Holistic Analysis of the Events Shaping Our Understanding of Islamisation in Kashmir
By
Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam
20 February
2023
Tazkirah
Mutaqi Saadat Bayhaqi (History of Bayhaqi Syeds)
Author:
Molvi Muhammad Shah Saadat Mufti
Publisher:
Kitab Mahal, Srinagar, Kashmir
Year
of Publication: 2019
Pages:
119 Price: Rs 499
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The process
of Islamisation in Kashmir is an interesting theme for researchers. Many
academic studies have been conducted to understand this phenomenon. Many
factors have been attributed to the conversion of Hindu masses to Islam.
History has been engaged and interpreted in variegated manners to understand
this very process. In this Islamisation process the role of non-Kashmiri and
Central Asian, Sufis has been immense. It still offers a plethora of themes for
scholars to engage. There are many texts written in vernacular Persian and Urdu
about the influence and contribution of these Sufis and most of them traced
their lineage to Ahle Bayt (House of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Although the
problem of most of these texts is that they can be broadly defined as
hagiographies and Tazkira literature, with little objectivity, although, their
use in constructing and building narratives about the process of Islamisation
cannot be underestimated.
Despite all
these flaws this small text is very fruitful in understanding the role,
influence and persecution of Bayhaqi Syeds, who migrated to Kashmir. This book
confines its canvass only to the stalwarts among the Bayhaqis. These
Syeds were mostly scholars and belonging to clergy class. They carried out the
rituals, educated the newly converted masses about the fundamentals of Islam
and also networked with the ruling class. They entered into alliances with the
ruling class through marriages and also accepting the posts as state appointed
chief judges and bureaucrats. It is interesting that Bayhaqi Begum was married
to king of Kashmir, known as Sultan Zainul Abideen who was known as Budshah
(the Mighty Emperor). So that must have helped them wield immense amount of
power.
The perils
of being close to power have its pros and cons. In the medieval times, the
loyalists of one regime were targeted by the opponents when they got the power.
So once the Shahmiri dynasty started to wane away, and Shias started wielding
the power, the persecution of Bayhaqi Sunnis started. They were targeted,
killed and imprisoned. Shamsuddin Iraqi, started the proselytization process of
Shiaism. So he created a cult and group of Shias in Kashmir. So there was
Shia-Sunni tussle and chief jurist (Qazi ul Quza) Mir Musa was killed when he
declared that Ali Waliullah should be abandoned from being recited in the daily
calls of prayer (Azan). As the rulers were Shias, but the chief jurist was a
Sunni this killing filled the Sunni masses and their scholars with resentment
that ultimately led to the annexation of Kashmir by Mughal Emperor Akbar. It is
very interesting to know how Bayhaqi Syeds survived despite repression and
killings. They still continue to live and exist in Kashmir even today. Now they
have married locally and do not wield such power, but they were quite
influential once upon a time. The positive role they played in variegated
aspects while Islamising Kashmir cannot be denied. But the Shia-Sunni divide
led them to be partisan, take sides, ultimately led to their persecution and
finally to the triumph of Sunnism, that is the dominant sect of Muslims of
J&K.
The book
also documents about the life and miracles of Mir Abdul Rashid Bayhaqi. Every
hagiography remains incomplete without mentioning about the miracles. In South
Asia, the religious and spiritual stature is gauged through the number of
miracles performed by a saint or religious person. Many of them have been
wrongly concocted by their disciples and over the centuries they have gained
status of sacredness and sanctity. Then there is a mention of Mir Abdullah
Bayhaqi, who is a prolific writer but most of his books have been lost over
these centuries, even if some are available they are very rare. He wrote in Persian
language and translated some of the texts in local Kashmiri language too.
This book
is an important addition to understand the contribution of Bayhaqi Syeds. It
helps the reader to understand that how migration of intellectual and scholarly
families can help enrich a nation. There has been a small revolt against them,
when they were found interfering in the court politics. But among common
people, they were cherished and later they inter married with the native
population, so there was no resentment against them. It is an important aspect
of assimilation. The publisher needs to be complimented for publishing this
text, but the scope of the work is too much confined to the hagiographical
aspect. Further, a serious academic contribution needs to deal with numerous
aspects while undertaking a holistic analysis of the events that will be
shaping our understanding of Islamisation in Kashmir. In spite of its limited
scope the book should be read by anyone interested in academic study and
contribution of non-Kashmiri religious elites to native Kashmiri society.
-----
A New
Age Islam columnist, M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar,
Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/holistic-islamisation-kashmir/d/129145
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