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Tamil Nadu (Islam and Muslims)

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Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Indian Religions ((EIR))

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Definition

The patterns of the development of Islam and Muslim communities in the southern state of Tamil Nadu have in many ways differed from those operative in many other parts of South Asia.

Introduction

Tamil Nadu, India’s southernmost state, is generally overlooked in discussions of Islam and Muslim communities in India. The relatively low percentage of Muslims in the state population (5.6% in 2001) and the marginality of the region to the history of Muslim-ruled states may be the main reason for this. At the same time, the development of Islam and Muslim communities in Tamil Nadu shows some rather unusual patterns. Despite the relatively small numbers of Muslims in the region, Muslim communities in Tamil Nadu display a high degree of diversity. As along India’s west coast, integration into the networks of transoceanic trade has played an important role in the history of local Muslim communities. Muslims in Tamil Nadu have been remarkably ready to utilize the local language for...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

    Dr. Torsten Tschacher

  2. Institute of Islamic Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Dr. Torsten Tschacher

Authors
  1. Dr. Torsten Tschacher
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Correspondence to Torsten Tschacher .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pomona College Religious Studies, Claremont, CA, USA

    Zayn R. Kassam

  2. Rollins College Jewish Studies Program, Winter Park, FL, USA

    Yudit Kornberg Greenberg

  3. World Zoroastrian Organization, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Jehan Bagli

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Tschacher, T. (2018). Tamil Nadu (Islam and Muslims). In: Kassam, Z.R., Greenberg, Y.K., Bagli, J. (eds) Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1267-3_1925

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