Reza Sehhat Manesh

Abstract: The commercial relations with India and some regions of East Asia, including China and Indonesia were formed the largest part of the foreign trade of Muslims, in the early Islamic period. Accordingly, the present study aims to address the role of the Muslim merchants’commercial activities in the early centuries of Islam in India, and it raises the question that what was the effect of commercial relations with India on Islamic lands and their commercial growth? The set of data for the presen research has been collected from the original geographical and historical sources of Muslims and Iranians, through a precess of study in the library, and it has been analyzed descriptively. The result of this study shows that during five centuries (7-12 AD) seaways gained the priority and the southern ports of Iran in the Persian Gulf flourished and became a trade center through the East and West. A wide selection of merchandise was imported to the Persian Gulf ports and the Red Sea, whereas the required goods were exported to india by the Muslim merchants. Muslims, especially Iranians were also influential through trade relations in India and East areas such as Malabar and Java. With the passing of the Middle Ages and the beginning of new evolutions in the European communities, the very special role of the Muslim merchants in trade with India and the other Far Eastern lands came to an end. Now, the European merchants take the opportunity to start their unique commercial relations with the East directly.