Constructed Identities and the Concept of State in Islam

Allah Naam ki Siyasat, Hilal Ahmad’s first book in Hindi, brings together his writings over a period of about ten years. It kicks off as an autobiography. The author talks about his understanding of Islam and its Indian variant. He tries to explain how he comprehends Islam. Going into the past, he talks about Prophet Mohammad and the evolution of the concept of the state in Islam.

In Part One of the book, Ahmad explains that prior to the advent of the British in India, the majority vs. minority perception was not there in Indian society. The creation of these categories was the result of British colonialism. The conduct of census with categories of caste and religion gave these groupings fixed and defined identities. This led to the creation of the class known as Indian Muslims and the understanding that they were a minority in India.