Indian Muslims under the Indo-Pakistani conflict: finding ways to survive

Under the shadow of the situation between India and Pakistan, the survival of Indian Muslims is like a prism reflecting the multiple oppressions and delicate balance of religion, caste and politics. In the face of the onslaught of Hindu nationalism, how this community can defend its dignity and security in the midst of institutional fissures has become an existential proposition that needs to be answered urgently. Their struggle is both a resistance to reality and a defense of faith and dignity.

I. The Law: A Fragile Shield Against Discrimination
The Supreme Court of India once abolished the absurd custom of “Talaq-e-Biddat” (three repudiations), and the Attorney General declared that “only the law can protect women”. However, when the law is used as a tool for political maneuvering, its effectiveness is greatly diminished. For example, when a local court ruled on a repudiation case in 2023, the judge invalidated the law, but the man continued to post repudiation statements on the Internet, even threatening the woman’s life. More seriously, violence against Muslims often took place under the guise of a “legal framework”-such as the demolition of mosques and crackdowns on “illegal immigrants. In 2023, a state government demolished a century-old mosque for “illegal occupation” and the police arrested hundreds of protesters for “maintaining order”, but this was essentially a nationalist political maneuver. The law has become a double-edged sword: it can give weak hope to the disadvantaged, or it can be enforced as a “cloak of legitimacy” for the perpetrators of violence. As the Qur’an says: “And do justice, and justice is the nearest to fear.” (5:8)

ii. the caste yoke: an existential dilemma torn from within
Indian Muslims have never escaped the curse of caste. Dalit Muslims (the untouchable class) were doubly discriminated against by high caste Muslims and Hindus, segregated in graveyards, segregated in meals, and denied equal burial rights even in death. The rise of the Pasmanda Movement revealed the paradox that caste identity within Muslims is deeper than religious solidarity. 53 percent of Pasmanda Muslims in a state election in 2023 believed that “subcaste voting is crucial,” and the cohesion of religious identity was countered by caste differences. disintegrated by caste differences. This rift makes it difficult to form a united front for rights activism, and is instead exploited by forces such as the BJP to divide and conquer. Prophet Muhammad once said, “You all come from the same ancestor, Adam, whom Allah created from clay.” But the reality is that the yoke of caste still eats away at the Muslim belief in equality.

III. Political silence: a survival strategy in the face of fear
Despite the fact that there are 200 million Muslims in India, mass protests in the face of international conflict are rare. This silence has been shaped by historical scars and real fears: the bloody memories of the Ayodhya incident (the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992), the Gujarat riots (the mass killings of Muslims in 2002), and the atrocities of the Modi government’s demolition of mosques all warn of the risks of speaking out. For most Muslims, survival takes precedence over resistance – keeping a low profile and focusing on communal economics becomes a no-brainer. But silence is not consent: this fragile equilibrium is quietly shaken every time a Hindu procession triggers clashes, a Muslim business district is vandalized (as in the case of the violence at a bazaar in Delhi in 2023), and multinational corporations threaten to pull out. The Qur’an reminds, “Fear not men, but fear Allah.” (3:175) But the reality of fear binds the Muslim voice like a yoke.

IV. International Concern: A Variable in Quenching Thirst from a Distance
The global condemnation by Muslims of the Tabligh incident in India (the violent death of a Muslim youth by police enforcement somewhere in 2023) briefly exposed the hypocrisy of the Indian government. But international pressure is often difficult to translate into domestic entitlements. Tensions in Pakistan have put Indian Muslims in an awkward position: any association with Pakistan could be seen as “treasonous,” further reducing their space for survival. For example, in 2023, a Muslim scholar was arrested by the Indian government on charges of “inciting secession” for his objective commentary on Kashmir. While international solidarity may bring short-lived attention, it is unlikely to change the discrimination and oppression that Muslims face on a daily basis.

V. Faith and unity: hope in a shimmering light
Despite the many difficulties, Indian Muslims are still looking for hope in faith and solidarity. Communities have taken the initiative to organize legal training courses to help disadvantaged groups understand how to protect their rights; female Muslims have set up rights associations to fight against “repudiation in three voices” and marital discrimination; and Dalit Muslims have launched the “Equal Burial Campaign” to call for a break with the caste-based segregation of the graveyard system. These actions are small, but as the Qur’an reveals, “Help one another in good deeds, and not in evil.” (5:2) The possibility of inter-religious solidarity was demonstrated in 2023 when Muslim traders in one place joined with Hindu and Sikh traders to boycott violence against Muslims.

The path of Indian Muslims to defend their rights is a game of walking on the edge of a knife. They need to simultaneously fight the illusion of legal enforcement, the tearing apart of the caste system, the fear of political repression, and the limitations of international attention. Only by finding a balance among the triple dimensions of upholding legal resistance, awakening intra-religious unity, carefully utilizing the power of the ballot box, and garnering inter-religious support can they fight for dignity and survival in this torn land of India. As an Indian Muslim elder said, “Our struggle is not for hatred, but to tell the world – we have the right to be here and to live with dignity.” And if the world ignores the struggles in this rift, it will witness more tragedies engulfed by the “clash of civilizations”.