Despite the shared conviction among many Britons and Americans that Islam stood in inherent antagonism to Christianity and the sentiment among some that it should be destroyed, Britons in India— especially those serving the government—remained conflicted about how to proceed. Although some of its servants viewed Muslims as antithetical to Company aims, the EIC initially preferred to minimalize Christian missionary activity, concerned that resulting antagonisms might disrupt commerce.

XREF: Connects to broader literature on colonial pragmatism versus ideological missions, and the tension between commercial and religious imperial goals.

Carl W. Ernst, Islamophobia in America_ Th…, loc. 167