Hazrat Shah Jalal: The Saint Who Brought Islam to Sylhet, Bangladesh
By Sahil Razvi, New Age Islam
7 November 2025
Shah Jalal was a revered Sufi saint whose arrival in Sylhet in 1303 CE marked the spread of Islam in Bengal. His spiritual legacy continues to shape South Asian Sufism and Bengal’s cultural identity centuries after his passing.
Main Points:
1. Shah Jalal was a Sufi saint and spiritual reformer of Bengal.
2. He is credited with aiding the Muslim conquest of Sylhet in 1303 CE.
3. Historical accounts link him to both Turkestan and Yemen.
4. His shrine at Sylhet remains a major spiritual center.
5. His legacy represents peace, devotion, and interfaith harmony.
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Hazrat Shah Jalal, was a revered Sufi saint, spiritual reformer, and a key figure in the spread of Islam in Bengal. His name is closely linked with the Muslim conquest of Sylhet and the introduction of Islam in the region, part of a much larger story of cultural and spiritual connections between South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
Several important institutions and landmarks have been named in his honour, such as Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), and many mosques across Bangladesh and the United Kingdom.
Shah Jalal is believed to have been born on 25 May 1271, though there are differing accounts regarding his birthplace. Historical sources and oral traditions vary, with some identifying his origin as Turkestan, while others refer to him as Shah Jalal Yemeni, suggesting his ancestry from Hadhramaut in Greater Yemen.
A Persian inscription from around 1505 CE, during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah, refers to him with the suffix Kunyāʾī. The earliest written biography of Shah Jalal appears in Shaikh ʿAli Sher Bangali’s Sharḥ Nuzhat al-Arwāḥ (1571 CE), later quoted by Muhammad Ghawth Shattari in Gulzar-i-Abrar (1613 CE). According to these accounts, Hazrat Shah Jalal travelled from Turkestan to Bengal under divine guidance from his spiritual mentor.
It is said that Hazrat Shah Jalal came to Sylhet following the instructions of his spiritual guide. During that time, the region was divided into several small kingdoms, Gor (Sylhet proper), Laur, and Jaintia. The southern parts were under the rule of the Raja of Hill Tripura.
According to most accepted historical sources, Sylhet was conquered by the Muslims in 1303 CE. The last Hindu ruler, Raja Gaur Gobind, was defeated, not merely by military strength but, as tradition holds, through the spiritual power and miracles of Hazrat Shah Jalal. The army was led by Sikandar Khan Ghazi, who acted under the Bengal Sultanate.
Following Hazrat Shah Jalal’s death, Sylhet became part of the Kingdom of Bengal and was governed by appointed administrators. Later, during the reign of Emperor Akbar, it was absorbed into the Mughal Empire.
Hazrat Shah Jalal was a contemporary of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi (d. 1325 CE). Both are remembered as towering figures of Indian Sufism who spread the message of spiritual equality, compassion, and devotion beyond caste or creed.
The earliest inscription connected to Hazrat Shah Jalal can still be found inside his shrine at Sylhet, dating to the reign of Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah (1474–1481 CE). A Persian record from 1512 CE further confirms that the conquest of Sylhet occurred during the rule of Firoz Shah of Bengal in 1303 CE, carried out by Sikandar Khan Ghazi.
Several scholars, including Rajendralal Mitra, have identified Raja Gaur Gobind as the same person mentioned in the Bhatera copper-plate inscriptions as Gobind Deb, whose ancestors migrated from the northwest and settled in Bengal. Local traditions also mention that a fort was later established at Laur to protect the region from Khasi raids.
Hazrat Shah Jalal’s era followed the earlier Muslim expansion in Bengal led by Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khilji, a commander under Qutbuddin Aibak of Delhi. Around 1202 CE, Khilji conquered much of western and northern Bengal, establishing mosques, colleges, and lodges for travellers and scholars. His legacy laid the foundation for the later Sufi movements that would deeply shape Bengal’s cultural and religious identity.
Hazrat Shah Jalal is remembered not as a conqueror in the conventional sense, but as a spiritual guide who transformed hearts. His influence on Bengal’s religious and cultural life remains visible even today, from the shrines of Sylhet to institutions bearing his name across Bangladesh. His life continues to symbolize the meeting of faith, knowledge, and humanity that defined the golden age of Indian Sufism.
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A regular contributor to New Age Islam, Sahil Razvi is a research scholar specialising in Sufism and Islamic History. He is an alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia.
URl: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/hazrat-shah-jalal-saint-islam-bangladesh/d/137553
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