1. Indian Subcontinent: Pakistan, Bangladesh, India
e.g. Punjabi, Sindhi, Bengali

2. Reasons why Muslims came to South Asia
To trade
To rule
To preach religion
To seek patronage
To seek refuge

3. Turko-Persian invasions

4. THE TURKO-PERSIAN WORLD

5. The emergence of “indigenous” Muslim communities
1) How do you define “conversion”?
2) Why did people “convert” to Islam in South Asia
3) How do theories of “conversion” reflect the world-views of those who propose them?

7. Dargah (tomb-shrine) of Muin ad-Din Chishti (d.1236)

8. Mughal Emperor Akbar (d. 1605), father of Salim (Emperor Jehangir) (d
Shaykh Salim Chishti
Fatehpur Sikri

9. Akbar’s ecumenical and mystical interests
Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) at Fatehpur Sikri
Din-i ilahi - a new religion?
Emperor as Insan-i kamil “Perfect Man”
Edict of 1579

10. Akbar in the Ibadat Khana with Jesuits

11. “Razm nama” Persian translation of the Mahabharata

12. Dara Shikoh with Mian Mir, pir of Qadiri Sufi order

13. Indian Muslim prince and mystic, Dara Shikoh(d
Indian Muslim prince and mystic, Dara Shikoh(d. 1659) translating Indic “Hindu” religious texts, the Upanishads, from Sanskrit to Persian

14. Majma al-Bahrain “The comingling of the two oceans”

15. Jahan Ara Begum (d. 1681)
Jahan Ara’s tomb at Nizamuddin Shrine in Delhi

16. Emperor Aurangzeb (d. 1707)

17. Idioms of power in North India
Mughal period
Sharia based
Mongol notion
3) Persian Akhlaq “ethical” traditions: Nasir ud-Din
Tusi’s Akhlaq-i Nasiri
(completed in 1235)
4) Wahdat al-wujud “unity of
existence”

18. Akhlaq i Nasiri Nasir ud-din Tusi (d. 1274) philosopher and scientist
Notion of Kingship -- person who had attained perfection (union with Supreme Being); help his subjects reach potential perfection
Ability to harmonize conflicting interests of diverse social and religious groups
Ensured the well-being of all people

19. Constructions of history
Hero or villain (Akbar/Dara Shikoh vs. Aurangzeb)
“Good Muslim” vs “Bad Muslim”

20. Naqshbandi response Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1624)
“mujaddid-i alf-i thani” Reformer of the second millenium
Letters to emperor Jehangir
Qayyum
Wahdat ash-shuhud
Shah Waliullah (d. 1762) -- loss of Muslim political power
Reformer/activist
Tariqah Muhammadiyya

21. Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (d. 1752)
What you consider couplets of songs, Are in-fact verses from the Holy Book, That guide you to the Beloved's abode." Bhitai

22. Tomb of Shah Abdul Latif (d.1752), BhitShah, Pakistan

23. From Risalo, Sur Sassui
"Beloved! you are aware of my illness, Beloved's enduring love is that chronic illness. My physician! for you to this ailment am I confined, Give me health's good tidings, remove distress of my mind. For you I weep, for you my cries are destined; Idle and wicked am I, free me from this evil design, May you come, who are my expert physician. Disappointed consulting other physicians, you alone are my medicine, You, who are so near, clasp me to your bosom."

24. Bullhe Shah (d.1758)
Repeating the name of the Beloved I have become the Beloved myself. Whom shall I call the Beloved now?

25. You alone exist; I do not, O Beloved. You alone exist, I do not
You alone exist; I do not, O Beloved! You alone exist, I do not! Like the shadow of a house in ruins, I revolve in my own mind. If I speak, you speak with me: If I am silent, you are in my mind. If I sleep, you sleep with me: If I walk, you are along my path. Oh Bulleh, the spouse has come to my house: My life is a sacrifice unto Him. You alone exist; I do not, O Beloved!

26. Verse from cakkinama (Bijapur)
The cakki’s handle resembles the letter “alif” which means Allah
And the axle is Muhammad, and is fixed there.
In this way, the truth sees the relationship:
Ya bism Allah, hu hu Allah

27. Remarks by General Parvez Musharraf
“Have we forgotten the example of the Holy Prophet where Islam was spread by virtue of his personal conduct, true leadership….we have forgotten the teachings of revered personalities of Islam like Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh, Hazrat Lal Shahbaz, Baha ud-din Zakariyya…”
Jan 12, 2006