Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c16.s2.1

c16.s2.1

It was not during expeditions and wars alone that conversions were effected. For increasing the number of their co-religionists, Muslim rulers made free use of the governmental machinery in peace time. This was done not only by the sultans of Delhi, but by all Muslim rulers—of Bengal, Kashmir, the Deccan—wherever Muslim rule was established. One of the measures, which helped raise Muslim numbers was patronage to foreign Muslims—scholars, administrators, mashaikh, soldiers, adventurers—indeed Muslims of almost any sort. This resulted in Muslim immigration on a large scale. Another step was the building and maintenance of mosques, Khanqahs and Sarais from government funds. These mosques, besides being houses of worship and centres of Islamic learning, often provided asylum to the needy and the indigent, who could be potential converts. Sometimes conquests were undertaken with a "missionary" motive.⁴⁹ Some rulers like Sikandar Butshikan of Kashmir (1394-1417) just compelled their subjects to embrace Islam.⁵⁰