Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c17.s4: Gujarat

Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c17.s4

Language: English

Gujarat

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The kingdom of Gujarat was established in 1396 and its rulers were descended from Wajih-ul-Mulk, a converted Rajput. This dynasty made great efforts to spread Islam. One of its famous rulers, Ahmad Shah (1411-1442), was responsible for many conversions. In 1414 he introduced the Jiziyah, and collected it with such strictness, that it brought a number of converts to Islam.³⁵ This Jiziyah was not rescinded till Akbar's conquest of Gujarat in 1573. Even after that it took time to go,³⁶ bringing converts all the while. In 1420 Ahmad Shah punished the 'infidels' of Satpura; in 1433 raided Dungarpur and in 1440 he brought about Idar's submission.³⁷ All his conquests were accompanied by conversions and boosted Muslim demography. Mahmud Beghara's (1458-1511) exertions in the field of proselytization were equally impressive. In 1469 he led an army into Sorath against the Mandalik of Girnar. To the Raja's protests that he had paid the tribute regularly, Mahmud replied that he had come "neither for tribute nor for plunder, but to establish the true faith in Sorath." The Raja went on fighting and fleeing and resisting for a whole year, but then had to accept Islam,³⁸ and received the title of Khan-i-Jahan. It stands to reason that he did not convert alone. In 1473 a raid on Dwarka brought in some more converts. In 1484 the son of the Raja of Champanir was made Musalman (again, not alone) and in the next reign became the Amir of Idar, receiving the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk.

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³⁵ Ferishtah, *op. cit.* (II, n. 6), II, pp. 184-85. Also Satish C. Misra, *The Rise of Muslim Power in Gujarat* (Bombay, 1963), p. 175.

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³⁶ R.P. Tripathi, *Some Aspects of Muslim Administration* (Allahabad, 1936), p 318.

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³⁷ C.H.I., *op. cit.* (II, n. 25), III, pp. 298-300.

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³⁸ *Ibid.*, pp. 305-06.

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About *conversions through enslavement*, Dr. Satish C. Misra, who has made a special study of the history of Gujarat, writes that "the conflict (in Gujarat) veered round two main objectives—land and women. The conqueror inexorably demanded, more often forcibly wrested, both land and women..."³⁹ Surely a large number of women would have been made Musalman during these wars.

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³⁹ S.C. Misra, *op. cit.* (n. 35), p. 205.

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Immigration of foreign Muslims was also not inconsiderable. Ferishtah writes that following the example of sultan Barbak Shah of Bengal, the sultans of Gujarat and the Deccan also invited groups of Abyssinians and gave them "positions of respect and trust".⁴⁰ But Gujarat needed no lessons from Bengal. She abounded in port-towns, and these were doing brisk trade. Her industry was also well-developed. Traders arrived from abroad as well as slaves and soldiers. "Because of the constant threat from the Rajputs and other neighbouring peoples, the Sultan of Gujarat (maintained) a large standing army, recruited mostly from foreign Muslim adventurers to whom he (paid) handsome salaries." On the basis of the writings of Barbosa, Cortesão and Azevedo, Professor Donald F. Lach summarises the situation thus: "Moors from all over the Islamic world congregate in the cities of Gujarat to carry on trade or to find employment as soldiers of the sultan. In addition to the native Moors and their co-religionists of Delhi, a cosmopolitan flavour is given to life by the presence of Turks, Mamalukes, Arabs, Persians, Khurasanis, Turcomans, Abyssinians, and a sprinkling of renegade Christians."