July 2025 The Abbasid era witnessed remarkable interfaith tolerance, cultural exchange, and scholarly studies of various religions, including Hinduism. Muslim scholars engaged deeply in comparative religion, promoting dialogue, understanding, and peaceful coexistence—contrary to modern misconceptions of Islamic narrow-mindedness or isolation. Main Points: 1. Abbasid rulers encouraged open religious debates, allowing scholars of all faiths to present their beliefs. 2. Yahya al-Barmaki sent a researcher to India to study Hindu beliefs and cultural practices. 3. Muslim scholars documented Indian sects like Mahakaliya, Sun, Moon, and Ganga worshippers in Arabic texts. 4. A Hindu king requested the Qur'an’s translation and learned Islam through dialogue with a Muslim scholar. 5. Interfaith harmony and intellectual exchange flourished under Abbasids, challenging modern myths about Islamic intolerance. ----- During the Abbasid era, we find many examples of religious studies and cultural diversity that clearly reflect the tolerance and open-mindedness of the Abbasid Caliphs. This inclusive and progressive attitude is a remarkable part of history. Unfortunately, today the real history is being hidden, and much of what is being written is far from the truth. A common false belief has been promoted that Muslims are narrow-minded, isolated within their own beliefs, and uninterested in other religions or ideologies. Let it be known—this is merely a baseless assumption that has been widely spread and continues to be promoted. Muslim engagement in religious and philosophical studies is not limited to mere verbal claims; rather, there are numerous written works and scholarly contributions by Muslims on comparative religion. Their efforts in this field deserve to be recorded in bold letters. When we analyse the trends in religious and comparative studies during the Abbasid period, it becomes clear that Muslims never hesitated to explore this subject. The cultural exchange and mutual understanding that arose from these interactions had an extraordinary impact on society. One outcome was that Arabs took active steps to understand the Hindu religion. Historians mention that Yahya al-Barmaki, who served as a vizier from 170 to 190 Hijri, sent a man specifically to India to document Indian medicines and religions. At that time, Baghdad had become a centre where people of all religions and beliefs gathered. The courts of the Abbasid Caliphs and their philosopher-leaning nobles hosted regular religious debates and intellectual gatherings. Specific days and times were set aside for these events, where people of all religions were allowed to present arguments for their beliefs, raise objections against Islam, and listen to responses. Muslim scholars (Mutakallimun) led these debates, and the Barmakid family especially supported such endeavours. It’s likely due to their patronage that there was a desire to better understand Indian religions. Although the detailed report of the man sent to India has not been preserved, the famous scholar Ibn al-Nadim refers to a document written by the renowned Arab philosopher Yaqub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi, who worked at Bayt al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom) in Baghdad translating texts. This document, dated 349 Hijri, includes a report that Yahya al-Barmaki had sent someone to India to study its religions and beliefs. It lists the names of Indian sects and briefly describes their practices. This may well be a summary of the original report. The document mentions the following sects: 1. Mahakaliya – Worshippers of the goddess Mahakali. 2. Aditya Bhaktas – Sun worshippers (Aditya means sun). 3. Chandra Bhaktas – Worshippers of the moon. 4. Ganga Patra (Ganga Yatris) – Believers that bathing in the Ganges washes away all sins. This sect was widespread across India. Several other sects and their worship methods are also mentioned. This event shows that Arabs had an early and genuine interest in learning about Indian culture, beliefs, and religions. Yahya al-Barmaki’s decision to send someone to India purely for religious and cultural research is a strong sign of his intellectual openness and appreciation of diverse ideas. Relations between Hindus and Muslims were quite positive in the Abbasid period. In his book Arb-o-Hind ke Ta‘alluqat ("Relations between Arabs and Indians"), Allama Syed Sulaiman Nadvi writes that friendly religious debates often took place between Arab Muslims, Hindus, and even Buddhists. There’s a famous incident during the reign of Caliph Harun al-Rashid (father of al-Mu'tasim), when an Indian king sent a message requesting that a Muslim scholar be sent to explain Islam and debate with his Hindu priest (Pandit). Similarly, the historian Al-Masudi mentions in Tarikh al-Masudi that when he visited India in 302 Hijri, the local ruler was a merchant who followed Brahminism and served under King Vallabh Rai of Mahanagar. This ruler loved debates and would frequently engage in discussions with visiting Muslims and followers of other religions. Another great achievement of the Abbasid era was the translation of the Qur’an into an Indian language (probably Hindi or Sindhi). This translation occurred at the request of an Indian Hindu king. In 270 Hijri, King Mehrook of Al-Rur, who ruled a region between Upper and Lower Kashmir, wrote to Abdullah bin Umar, the governor of Mansura (in Sindh), requesting that someone be sent to teach him Islam in his own language. There was an intelligent and poetic Muslim in Mansura, originally from Iraq but raised in India, who knew many Indian languages. The governor approached him, and he agreed to go. He first sent a poem in the king’s language, which greatly impressed the king. The king sent travel expenses and invited him to his court. This scholar stayed for three years, during which he translated the Qur’an into the local Indian language. The king listened to the translation daily and was deeply impressed. All of these examples are strong evidence of mutual religious understanding and scholarly efforts. Religious studies played a key role in promoting knowledge, research, and cultural exchange. That’s why Muslims explored various religions—Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity, Judaism, Sikhism—and contributed significantly to the field of comparative religion. Likewise, non-Muslims also made efforts to understand Islam. These shared efforts serve as an important model for today’s violent and divided world, reminding us of the value of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. It’s unfortunate that the modern global narrative ignores the rich legacy of tolerance and cultural harmony from the past. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-pluralism/religious-pluralism-intellectual-openness-golden-age/d/136274 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism