11-21-2003, 10:27 PM
How one man can change the course of history
BULBUL SHAH
A dervish who changed the course of history
By: Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain
Kashmir has got a rich heritage and its history is undoubtedly
exciting. A huge collection of historical material-ancient and
contemporary about Kashmir has been made available both by the
foreign as well as Kashmiri historians but there are still certain
grey areas which need further research as the correct and actual
facts either lay buried under the debris of such material or have
been ignorantly or intentionally distorted.
Notwithstanding the numerous histories on Kashmir.there is scant
material on the early history of Islam in Kashmir. When did the
Muslims first enter Kashmir is not known but the historians are of
the view that Muslim missionaries and preachers began to enter the
valley to propagate and teach the tenets of Islam from eighth century.
Kalhanaâs certain accounts point out to the presence of Muslims in
the valley during the period of Raja Bappiyaka (754-761AD) and Raja
Harsh (1089-1101 A.D).
According to Hassan (1) (Endnotes), a noted historian, Sultan Mahmud
of Ghazni (998-1030 AD) came to Kashmir, stayed for 31 days and
converted large number of people to Islam. He has further stated that
Mahmud entered the temple situated at Sulaiman Hill (Srinagar) and
offered zuhar (midday) prayers there. This account is, however, not
authenticated by other historians (2), who assert that Mahmud invaded
Kashmir twice but failed to conquer it due to heavy snow fall.
Known Venetian traveller Marco Polo too reports (3) about presence of
Muslims in Kashmir in the year 1277 AD.
These historical accounts establish the presence of Muslims in
Kashmir during Hindu period but due to the paucity of historical
material it is difficult to say when âthis Islamising influence first
made itself felt in the countryâ. Sufi (4) says that âwhatever
evidence is available leads us, however, to attribute the spread of
Islam in the Valley, on the whole, to a long continued missionary
movement inaugurated and carried out mainly by faqirs or friars or
darvishes and the âulamaâ or theologians.â
History is silent on the activities of early missionaries and the
first missionary, of whom we have any firm historical record, is Syed
Bulbul Shah who succeeded in converting Rinchen Shah, a Buddhist
ruler of Kashmir to Islam.
Rinchen Shah or Rinchu (full name Lha-chen-rgyal-bu-rin-chen) was son
of a Ladakhi ruler Lhachen (1290 â 1320 AD). He came to Kashmir in
1320 AD along with a good number of his followers from Ladakh after
the enemies killed his father there. In Kashmir he came in contact
with Ramachandra â the commander-in-chief of Suhadeva, ruler of
Kashmir(1300-1319/20 AD). Ramachandra gave the village of Gagnahgir,
pargana Lar as a jagir to him. During his stay in Kashmir an
important political event took place, which gave a new turn to both
the history of Kashmir as well as the fate of Rinchen Shah. Zulkadar
Khan or Zulju (Zilchu) a Tatar and grand son of Halaku invaded
Kashmir. He came along with 70,000 Turks from Turkistan and entered
Kashmir from the Baramulla road. The ruler of Kashmir, not being able
to oppose and fight escaped to Kishtwar providing a cake walk victory
for Zulju, who occupied Kashmir, started a reign of tyranny and
oppression and killed several thousand people. Zulju stayed in
Kashmir for eight months and left the valley during winter through
the passes from the south. He and his army and Kashmiri captives
however perished due to heavy snowfall in Pargana Divahsar.
Kashmir was now without a ruler and every one, with some influence
tried to snatch the power. Rinchen Shah took advantage of this
situation and with the help of his people established his authority.
Every one yielded to his supremacy, the situation went in his favour
and he became the ruler of Kashmir in 1320 AD.
When Buddhist Rinchen Shah assumed power, there were a few number of
Muslims in the valley but most of them were unaware of the tenets of
Islam. The majority constituted Buddhist and Hindus. Hassan also
reports of the presence of Parses in the valley. But over all
position was very disturbing. Kashmir was a country of drunkards,
gamblers and profligate women (5). Perhaps due to these facts Rinchen
became dissatisfied with the faith he followed. He, on getting power
turned his attention towards religious matters.He made enquiries from
learned Hindus and Buddhist priests and held discussions with them.
It is reported by Jonaraja (6) that Hindus did not accept him into
the âShiviteâ faith as he happened to be a âBhuttaâ (Buddhist) by
birth but this argument is not convincing. At that juncture of the
history any body would have liked the entry of the king to his faith.
According to Mohibul Hassan the reason why Rinchen did not embrace
Shivaism was that it could not satisfy his spiritual cravingsâ (7).
