Author: Rashneek Kher
Publication: Islam Watch
Date: January 10, 2008
URL: http://www.islam-watch.org/Others/Islamic-Iconoclasm-in-Kashmir-Motives-and-Magnitude.htm
Iconoclasm and religious persecution of faiths
alien to the king's faith has been a norm said one of my Marxist friends.
He didn't stop there. He went on to name various Hindu, Naga, Buddhist &
Huna kings [Kalhana's Rajatarangi (The River of Kings)] in the Pre-Islamic
period who had resorted to iconoclasm and religious persecution of faiths
other than theirs. As if this wasn't enough he went on to announce that Islam
in Kashmir had spread through examples set by missionaries and religious divines
and not military expansions. Obviously for this he did not have any credible
historical evidence but then isn't spreading lies about India's past one of
the favourite pastimes of Marxist Historians, Romila Thapar included. Ordinarily
I would have ignored such a statement had it been made by some sly shadow
of Mao but since this came from someone whose knowledge of history and art
is highly respected by his followers, it was time to call his bluff. While
no-one can argue that Kashmir has not seen sporadic cases of Iconoclasm (even
in the pre-Islamic era) we cannot but observe that such cases have been exceptions
or aberrations rather than an instrument for subjugation of followers of a
different faith. Compare that to the Islamic period and we have whole lot
of historical evidence to suggest that persecution (in the Salatin era) of
non-Muslim subjects happened at a large scale which resulted in 6 exoduses
of the Hindu community from the valley. There is evidence also to support
that whichever of the two Islamic sects (Shia's or Sunni's) was in power subjugated
the other but meted out special torment on non-Muslim subjects.
While it is true that Kashmir did not have
armies of Arabs or Persians (although Zulchu did march in with his armies
in Kashmir but the purpose was to loot and not conquer land or convert its
inhabitants. I am saying this despite the fact that he took thousands of Kashmiri
men and women as slaves all of whom perished in a snow storm at Devasar in
Anantanag) marching into its land but as far as conversions due to examples
set by missionaries and Dervishes are concerned, it is mere hogwash to a great
extent. How Islam was spread is clear from the next part of this column. You
will see how Hindus were converted by brute force and how atrocities were
inflicted by the Osama's of those days.
MOTIVES BEHIND ICONOCLASM - THE MUSLIM KINGS
I once again re-affirm that while a miniscule
percentage of Hindu, Hun (like Mihirkula), Buddhists (like Jaluka) rulers
did destroy temples and some destroyed Buddhist Viharas too (of course not
Shankarvarman) the reasons for the same were not religious expansion or bigotry.
Unlike Muslim kings they did not think that they have a holy aim of converting
Darul-Harb to Darul-Islam. The aim was not to subjugate or make people change
their religion or faith but anything else. Most of the Muslim rulers destroyed
temples thinking that they were doing a righteous act and were promoting Shariah
by eliminating infidels (Kafir's). Many thought that they were emulating the
Prophet (SAW) little realizing the difference that what Prophet Mohammed (PBH)
had done while destroying the idols at Kabba (a pagan place of worship then
and a mosque now) was destroying idolatry and not idols. Iconoclasm in Kashmir
was endorsed by the Amirs of the day (whether general Muslims supported it
or not can be a matter of debate much like whether majority Hindus supported
or condemned the barbaric destruction of Babri Mosque or whether Iconoclasm,
in present day Kashmir has the mandate of the Muslims of the Valley or not).There
are examples galore to prove this point. In order to put this in perspective
I am giving some references.
From Bahristan-i-Shahi
"Sultan Shihabu'd-Din addressed himself
to such works as would help him get peace in the world hereafter. He arranged
a tomb and a burial place for himself to be used after his death. Towards
the fag end of his life, he was infused with a zeal for demolishing idol-houses
and destroying the temples and idols of the infidels. He destroyed the massive
temple at Beejeh Belareh [31] (Bijbehara). He had designs to destroy all the
temples and put an end to the entire community of the infidels. [32] "
"Again it needs to be recorded that for
some of the time which the holy Amir spent in Kashmir he lived in a sarai
at 'Alau'd-Din Pora. At the site where his khanqah was built, there existed
a small temple which was demolished and converted into an estrade on which
he offered namaz (prayer) five times a day and recited portions of the Qur'an
morning and evening. Sultan Qutbu'd-Din occasionally attended these congregational
prayers." "[It may be recorded] that the temples of idol-worshippers,
which had been destroyed and razed to the ground by the religious-minded and
justice-loving Sultan Sikandar - God bless his grave and bless him-had been
rebuilt and rehabilitated by Zainu'l 'Abidin. He had permitted idolators and
polytheists to revive the practices of infidelity and they had propagated
heresy (kufr) and false religion (din-i batil). With the support of some more
kings, [96] the infidels had flourished day after day. But with the support
and authority of Malik Musa Raina, Amir Shamsu'd-Din Muhammad undertook a
wholesale destruction of all those idol-houses [97] as well as the total ruination
of the very foundation of infidelity and disbelief. On the site of every idol-house
he destroyed, he ordered the construction of a mosque for offering prayers
after the Islamic manner."
