Buddhist-Muslim Interaction: Early Abbasid Period

The Abbasid Caliphate was founded in 750 CE by Shia Arabs from the Iranian cultural area. The caliphs promoted gaining knowledge from their Hindu and Buddhist subjects and translated many of their texts into Arabic. During this period, the various Turkic kingdoms in Central Asia changed religions between Manichaeism and Buddhism several times. The everchanging alliances and wars among the Abbasids, the Tibetans, and the various Turkic kingdoms continued with the aim of control of the Silk Route. A Muslim mission was sent to Tibet, but made no inroads in winning converts to Islam.