While the enquiries of Rinchen Shah were on he came in contact with a
Muslim saint namely âBulbul Shahâ, a learned Syed from Iran. On
enquiry the Syed explained to the king the tenets of Islam and
principles of Islamic jurisprudence, which impressed the king. He
embraced Islam and adopted Sadr-ud-Din as his new Muslim name.
According to the anonymous author of Baharistan-i-Shahi-a medieval
Persian text on the history of Kashmir, when Rinchen started making
enquiries to adopt the right path,he one day decided that he would
embrace the religion of the first man he would meet in the street
after coming out of his house the next morning. Next morning he came
out of his palace and saw a dervish offering namaz (the Muslim way of
praying), with full devotion. He went towards him and enquired about
his name and faith.The dervish told him that his name was Bulbul
Qalandar and his religion was Islam. He then mentioned to him some of
the miracles performed by the Prophet and the virtues and superior
qualities of âAli, the Imam.âHis (Rinchanâs) heart had previously
been blackened by the beliefs of a false community.Now he subjected
himself to the teachings of the religion of Mustafa (Prophet),and the
right principles of the truthful path of Murtaza (Ali),and embraced
Islamic religion with sincerity and comviction.He gave up once for
all the false and corrupt religionsâ. (8)
Rinchen Shah thus became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir.Some
historians believe that Rinchenâs conversion to Islam was promoted by
political reasons. Whatever was the cause, almost all the writers on
Kashmir believe that there was no compulsion in his conversion to
Islam and that Muslim saint Bulbul Shah played a vital role in
it.Following the conversion of Rinchen Shah several other leading
Kashmiris also embraced Islam.Many âlowâ castes and Buddhists
too,began to embrace the new faith,seeing in it a source of
liberation from the shackles of the Brahminical system.It is said
that, in all, Hazrat Bulbul Shah succeeded in making some ten
thousand converts to Islam through means of peaceful missionary
effort,although this figure seems considerably exaggerated. (9)
Bulbul Shah was thus instrumental in the conversion of Rinchen Shah
and is considered to be the first missionary of Islam in Kashmir,who
succeeded in introducing Islam at the state level.Writers on Kashmir
history have not however given any detailed account of Bulbul Shah
and his personality is shrouded in myth and legend.The historians
even donot agree on his name and have given their own views about his
faith and mission.
Bulbul Shah was descendant of Imam Musa al- Kazim (A), seventh Imam
and thus a âSyedâ (10). Some historians (11) assert that he was
follower of Shia faith.
Bulbul Shahâs name was Syed Sharaf-ud-Din. There is however
difference among the historians over his actual name. Some say that
his actual name was Sayyid Abdur Rahman (12) while others call him
Bilal or Baba Bulbul Qalander or Baba Bulbul (13). According to one
writer,such a lover of the tradition of the Prophet (ashiq-i-sunnat-i-
Rasul) was he that he was given the title of Bilal,after a favourite
companion of the Prophet Muhammad (S), which later corrupted
as âBulbulâ. As regards his place of birth,the historians give
different views.According to some he was from Turkistan,while
according to some others he was from Iran or Bagdad.
The genelogical table of his family published by Munshi Nawalkisore
Press, Lucknow in 1925 AD, shows that his name was Syed Sharaf ud Din
and title Bulbul Shah.In the valley of Kashmir he is popularly
remembered as Bulbul Shah.
His genealogy (14) has been described as under:
Sharaf-ud-Din (Bulbul Shah) b. Sheikh Amin-ud-Din Jabriel b. Shaikh
Salah b. Qutb-ud-Din b. Salah-ud-Din b. Muhammad Al Hafiz b. Awaiz ul
Khawais b. Feroz Shah Zarien Kalah b. Muhammad b.Ashraf Shah b.
Muhammad b. Hassan b. Muhammad b. Ibrahim b. Jaffar b. Muhammad b.
Ismail b. Muhammad b. Ahmad Arabi b. Abu Muhammad Al Qasim b. Abial
Qasim Hamza b.Imam Musa Al- Kazim (A) b. Imam Jafar-al Sadiq (A) b.
Imam Muhammad -al Baqir (A) b. Imam Ali Zainul Abdin (A) b. Imam
Hussain (A) grandson of holy Prophet (S).
Bulbul Shahâs father Shaikh Amin-ud-Din Jabriel, had seven sons;
Mansoor Aba Ali,Ismail Saif-ud-Din,Rashid Salah-ud-Din,Yousf
FakruhDin, Mohd Alias Shams-ud-Din,Sharaf-ud-Din Bulbul Shah and
Shaikh Safi-ud-Din Ardabeli. (15)
Bulbul Shah was thus the brother of renowned Sufi saint of Iran
Shaikh Safi- ud- Din ( 650 / 1252 â 735 / 1334 ), the founder of the
Safavid order, which went on to produce the Safavid dynasty in Iran.
(...To be concluded)
References:
1.Tarikh-i-Hassan, II, 115.
2. See Nazim, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna, 105; see also Mohibbul Hasan,
Kashmir under the Sultans, 29
3. The Travels of Marco Polo,ed.Manuel Komroff, 1939, 64.
4. Sufi, Kashir, I, 81.
5. See Lawrence, The Valley of Kashmir, 189 and Dr. Steins remarks
vide his Introduction to the Kalhanaâs Rajatarangini,130-132.
6. Jonaraja,The Rajatarangini of Jonaraja, 71.
7. Kashmir under the Sultans, footnote 5 at pages 39-40
8. Baharistan-i-Shahi, eng.tr.by Pandita, 21-22.
9. Sikand, Hazrat Bulbul Shah: The first Muslim Missionary in
Kashmir, 1: See Rafiqui, Sufism in Kashmir, 27.
10. According to Sufi (Kashir, I, 82) and Bamzi (History of Kashmir,
482) he was a Mosavi Sayyid.
11. Pandit K.N on the basis of Baharistan-i-Shahi is of the view
that âRinchen was converted by Bulbul Qalandar to Shia faithâ.
(Baharistan- i - Shahi, eng.tr foot note 35,Chapter II,P.27).
12. Sufi, Kashir, I, 82
13. Baharistan-i-Shahi, 260, Malik Haider Chadura, Tarikh-i-Kashmir,
50.
14. Pedigree table of Alahazrat Syed Safi Ali Shah Safvi published by
Munshi Nawalkisore Press,Lucknow at the desire of Hazrat Zulfikar Ali
Shah Safvi in 1925 A.D.
15. Dr.Syed Fazal Ali Shah Musavi Safvi, Al-Shajratul Taiba, 5. See
also Sayyid Jamal Turaabi Tabatabai, Aasar Bastani Azerbaijaan, II,
211.
The author is Principal Sessions Judge, Kashmir, he can be
reached at: hussainimtiyaz2002@y...
BULBUL SHAH
A dervish who changed the course of history
By: Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain
Kashmir has got a rich heritage and its history is undoubtedly
exciting. A huge collection of historical material-ancient and
contemporary about Kashmir has been made available both by the
foreign as well as Kashmiri historians but there are still certain
grey areas which need further research as the correct and actual
facts either lay buried under the debris of such material or have
been ignorantly or intentionally distorted.
Notwithstanding the numerous histories on Kashmir.there is scant
material on the early history of Islam in Kashmir. When did the
Muslims first enter Kashmir is not known but the historians are of
the view that Muslim missionaries and preachers began to enter the
valley to propagate and teach the tenets of Islam from eighth century.
Kalhanaâs certain accounts point out to the presence of Muslims in
the valley during the period of Raja Bappiyaka (754-761AD) and Raja
Harsh (1089-1101 A.D).
According to Hassan (1) (Endnotes), a noted historian, Sultan Mahmud
of Ghazni (998-1030 AD) came to Kashmir, stayed for 31 days and
converted large number of people to Islam. He has further stated that
Mahmud entered the temple situated at Sulaiman Hill (Srinagar) and
offered zuhar (midday) prayers there. This account is, however, not
authenticated by other historians (2), who assert that Mahmud invaded
Kashmir twice but failed to conquer it due to heavy snow fall.
Known Venetian traveller Marco Polo too reports (3) about presence of
Muslims in Kashmir in the year 1277 AD.
These historical accounts establish the presence of Muslims in
Kashmir during Hindu period but due to the paucity of historical
material it is difficult to say when âthis Islamising influence first
made itself felt in the countryâ. Sufi (4) says that âwhatever
evidence is available leads us, however, to attribute the spread of
Islam in the Valley, on the whole, to a long continued missionary
movement inaugurated and carried out mainly by faqirs or friars or
darvishes and the âulamaâ or theologians.â
History is silent on the activities of early missionaries and the
first missionary, of whom we have any firm historical record, is Syed
Bulbul Shah who succeeded in converting Rinchen Shah, a Buddhist
ruler of Kashmir to Islam.
