Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
311
Prof. S. H. Askari, Maktub and Malfuz Literature As a source of Sociopolitical History, Khuda Baksh Library, Patna, 1981 AD. p. 1.
312
earliest
compendium
containing
the
essentials
of Sufi
Prof. S. H. Askari, P. 2.
313
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315
Hamiduddin Nagauri,
the
khalifa of Shaikh
Salikin
IS
the
conversation
of
Shaikh
316
Fariduddin
Gunj
Shakar,
written
by
Shaikh
Nizamuddin Auliya.
The Asrarul Auliya, the sayings of Shaikh Fariduddin
Gunj Shakar, written by Shaikh Maulana Badr Ishaq.
The Afzalull Fawaid, the Malfuz of Shaikh Nizamuddin
Auliya, compiled by Amir Khusrau. Shaikh Nizamuqdin Auliya
and Chirgh-i-Delhi were the eminent personalities of the
I
_Chishti Order. Fawaid ul Fuad and the Khairul Majalis are the
reliable and authentic malfuzat.
The Kashful Mahjub and the Fawaid -ul- fuad are the
best source of information for the religious thought of the
Indian Medival Sufis, these, writings are of great historical
values. 1
Khairul Majalis is the sayings of Shaikh Nasiruddin
Chiragh-i-Delhi , compiled by Hamid Qalandar, the disciple of
Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya.
Dr. Mohd. Noor Nabi, Indo-Persian Sources for the Study of Sufism, IndoIranica, 1982, 35 No.3-4. P. 81.
317
318
beginning of the 13th century A.D. two Sufi orders came into
being in Iran. One of them was called Soharvardiya and the
other kobraviya. The Soharvardiya order further got divided
into two sub-orders; one of them was called soharvardis of Iran
and the other Soharvardis of Multan. The spiritual guide of
both
the
orders
was
spiritua~
Badakhshan,
Turkistan,
Khottalan,
Syria,
319
320
321
With the new faith they got a new life. The converts
brought their manners and customs with them. This led the
Hindu customs and manners into the Muslim ways of life. 1
Sufi met with Sadhus and had religious conversations.
The contact with them made the Sufis aware of the religious
values of the Hinduism.
Ishwari Prasad writes.
"Most famous order was the Chishtiya, which included
such men as Sheikh Moinuddin Chishti and Shaikh Nasiruddin
Chiragh-e-Delhi - and Shaikh Salim Chishti Fathehpur Sikri.
These saints exercised a profound influence on the state and
the society of this time and their teachings were appreciated by
the Hindus and the Muslims alike. The Qadri and the
Naqshbandi which tried to spread the light of the faith among
the people in whose midst they lived". 2
The immigrant Sufis and their followers brought over and
continued the best sufi traditions from outside into India,
spiritual fervor and devotion and piety, born of long contact
1
Mohd. Yahya Tamizi, Sufi Movements in eastern India, Idarah-iAdabiyate Delhi, 1992, P. 143.
322
323
324
They kept themselves away from the kings and did not
mingled themselves in the state affairs. Liberal in their
outlook, never condemned the people of other religions rather
interacted with them and attracted them with their moral and
spiritual qualities. About the nature of Chishti Sufis and
specially khawja Moinuddin Chishti,
Malik Mohammad writes,
"Among the Chishti Sufis, Khawja Moinuddin was the
greatest lover of humanity and had profound sympathy for all
men. He could not see any one in pain. He told his disciples to
help the helpless, to fulfill the needs of the needy and feed the
hungry. The khawja's simple and ascetic life was an inspiration
to both Hindus and Muslims. Humanity was categorized to
lower and higher birth. Justice was not done to the lower
classes they were regarded as inferior by birth ...... khawja
treated all human beings alike. Even to this day, both Hindus
and Muslim throng his shrine in Ajmer. He was popularly
known as Khawja Gharib Nawaz".l
Each and every order of these Sufis had its Khanqahs,
which had great impact on Indian society. Regarding the
1
325
326
harmony.
