Shia Islam in South Asia

Approximately 30 percent of the Muslim population of Pakistan are Shia. However, this Shia minority forms the second-largest, Shia population of any country after Iran , even larger than the Shia majority in Iraq and is also considered by some sources to be more than the Shia population in India . They constitute a vast majority in Gilgit-Baltistan . Sources suggest the Pakistani Shia Muslim population is about 26,000,000 - 30,000,000. While foreseeing the Indian claim of 50 million, automatically makes the Shia figure in Pakistan to be more the 50,000,000 seem legitimate, since they are nearly 30% of Pakistan's total Muslim Population of 173,000,000. Though there has never been any official census based on sectarian division in Pakistan, hence all the figures are rather mathematical or technical estimates. Many international sources claim Shia population of Pakistan to be around 10% - 25%, yet the Shia Muslims in Pakistan claim to be one-third of the country's Muslim population, a claim that seems to be justified by the Political influence in the country. "Mapping the Global Muslim Population: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Muslim Population" .

The Indian subcontinent also served as a refuge for some Shias escaping persecution from Umayyads , Abbasids , Ayyubis and Ottomans . The immigration continued throughout the second millennium, until the formation of modern nation states. Shi'ism also won converts among the local population. Shia Islam has long history and deep roots in the subcontinent. However, the earliest major political influence was that of the Shia dynasties in Deccan. It was here that the indigenous and distinct Shia culture took shape. After the conquest of Golconda by Aurangzeb in the 17th century, and subsequent establishment of hereditary governorship in Awdh after his death, Lucknow became the nerve center of Indian Shi'ism. In the 18th century, intellectual movements of Islamic puritanism were launched by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in Najd and Shah Waliullah and his sons, with Shah Abdul Aziz being the main flag-bearer of modern anti-Shi'ism in Delhi, resulted in continuous persecution of Shia community and laid the foundations of organised violence against them.

Shia Islam was brought to the Indian subcontinent during the final years of the Rashidun Caliphate . The Indian subcontinent also served as a refuge for some Shias escaping persecution from Umayyads , Abbasids , Ayyubids , and Ottomans . The immigration continued throughout the second millennium until the formation of modern nation states. Shi'ism also won converts among the local population. Shia Islam has a long history and deep roots in the subcontinent. However, the earliest major political influence was that of the Shia dynasties in Deccan . It was here that the indigenous and distinct Shia culture took shape. After the conquest of Golconda by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century and subsequent establishment of hereditary governorship in Awadh after his death, Lucknow became the nerve center of Indian Shi'ism. In the 18th century, intellectual movements of Islamic puritanism were launched by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in Najd and Shah Waliullah and his sons, with Shah Abdul Aziz being the main flag-bearer of modern anti-Shi'ism in Delhi . These movements coincided with the beginning of the British conquest of India and the downfall of Shia dynasties in Bengal and Awadh. These factors caused the onset of continuous persecution of the Shia community and laid the foundations of organised violence against them that has become a part of Shia life in the Indian subcontinent, especially Pakistan .

Shia Islam was brought to the Indian subcontinent during the final years of the Rashidun Caliphate . The Indian subcontinent also served as a refuge for some Shias escaping persecution from Umayyads , Abbasids , Ayyubids , and Ottomans . The immigration continued throughout the second millennium until the formation of modern nation-states. Shi'ism also won converts among the local population. Shia Islam has a long history and deep roots in the subcontinent. However, the earliest major political influence was that of the Shia dynasties in Deccan . It was here that the indigenous and distinct Shia culture took shape. After the conquest of Golconda by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century and subsequent establishment of hereditary governorship in Awadh after his death, Lucknow became the nerve center of Indian Shi'ism. In the 18th century, intellectual movements of Islamic puritanism were launched by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in Najd and Shah Waliullah and his sons, with Shah Abdul Aziz being the main flag-bearer of modern anti-Shi'ism in Delhi . These movements coincided with the beginning of the British conquest of India and the downfall of Shia dynasties in Bengal and Awadh. These factors caused the onset of continuous persecution of the Shia community and laid the foundations of organised violence against them that has become a part of Shia life in the Indian subcontinent, especially Pakistan .