The idolatry and heresy which had existed
prior to his coming to this place were effectively replaced by his preaching
and propagation of Islamic laws and practices. He brought honour to all the
infidels and heretics (zandiqa) of Kashmir by admitting them to the Islamic
faith and bestowed upon them many kinds of rewards and benefactions. It is
publicly known as well as emphatically related that during his life-time,
with the virtuous efforts and elaborate arrangements made by the fortunate
Malik Musa Raina, twenty-four thousand families of staunch infidels and stubborn
heretics were ennobled by being converted to the Islamic faith. [99] It is
difficult to compute the number of people who had hitherto indulged in corrupt
practices of a wrong (false) faith and dissent and were put on the right track
under the proper guidance of Mir Shamsu'd-Din 'Iraqi .[99]
In fact the transmitter of (God's) grace (Mir
Shams 'Iraqi) conferred favours upon the righteous Malik Musa Raina and gave
him blessings which enabled him to fulfill that cherished task. Indeed, fortunate
is one who has been able to become the recipient of such special consideration
at the hands of a highly venerable and elderly person like him (Amir Shamsu'd-Din).
After Sultan Sikandar - God's peace be upon him-no one among the Muslims who
wielded authority over this country rendered as much service to Islam by its
propagation and advancement as Malik Musa Raina did. Nobody was able to make
as organized an effort as he did towards the advancement and furtherance of
the Muhammadan religion.
Please look at how the kings viewed their
acts. One thought he would get peace by destroying temples. Sultan Sikander
has been defined as religious minded and justice loving by the historians
of the day while in no case has Kalhana supported or even condoned breaking
of religious places. He heaped scorn on kings who resorted to this.
Now that's the difference. While Muslim Kings,
their Amirs and even most Muslim Historians thought that the King was indulging
in act of religious righteousness, kings belonging to other faiths had no
such grandiose megalomania of reaching heaven (where houris would await them)
by resorting to such acts.
It makes an important reading into the mindset
of the Muslim rulers. They clearly saw a holy purpose of converting "people
of false faiths" like Hindus, Buddhists, Jainas and other heterodox religions
to the only "true religion". In their understanding of Islam they
were doing great acts and their Amirs and most Historians of that period (especially
the foreign historians who came with them) supported this sickness unlike
Kalhana who out rightly condemned these acts.
Read the Last line of my reference from the
Bharistan-i-Shahi Nobody was able to make as organized an effort as he did
towards the advancement and furtherance of the Muhammadan religion.
Here we are. The purpose is clear "Advancement
and Furtherance of the Mohammedan Religion".
Tarikh-i-Hasan Khuihami
For details of forcible conversion of Hindus
to Islam and their massacre in case they refused to be converted, see Tarikh-i-Hasan
Khuihami; pp. 178-80. One significant detail is that three kharwars (one kharwar
is approximately equal to eighty kilograms) of Hindu ceremonial thread (zunnar)
were burnt by Sultan Sikandar. (Tarikh-i-Hasan Khuihami, Pir Ghulam Hasan,
Vol II, RPD,* Srinagar 1954.)
Other Sources for Sikander Butshikan alone
This is what historians (mostly Muslims) have
to say: "He [Sikandar] prohibited all types of frugal games. Nobody dared
to commit acts which were prohibited by the Sharia. The Sultãn was
constantly busy in annihilating the infidels and destroyed most of the temples..."
(Haidar Malik Chãdurãh: Tãrîkh-i-Kashmîr;
edited and translated into English by Razia Bano, Delhi, 1991, p. 55.)
"[He] strove to destroy the idols and
temples of the infidels. He got demolished the famous temple of Mahãdeva
at Bahrãre. The temple was dug out of its foundation and the hole (that
remained) reached the water table. Another temple at Jagdar was also demolished
Rãjã Alamãdat had got a big temple constructed at Sinpur.
