Religious Syncretism among Indian Muslims and Its Manifestation in Dargah Practices

Abstract

The article explores a syncretic form of Islam in India in the context of the emergence of essentialist and puritanical religious discourses. The changes that such discourses can bring in the moral constitution of Muslims can disturb their harmonious integration with the religio-cultural elements of their immediate environment. The historical analysis of this phenomenon traces the syncretic nature of the social and economic exchanges between Hindus and Muslims, convergence of the spiritual aspects of bhakti and Sufism, and how Sufi shrines became cultural centres for both Muslims and Hindus. The article also situates the Moplah Rebellion in the context of syncretism in Kerala. The study makes an in-depth inquiry into the syncretic form of Islam prevailing in the dargahs in the state. The inquiry should aid understanding of the present state of syncretic identification among Muslims in Kerala.