Rinchen Shah or Rinchu (full name Lha-chen-rgyal-bu-rin-chen) was son
of a Ladakhi ruler Lhachen (1290 â 1320 AD). He came to Kashmir in
1320 AD along with a good number of his followers from Ladakh after
the enemies killed his father there. In Kashmir he came in contact
with Ramachandra â the commander-in-chief of Suhadeva, ruler of
Kashmir(1300-1319/20 AD). Ramachandra gave the village of Gagnahgir,
pargana Lar as a jagir to him. During his stay in Kashmir an
important political event took place, which gave a new turn to both
the history of Kashmir as well as the fate of Rinchen Shah. Zulkadar
Khan or Zulju (Zilchu) a Tatar and grand son of Halaku invaded
Kashmir. He came along with 70,000 Turks from Turkistan and entered
Kashmir from the Baramulla road. The ruler of Kashmir, not being able
to oppose and fight escaped to Kishtwar providing a cake walk victory
for Zulju, who occupied Kashmir, started a reign of tyranny and
oppression and killed several thousand people. Zulju stayed in
Kashmir for eight months and left the valley during winter through
the passes from the south. He and his army and Kashmiri captives
however perished due to heavy snowfall in Pargana Divahsar.
Kashmir was now without a ruler and every one, with some influence
tried to snatch the power. Rinchen Shah took advantage of this
situation and with the help of his people established his authority.
Every one yielded to his supremacy, the situation went in his favour
and he became the ruler of Kashmir in 1320 AD.
When Buddhist Rinchen Shah assumed power, there were a few number of
Muslims in the valley but most of them were unaware of the tenets of
Islam. The majority constituted Buddhist and Hindus. Hassan also
reports of the presence of Parses in the valley. But over all
position was very disturbing. Kashmir was a country of drunkards,
gamblers and profligate women (5). Perhaps due to these facts Rinchen
became dissatisfied with the faith he followed. He, on getting power
turned his attention towards religious matters.He made enquiries from
learned Hindus and Buddhist priests and held discussions with them.
It is reported by Jonaraja (6) that Hindus did not accept him into
the âShiviteâ faith as he happened to be a âBhuttaâ (Buddhist) by
birth but this argument is not convincing. At that juncture of the
history any body would have liked the entry of the king to his faith.
According to Mohibul Hassan the reason why Rinchen did not embrace
Shivaism was that it could not satisfy his spiritual cravingsâ (7).
While the enquiries of Rinchen Shah were on he came in contact with a
Muslim saint namely âBulbul Shahâ, a learned Syed from Iran. On
enquiry the Syed explained to the king the tenets of Islam and
principles of Islamic jurisprudence, which impressed the king. He
embraced Islam and adopted Sadr-ud-Din as his new Muslim name.
According to the anonymous author of Baharistan-i-Shahi-a medieval
Persian text on the history of Kashmir, when Rinchen started making
enquiries to adopt the right path,he one day decided that he would
embrace the religion of the first man he would meet in the street
after coming out of his house the next morning. Next morning he came
out of his palace and saw a dervish offering namaz (the Muslim way of
praying), with full devotion. He went towards him and enquired about
his name and faith.The dervish told him that his name was Bulbul
Qalandar and his religion was Islam. He then mentioned to him some of
the miracles performed by the Prophet and the virtues and superior
qualities of âAli, the Imam.âHis (Rinchanâs) heart had previously
been blackened by the beliefs of a false community.Now he subjected
himself to the teachings of the religion of Mustafa (Prophet),and the
right principles of the truthful path of Murtaza (Ali),and embraced
Islamic religion with sincerity and comviction.He gave up once for
all the false and corrupt religionsâ. (8)
Rinchen Shah thus became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir.Some
historians believe that Rinchenâs conversion to Islam was promoted by
political reasons. Whatever was the cause, almost all the writers on
Kashmir believe that there was no compulsion in his conversion to
Islam and that Muslim saint Bulbul Shah played a vital role in
it.Following the conversion of Rinchen Shah several other leading
Kashmiris also embraced Islam.Many âlowâ castes and Buddhists
too,began to embrace the new faith,seeing in it a source of
liberation from the shackles of the Brahminical system.It is said
that, in all, Hazrat Bulbul Shah succeeded in making some ten
thousand converts to Islam through means of peaceful missionary
effort,although this figure seems considerably exaggerated. (9)
Bulbul Shah was thus instrumental in the conversion of Rinchen Shah
and is considered to be the first missionary of Islam in Kashmir,who
succeeded in introducing Islam at the state level.Writers on Kashmir
history have not however given any detailed account of Bulbul Shah
and his personality is shrouded in myth and legend.The historians
even donot agree on his name and have given their own views about his
faith and mission.
