What was the reason of the martial domination of Muslims in India?

Answer 1

Social Factors:

The reasons for the Muslims' martial prowess in India can be explained on the basis of the social system of the conquerors and the conquered. The Hindu social system was based on the Caste System; while the Muslims were united, socially and spiritually, as one unit. The sectarian system of Hindu community made them prone to disputes and internal controversies, which is fatal for a nation.

Organization of Military:

Another reason was the organization of army of Muslims. In the Hindu kingdoms, the forces were not fully under the control of the Rajah but were relayed to him by nobles from the whole kingdom. On the other hand, the Muslim army of a specific ruler was under his command only and united as a single unit. The very same reason caused the victory of Alexander of Macedonia in India.

Beliefs of the conquerors:

One of the major factors was the Muslims' set of beliefs. They were somewhat fanatic and their religion made them ruthless and effective. They only saw two ends: Glory of Victory, or Glory of Death. It was their basic belief that a Ghazi i.e. a slayer of infidels, If killed himself, will go directly to the paradise and also gain fame as a martyr ("How will you defeat an enemy that looks at your blade and sees the reflection of paradise in it?") The courage of the Muslim hordes was also enhanced by the fact that there was no retreat possible for them. They had to dominate or perish trying.

Suitable Incentives:

The presence of uncountable riches and luxury was one of the greatest stimulants for their desire to rule the subcontinent. Ironically, these luxurious surroundings later made them lethargic and slothful, thus rendering them ineffective in the battle field.

Strategic expertise:

The most important reason for the dominance of Muslims was the fact that their strategies and tactics were far superior to the Hindu armies. They were capable of fighting in small bands and employing shock tactics. The cavalry of Muslims was a cut above the Hindu cavalry. The Hindus placed an excessive emphasis on the use of elephants, which was quite handy against the infantry, was quite useless in front of boldly directed cavalry charges.

Nutritional differences:

From a nutritional point of view, it can be said that the flesh-based diet of Muslims provided them far greater amount of energy and sustenance as compared to the strictly vegetarian diet of the orthodox Hindus.

These were the reasons due to which the Muslims, sparse as they were, dominated the millions of natives and kept them under their dominion for centuries.

Answer 2

Why were Muslims able to conquer India with such little difficult