Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c20.s1.20

c20.s1.20

In brief, while it would not be safe to declare that hardly any conversions were effected by the Sufi Mashaikh, it has also to be admitted that not many reliable references to their proselytizing activity are available in genuine hagiological works. They may have helped those who showed any inclination to become Muslims. Occasionally they resorted to force also to convert people.¹⁸ But the Mashaikh were probably responsible only for stray and individual conversions and their contribution to the growth of Muslim population may not have been much. Saiyyad Muhammad bin Nasiruddin Jafar Makki al-Husaini, the Khalifa of Nasirudddin Chiragh-i-Dehli "held that there were five reasons which led the people to embrace Islam :