327
atmosphere
of communal
328
their
hospices
(khanqahs)
where
spiritual
Dr. Yusuf Hussain Khan, Islamic Culture, Vol. XXX, No. 3, 1956, P. 262;
Mohd. Y ahya Tamizi, P. 153.
329
Ibid, P. 210.
330
331
332
PREACHERS
The arrival of the people in India took place in three distinct
movements, First as a traders and preachers, second, with the
expanding wave of the U mayyads through Syr Darya up to
Indus and finally like the Greeks, the Shakas and the Huns,
the Central Asians, Iranians and Afghans, through their
organized immigration movement.
These arrival had a tremendous effect upon the sociOcultural life of India. The muslim conquerors, 12th century
onwards overrun the country from Punjab to Assam and from
Kashmir to the Vindhyas.
The Muslims started settling gradually on the Malabar
coast. They started acquiring lands and practicing their
religion. Gradually with their missionary efferts they spread
over the whole of the western coast of India.
The preachers and all these people who were practicing
Islam appeared with a simple formula of faith and democratic
formula of social organization.
Dr. Tarachand writes,
333
334
with a big stick, reading the Persian language and reciting the
Mathnawi. Muslim saints were in general, highly respected by
the non-Muslim and the Hindus often treated them with a deep
sense of trust and veneration. Same of the Muslim Sufi had
acquainted themselves with Hindu religious thought and
mystical ideas and attracted large numbers of Hindus to their
khanqahs" .1
Sufi preachers with their pious mission of the true faith
came to India from Arabia, Syria, Iran, Samarqand and
Bukhara. Sheikh Ismail came from Bukhara, who was a
theologian with his polished manners settled at Lahore in 1005
A.D. Syed Nisar Shah (964-1039 A.D.), settled in Trichinopoly
after vast traveling through Arabia, Iran and North India. 2
Sheikh Hussain Zanjani came to India from Azarbaijan,
settled at Lahore and preached Islam.
Malik Mohammad writes,
Among the preachers of Islam in India the Sufi training
was more ascetic was closer to the masses of the people than
the theologian, who was generally a fanatic and lacked
1
335
336
337
Ibid, P. 64.
Ibid, P. 130.
338
Ibid, P. 148.
Dhakhiral-al-Maluk.
Khulasat-al-Manaqib, P. 542.
339
340
(1540-1550)
also
341
342
TRADERS
India, Iran and Central Asia have been having trade contacts
time
s1nce
immemorial.
These
contacts
facilitated
the
group.
These
people
were
Arabs,
Iranians,
343
from
the
fact
that
these
were
permanent
344
345
346
importance of the
countries were
done
on
exchange basis.
The banking system is very old in India. But local banking
received a jolt with the advent of Muslims in India. They
brought their own theory based on the Islamic law, which
Ibid, P. 99.
Babur, Tuzuk-i-Baburi, Eng trans, A.S. Beveridge, London, 1921, pp. 629-30.
347
1970, P. 143.
348
KINGS
Kings and Sultans of medieval period were originally the
people of Central Asia and being the slave of one king or the
other established kingdom in Delhi. They not only tried to
improve their relation with Central Asia but also made India
their homeland.
These rulers were foreigners and belonged to a different
religion. But majority of them were tolerant and did not
interfere in the socio-religious matter. For the simple reason
that they could not have consolidate their rule in a country like
India, after antagonizing the Indians. They tried to kept
themselves away from the orthodox Ulema and identified with
the locals and the native saints. Religious tolerance was the
policy of the Sultans of Delhi. 1
Sultan Iltutmish and her daughter Raziya ignored the
dictates of Ulema. They nerver allowed the interference of
Ulemas in the political affairs, she abolished J aziya and gave
full support to her Hindu subjects.
