The Coming of Islam to Kashmir
Islam reached Kashmir slowly and peacefully, through traders, Sufi saints and refugees, long before any Muslim king ruled.
Early contact
- Arab armies in Sindh (8th century) never conquered Kashmir. Lalitaditya is said to have turned them back.
- Turk soldiers (Turushkas) served in Kashmir armies, such as that of Harsha (1089 to 1101).
- Muslim traders and a few preachers came along the trade routes in the 11th to 13th centuries.
Sufi orders in Kashmir
| Order | Brought by | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Suhrawardiyya | Bulbul Shah (Sharfuddin) | Early 14th century |
| Kubrawiyya | Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani | Late 14th century |
| Rishi order | Nund Rishi and the Rishis (a Kashmiri order, not from outside) | 14th to 15th century |
| Qadiriyya and Naqshbandiyya | Later saints | 15th to 17th century |
Bulbul Shah
- Sayyid Sharfuddin Abdur Rahman, called Bulbul Shah, was a Suhrawardi Sufi from Turkestan. He came during the reign of Suhadeva (about 1300 to 1320).
- Tradition says Rinchana became a Muslim after meeting him, and took the name Sadr-ud-Din.
- Rinchana built the first Khanqah (Bulbul Lankar) for him on the Vitasta in Srinagar. This is the first Muslim mosque and Khanqah in Kashmir in tradition. Bulbul Shah died in about 1327 and was buried near it.
Why did the Valley change faith?
- Many saw Islam's equality as an escape from the caste order.
- The Sufis lived simply, spoke Kashmiri and worked among the poor.
- Buddhism had faded by then, and Brahmin Shaivism was already narrowing.
- Royal favour from the later Sultans helped, and a few rulers (notably Sikandar) pressed it.
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Prepared for exam revision from standard sources, official publications and the Census. Figures and recent developments change, so check official sources before relying on them. Found a mistake? Tell us.