Habiba Hamisi, 26th November 2025

A subtle yet consequential cultural shift is unfolding among Indian Muslims, prompting a debate about the very core of their collective identity. Many are asking whether the rising influence of Muslim-majority regions especially the Gulf is gradually diluting the distinct, syncretic character that Indian Islam has developed over centuries.

This transformation is no longer limited to academic circles; it has entered everyday life and social behaviour. One can see it in the growing preference for the black abaya over the colourful salwar-kameez that once defined the community’s attire, or in the newfound popularity of Middle Eastern dishes such as mandi and shawarma, which are increasingly replacing long-standing regional culinary traditions. These visible changes raise a deeper question: does this process of “Arabization” or “Gulfisation” signal a return to a supposedly more “authentic” Islamic practice, or is it a departure from the rich, localised ethos that shaped Islam in India?

Historically, Islam in the subcontinent has never been rigid or uniform. Its roots lie in centuries of cultural exchange and accommodation rather than direct transplantation from the Arab world. Though early contact came through Arab traders along the Malabar coast, it was the Sufi saints of northern India who embedded the faith into local soil. They developed what is often called the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb an everyday, lived Islam that blended seamlessly with regional idioms, languages, and customs. Indian Muslims shared food, clothing styles (like the sari), artistic sensibilities, and festivals with other communities, producing an identity that was unmistakably Indian and unmistakably Muslim.

The term “Arabization” oversimplifies what is actually happening today. The shift is not toward the broad and varied cultures of the Arab world such as those of the Levant, North Africa, or Egypt but toward a narrow “Gulfised” version shaped largely by a petro-funded Salafi-Wahhabi worldview. This ideology promotes a homogenised, text-driven Islam that rejects local traditions as unwarranted innovations (biddat) and seeks to align Muslims everywhere with a single, purified model of religious life.

Several forces have accelerated this trend. Large-scale migration to Gulf countries has played a major role: returning workers often bring back not just money but also new ideas about piety and religious conformity. For many lower-middle-class Muslims, the Gulf represents both economic aspiration and a symbol of modern Muslim success. Adopting Gulf-influenced clothing, rituals, or food becomes a way to identify with a prosperous, global Muslim identity sometimes implicitly rejecting local cultural forms associated with marginalisation or poverty.

International religious networks and funding have also contributed to this reorientation by supporting institutions that promote standardised interpretations of Islam and view Sufi-derived practices with scepticism. Meanwhile, satellite television, social media, and digital preachers have connected Indian Muslims to a global “ummah,” amplifying the cultural dominance of the Middle East and making Gulf norms appear universally Islamic.

Taken together, these forces are nudging the community toward a more uniform and externally influenced religious identity, challenging the pluralistic traditions that defined Indian Islam for centuries. The debate now confronting Indian Muslims is not merely about clothing or cuisine it is about whether the future of the community will continue to draw strength from its indigenous, syncretic heritage or move toward an imported model that leaves little room for local culture.