Customer Reviews

The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204-1760 (Comparative Studies on Muslim Societies)

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At first, I had thought Eaton will only cover the spread of Islam in the Bengal as a religious process but obviously 300+ pages isn't for all that. Not only does he start from the B.C. periods and provide an overview of the political, religious and agrarian developments in this part of the world but he also goes on to describe much of the politcal history of the Turkish invasion and later Mughal dynasty. Obviously, I realized that giving such a comprehensive background helps the reader form a broader picture of the frame of mind of the receivers of the Islamic faith at that time in Bengal and does a better job explaining exactly why Islam blossommed so rapidly there. Eaton expounds the already existing theories of mass conversion and then goes on to partially reject them. Then he carefully eloborates on his view (which I, being a Bangladeshi, find agreeable) on how Islam ACTUALLY spread in this region.

For those looking for a book on the spread of Islam around the world, go for The Spread of Islam by Thomas W. Arnold but this book by Eaton is much more micro in perspective and hence serves the purpose of exploring the conditions conducive to the spread of Islam more thoroughly, bearing in mind of course that what induced Bengali people to embrace Islam is not necessarily the same that encouraged people in other times and places to become Muslim.

Recommended for experts, not for general overview. As an academic book, this will be received better by scholars than by a popular audience. It is fairly dense, often dry, but well researched and fairly well argued. If you are interested primarily in Bangladesh and the roots of Islam there, then this specific focus will engage you. If you are interested in a more general review of Bangladesh history or Islamic culture, than you would be advised to look elsewhere. Eaton does a fairly good job looking at the arguments advanced for how Islam came to Bangladesh, and he suggests Islam was not brought all-at-once or by the sword, but by creative adaptation to, and in the process of developing the land.