349
350
351
Akbar the great with his vision and many resources at his
disposal could materialize the dream of his grand father Babur.
Akbar respected all the religions and the saints of
different religion like his ancestors.
Malik Mohammad writes,
"All religions flourished during Akbar's reign, as he being
the sovereign paid respect to all alike. He gave generous
endowment to temples and himself raised temples in Kashmir.
On the order of the emperor a small temple was built within
the fort of Fatehpur Sikri. Abul Fazal too had a high opinion of
Hinduism and held the Kashmiri Brahman in high esteem" .1
These kings practiced their own religion but gave respect
to the leaders of different religions. They not only prayed in
their mosques but also visited temples and other places of
worships. These approaches of the kings towards different
religion and their policy of religious tolerance made them
popular and acceptable in the eyes of the people of different
religion.
352
353
heart used to beat for India and Indians. Each and every policy
of Mughal kings were for the benefit of their subject. Akbar
was the most secular and popluar king of India. He had
imbibed in himself all that was good in Zainul Abedin,
Mohammad bin Tuglaq and Sher Shah. 1
Akbar recruited the best of talents irrespective of their
race, religion and caste in the administration of the country.
Man Singh, Raja Todarmal and Birbal were very important
personalities in the eyes of Akbar. Man Singh was the army
Chief and Raja Todarmal was the finance minister during
Akbar's reign. They not only carried out their responsibility but
all the nine jewels of Akbar helped him in making this country
secular and prosperous.
Akbar was against the custom of Sati. He took strong
exception to a woman being forcibly made sati.
Medieval Indian history is full of cultural activities. Kings
of medieval history have played important role in the sociocultural life of India.
354
TRAVELERS
The commercial and maritime contact, paved the way not only
for the Central Asia, Iranian and Arab Sufis and traders, who
established important colonies, but attracted large number of
travelers from different corners of the world. These travelers
also like Sufis, preachers and traders contributed in socioculturallife of India.
Among the most eminent personalities who visited India
and settled in Lakhnawti was Qazi Ruknuddin Samarqandi,
who wrote kitabul Maani fil Idrakat Alamul Insani, based on a
Sanskrit work Amrita-Kunda. 1
There is evidence; concerning the attachment of Sufi
Saints to the traders and their establishment of colonies lead
us conclude that Muslims from the distant lands of Central
Asia, Iran and Arabia had visited India prior to the advent of
Muslim army.
Sulayman a trader visited India in 851 A.D and wrote
about the cremation of the dead and widow burning. He also
praised about Hindu proficiency in astronomy, philosophy and
medicine.
1
355
of
mediaval
Khawarazm ..... he
was
Islamic
brought
sc1ence,
to
was
Ghazana
born
and
in
later
356
title; Tahqiq rna lil Hind m1n maqula maqbula fial aql
mardhula" .1
He traveled extensively in western India and studied
Indian sciences and philosophy thoughts in the local language.
Then he started writing of 'India'.
Malik Mohammad writes,
"No civilized nation by that time, or even centuries after,
produced on the socio-religious life of an alien people such a
work, which is matchless by virtue of the extent of its scope,
the diversity of its subject, comparative method adopted in it,
and above all, the deep and unbiased insight of the author:
'India', indeed shall always remain wonder of the world of
learning". 2
Biruni was of the op1n1on, that the philosophers,
Brahmans and Indian sages are the true representatives of the
Hindu religion. His book, 'India' deals with Hindu rituals,
festivals fundamentals of the Hindu law and social practices.
Malik Mohammad has rightly pointed out:
357
358
359
360
YusufHussain, P. 138.
361
362
CHAPTER-5
363
Journal of the Economic and Social History of the orient, 37, 3(August
1994), p. 202-25.
364
365
366
367
368
369
...
potential
competitors
like
Armenians or Jews.
370
Central
Asian
Muslims,
Prof. Surendra Gopla, Trade contact between India and Iran, p. 279.
371
372