Bulbul Shah was descendant of Imam Musa al- Kazim (A), seventh Imam
and thus a âSyedâ (10). Some historians (11) assert that he was
follower of Shia faith.
Bulbul Shahâs name was Syed Sharaf-ud-Din. There is however
difference among the historians over his actual name. Some say that
his actual name was Sayyid Abdur Rahman (12) while others call him
Bilal or Baba Bulbul Qalander or Baba Bulbul (13). According to one
writer,such a lover of the tradition of the Prophet (ashiq-i-sunnat-i-
Rasul) was he that he was given the title of Bilal,after a favourite
companion of the Prophet Muhammad (S), which later corrupted
as âBulbulâ. As regards his place of birth,the historians give
different views.According to some he was from Turkistan,while
according to some others he was from Iran or Bagdad.
The genelogical table of his family published by Munshi Nawalkisore
Press, Lucknow in 1925 AD, shows that his name was Syed Sharaf ud Din
and title Bulbul Shah.In the valley of Kashmir he is popularly
remembered as Bulbul Shah.
His genealogy (14) has been described as under:
Sharaf-ud-Din (Bulbul Shah) b. Sheikh Amin-ud-Din Jabriel b. Shaikh
Salah b. Qutb-ud-Din b. Salah-ud-Din b. Muhammad Al Hafiz b. Awaiz ul
Khawais b. Feroz Shah Zarien Kalah b. Muhammad b.Ashraf Shah b.
Muhammad b. Hassan b. Muhammad b. Ibrahim b. Jaffar b. Muhammad b.
Ismail b. Muhammad b. Ahmad Arabi b. Abu Muhammad Al Qasim b. Abial
Qasim Hamza b.Imam Musa Al- Kazim (A) b. Imam Jafar-al Sadiq (A) b.
Imam Muhammad -al Baqir (A) b. Imam Ali Zainul Abdin (A) b. Imam
Hussain (A) grandson of holy Prophet (S).
Bulbul Shahâs father Shaikh Amin-ud-Din Jabriel, had seven sons;
Mansoor Aba Ali,Ismail Saif-ud-Din,Rashid Salah-ud-Din,Yousf
FakruhDin, Mohd Alias Shams-ud-Din,Sharaf-ud-Din Bulbul Shah and
Shaikh Safi-ud-Din Ardabeli. (15)
Bulbul Shah was thus the brother of renowned Sufi saint of Iran
Shaikh Safi- ud- Din ( 650 / 1252 â 735 / 1334 ), the founder of the
Safavid order, which went on to produce the Safavid dynasty in Iran.
(...To be concluded)
References:
1.Tarikh-i-Hassan, II, 115.
2. See Nazim, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna, 105; see also Mohibbul Hasan,
Kashmir under the Sultans, 29
3. The Travels of Marco Polo,ed.Manuel Komroff, 1939, 64.
4. Sufi, Kashir, I, 81.
5. See Lawrence, The Valley of Kashmir, 189 and Dr. Steins remarks
vide his Introduction to the Kalhanaâs Rajatarangini,130-132.
6. Jonaraja,The Rajatarangini of Jonaraja, 71.
7. Kashmir under the Sultans, footnote 5 at pages 39-40
8. Baharistan-i-Shahi, eng.tr.by Pandita, 21-22.
9. Sikand, Hazrat Bulbul Shah: The first Muslim Missionary in
Kashmir, 1: See Rafiqui, Sufism in Kashmir, 27.
10. According to Sufi (Kashir, I, 82) and Bamzi (History of Kashmir,
482) he was a Mosavi Sayyid.
11. Pandit K.N on the basis of Baharistan-i-Shahi is of the view
that âRinchen was converted by Bulbul Qalandar to Shia faithâ.
(Baharistan- i - Shahi, eng.tr foot note 35,Chapter II,P.27).
12. Sufi, Kashir, I, 82
13. Baharistan-i-Shahi, 260, Malik Haider Chadura, Tarikh-i-Kashmir,
50.
14. Pedigree table of Alahazrat Syed Safi Ali Shah Safvi published by
Munshi Nawalkisore Press,Lucknow at the desire of Hazrat Zulfikar Ali
Shah Safvi in 1925 A.D.
15. Dr.Syed Fazal Ali Shah Musavi Safvi, Al-Shajratul Taiba, 5. See
also Sayyid Jamal Turaabi Tabatabai, Aasar Bastani Azerbaijaan, II,
211.
The author is Principal Sessions Judge, Kashmir, he can be
reached at: hussainimtiyaz2002@y...