South Asian Islam has a unique and fascinating history. Quite unlike many other places in the globe that came under Islamic influences the multicultural and plurilinguistic tapestry of South Asia made it necessary for Islam to negotiate and often cohabit with a host of local customs and traditions which gave the religion a special complexion and a special flavour. The interface with indigenous practices in art and literature gave birth to a phenomenon known as Indo-Islamic culture which left no facet of life in South Asia untouched. The Islamic literature emanating from this geopolitical entity has also been rich and variegated. Robinson is one among several notable scholars whose rigorous engagement with Islam in general and its manifestations in South Asia in particular has resulted in the building up of an archive of knowledge that is truly commendable.
October 2007, volume 31, No 10