(...) The temple was destroyed [by Sikandar]." (Khwãjah Nizãmu'd-
Dîn Ahmad bin Muhammad Muqîm al-Harbî: Tabqãt-i-Akbarî
translated by B. De, Calcutta, 1973)
"Sikander burnt all books the same way
as fire burns hay". "All the scintillating works faced destruction
in the same manner that lotus flowers face with the onset of frosty winter."
(Srivara, Zaina Ra-jtarangini). This I am giving more for its poetic value
rather than what it says.
Also please do pay attention to the following:
"At the behest of Shams Iraqi, Musa Raina
had ordered 1500 to 2000 infidels to be brought to his door-steps every day
by his followers. They would remove their sacred threads, administer Kalima
to them, circumcise them and thrust lumps of beef into their mouths,'' mentions
Tohfatul Ahbab.
Role of so-called Sufis:
While no one can deny the fact that Kashmir
was greatly influenced by Sufism and has produced some great Sufi saints and
mystic poets (both Hindus and Muslims), we must stay clear of attaching a
Sufi tag to every Muslim Godman. On one hand we have the great Sufi Tradition
of Nund Rishi, Shams Faqir, Ahmed batwario, Rahim Saab, Swoch Kral, Prakesh
Ram Kurigami, Govind Kaul, Ahmed Dar, on the other we have self styled god-men
like Bul Bul Shah and Syed Ali Hamdani on whom this label of Sufi is stuck
to make them more palatable to the larger masses.
Syed Ali Hamdani or Shah-I Hamdan as he is
popularly called by Kashmiri Muslims is widely regarded as the man responsible
for conversion of Kashmiris to Islam. As we already know that the Shah-i-Hamadan
mosque was built after demolishing a Kali temple (and there are enough historical
records to prove that, apart from the fact that to this day Pandits perform
prayers alongside the converted structure). Now that itself should restrain
our Marxist historians from making "religious divines" claim.
That not-withstanding I would like to inform
the forum that before Shah-i-Hamadan left Kashmir he ordered the king to impose
the following sanctions on Non-Muslims. I am enumerating them for your reading
please.
1) The Hindus will not construct any new temples
under the rule of Muslims.
2) They will not repair old temples fallen
into ruins.
3) They will respect Muslims.
4) They will not dress like Muslims.
5) They will not ride a horse with saddle
& bridle.
6) They will not put on a ring.
7) They will not carry swords or bows &
arrows.
8) They will not adopt Muslim names.
9) They will not harbour spies or act as spies.
10) If any relation of theirs wants to embrace
Islam, they will not oppose it.
11) If a Muslim comes to attend a Hindu meeting
he will be respectfully received.
12) They will receive Muslim travelers into
their houses & provide them hospitality.
13) They will not prevent Muslim travelers
from staying in their temples & shrines.
14) They will not mourn their dead loudly.
15) They will not buy Muslim slaves.
16) They will not build houses in neighbourhood
of Muslims.
17) They will not sell intoxicating drinks.
18) They will not carry their dead near the
grave-yards of Muslims.
19) They will not openly practice their customs
& usages among Muslims.
20) They will not give up their traditional
dress so that they can be distinguished from Muslims.
In the end, the fiat in the form of an advice
dictated if any Hindu dares to flout any of conditions, he should be first
looted and then possession of his body is halal (Zakhiratul- Muluk).
(Source: Dr.Qayoom Rafiquee's doctoral thesis
titled" Sufism in Kashmir")
In case this is not enough proof for anybody's
flight of fancy which makes him believe that Islam spread peacefully here
are some examples from the same thesis. If this isn't persecution in the name
of religion then I wonder what is.
Writes Dr. Qayoom Rafiquee, "Mir Mohammad
was not ready to give the status of Zimmis to the Hindus of Kashmir and treated
them as kafirs who were not obedient to Islam, but were at war with it".
Sufism in Kashmir, P-101
Again to quote Rafiquee, 'the medieval Muslim
sources inform us emphatically that infidelity was uprooted from Kashmir through
the influence of Mir Mohammad'. Sufism in Kashmir 101.
And sadly some of us have the cheek to say
Islam in Kashmir spread through divinity and personal example of missionaries.
This should put to rest any imaginative thought
processes of Islam spreading in Kashmir through "divine incarnation of
Dervishes and examples set by missionaries". If someone still wants to
stick to his point then I hope the same divinity that dawned on our forefathers
in Kashmir dawns on him too.