Islam in Pakistan

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Founded in 1947, Pakistan emerged as the first modern state established in the name of Islam and was the largest Muslim country at that time. Today, it ranks as the second-most populous Muslim nation after Indonesia. This comprehensive exploration delves into the evolution of Islam in Pakistan over the past 150 years, from the British colonial period to the present. Muhammad Qasim Zaman provides a detailed historical narrative of this significant Muslim nation, highlighting the rise and decline of Islamic modernist thought in South Asia and examining Islam's current status. While much focus has been placed on Pakistan's involvement in the Afghan struggle against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, the Taliban's emergence in the 1990s, and the War on Terror post-9/11, Zaman emphasizes that the nation's role in Islam is rooted in deeper historical contexts. Since the late 19th century, South Asia has seen significant efforts to reinterpret core Islamic texts to align with modern life. Traditional scholars, Islamism, and Sufism have also played vital roles in the region. Pakistan is not just a recipient of these influences; it is a dynamic arena for contestation over Islam's public significance, interpretation, and meaning. This work provides broad insights into what defines an Islamic state within Pakistan's historical framework.