After World War II, when Britain decided to withdraw from India, the country was divided into two parts, East and West. Thus, on August 14, 1947, the state of Pakistan was established under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Pakistan is an Islamic country with an area of approximately 881,000 square kilometers and a population of 250 million. Officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, its capital is Islamabad. The country has a federal structure, consisting of the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with the Federal Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). While various local languages are spoken in the provinces, the official languages of the country are Urdu and English. The national flag features a white crescent and star on a green background, and the national currency is the Pakistani Rupee (PKR).

The issue that frequently places Pakistan in global headlines is the Kashmir dispute, often referred to as the “Heart of Asia.” Located in the north of Pakistan, Kashmir covers an area of approximately 220,000 square kilometers. The region was introduced to Islam in the 14th century, after which Muslims rapidly developed its architecture, adorning it with mosques, water channels, and gardens. Kashmir was under Muslim rule for a long period until governance shifted to the Sikhs with British support. In 1947, as princely states and principalities were given the option to join either India or Pakistan based on the religious composition of their populations, the Hindu ruler of Kashmir, despite the Muslim majority in the region, chose to accede to India. This decision sparked problems and injustices that have persisted for nearly a century. Today, Kashmir is divided into three regions: Azad Kashmir under Pakistan’s control, Jammu and Kashmir under Indian occupation, and Aksai Chin under Chinese control.

The introduction of the Indian region to Islam

India has been known to traders since ancient times, as it lay on the route used by Arab merchants traveling to China by sea. For this reason, Arab travelers frequently mentioned the land of India in their works. Notably, Al-Biruni (d. 1061) wrote about the region’s culture and geography in his renowned work, Tahqiq ma li’l-Hind.

The Indian subcontinent’s introduction to Islam occurred during the caliphate of Umar (ra). The governor of Bahrain, Uthman ibn Abi al-As (d. 671), reached as far as Daybul (Debal) and Barwas (Bahraj) by sea but returned upon the caliph’s orders. During the caliphate of Ali (ra), expeditions to India were also organized. However, the actual conquest was carried out between 711 and 714 by an Umayyad army under the command of Muhammad ibn Qasim al-Thaqafi. He brought the region from Kathiawar to Multan under his control and was subsequently given the title “Conqueror of Sindh.”

In the 10th century, Mahmud of Ghazni launched seventeen expeditions into Indian territories, facilitating the region’s full Islamization. Following this, the Khwarazmians, the Delhi Sultanate, and in the 16th century, the Mughal Empire were established. The Mughal dynasty, of Chagatai Turkic origin, reached its golden age under Akbar Shah and Jahangir, constructing palaces, mosques, and gardens, many of which have survived to the present day. Today, the majority of Pakistan’s population consists of Muslims, while the remaining comprises followers of minority religions, primarily Christians and Hindus. The majority of Muslims in Pakistan adhere to the Hanafi school of thought, while 10-15% belong to the Shia school of thought.

Religious life in Pakistan

Since its introduction to Islam, Pakistan has been known as a country that diligently adheres to religious principles. To oversee religious matters, there are both official institutions under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony of the Government of Pakistan and civil organizations established by various religious communities and groups.

The Ministry oversees various activities, including hajj and umrah services, the training of imams and khatibs, the printing of the Qur’an, organizing conferences on the life of the Prophet (saw), moon sighting and determination of prayer times, religious propagation, and the teaching of Islamic ethics, as well as promoting interfaith harmony and the welfare of minority communities.

One of the important religious institutions in Pakistan is the Council of Islamic Ideology. Established in 1962, the Council’s mandate is defined as “ensuring that laws are brought into conformity with the Islamic injunctions outlined in the Qur’an and Sunnah.” The Council consists of a chairman and twenty members and convenes every three months to fulfill its assigned duties. Religious life in Pakistan is largely shaped by civil organizations. Leading among these are the Deobandi and Barelvi communities, both of which have deep historical roots. Other significant religious groups include Jamaat-e-Islami, founded by Abul A’la Maududi; the Ahl-e-Hadith Association representing the Salafi movement; the Tablighi Jamaat, which is engaged in missionary activities worldwide; Dawat-e[1]Islami, led by Muhammad Ilyas Qadri; and the Pakistan Jafari Movement (TJP), established by followers of the Shia faith. Sufism also holds a wide influence in the country, with various Sufi orders, such as Shadhiliyyah, Chishtiyyah, Naqshbandiyyah, Suhrawardiyyah, and Qadiriyyah, actively operating within these religious structures.

Religious services in Pakistan are predominantly carried out by civil organizations. The country has approximately 300,000 mosques. Among the prominent historical mosques are the Badshahi Mosque and Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, the Shah Jahan Mosque in Thatta, the Mahabat Khan Mosque in Peshawar, and the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Mosques typically consist of prayer spaces, madrasas, and various social service units. The appointment of mosque personnel and the management of mosque expenses are handled by the respective religious communities to which the mosque belongs.

In Pakistan, madrasas providing religious education typically begin after the completion of primary or the eighth grade of middle school. Initially, students are taught Qur’anic recitation or undertake memorization (hifz) of the Qur’an. This is followed by an eight-year curriculum known as Dars-i Nizami, which includes instruction in Arabic, logic, and Islamic sciences such as tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis), hadith (Prophetic traditions), fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and aqidah (Islamic creed).

The education provided in madrasas is supervised by higher councils known as “Wifaq”. Approximately 23,000 legally recognized madrasas in Pakistan operate under five wifaqs, established by Deobandi, Barelvi, Ahl-e-Hadith, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Shia Jafari communities. These councils are responsible for setting and implementing the curriculum, textbooks, student enrollment criteria, and examination processes. Students who successfully pass the examinations are awarded certificates equivalent to high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate degrees.

The cooperation and communication between the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Türkiye and the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Pakistan, as well as provincial ministries and civil religious organizations, are carried out through the Religious Services Consultancy, established in 2024. The Türkiye Diyanet Foundation provides various religious and charitable services across many regions of Pakistan, including the slaughtering of qurbani, the distribution of Ramadan food packages, the construction of water wells, and the provision of educational support for underprivileged students.