During the time of Nikitin's writing, Orthodox Christians and Muslims had tension between beliefs which led to increasing conversion. Nikitin provides reasons to maintain a Muslim Identity in an Islamic area.
Explanation:
In Nikitin's writing, he states his belief that only Muslim merchants could survive in India due to the discrimination towards non-Muslims. In India at the time, non-Muslims were not permitted to ride horses and there were tolls which only non-Muslims were to pay for. He is said to warn his Orthodox brothers of the hardship they would face in India.
