Includes essays that are intended to contribute to understanding the role that Islamic symbols and identities have come to play in Northern India and, since 1947, in Pakistan. These essays offer a challenge to negative stereotypes of the Muslim faith, demonstrating that the religion is not characterised by political militancy.

The essays in this volume, written over the course of the last quarter century, are intended to contribute to understanding the role that Islamic symbols and identities have come to play in Northern India and, since 1947, in Pakistan. Above all these essays offer a challenge to current negative stereotypes of the Muslim faith, demonstrating that the religion is not characterised by political militancy nor dominated by static traditionalism.