Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c22.s2.9

c22.s2.9

A striking feature of the Bhakti movement was that it gave to the lower class Hindus a respectable position in society. Indeed some of the leaders of this movement like Sain, Raidas, and Dhanna belonged to the lowest classes of Hindu social order. Because of this 'revolution' in which the lowest classes of people, even the untouchables, had not only got an equal status with the highest, but were even revered as saints,⁷ there could have been no incentive for the low classes of people to renounce their faith, if they ever had any before "because of Hindu tyranny," and go over to Islam. As Aziz Ahmad puts it, "like other Bhaktī poets his (Kabīr's) denunciation of the caste-system was as much an inspiration of Muslim example as a response to its pull of conversion."⁸ When Kabir denounced caste and ritual of the Hindus, he also denounced the superstitions and rituals of the Muslims; or, conversely, the idea is best expressed in the words of his disciple Naudhan (whom Sikandar Lodi executed): "Islam was true, but his own religion was also true.⁹ This was an open challenge to Muslim propagandism and proselytization. No wonder that Bhakti reformers were disliked by some Sufi Mashaikh, who looked upon them as competitors.¹⁰ For, under the influence of these saints many Muslims were converted to Bhakti Hinduism. Namdeva,¹¹ Ramdas, Eknath, Ramanand, Kabir, Nanak and Chaitanya and several other saints had Muslim disciples, many of whom converted to the Hindu Bhakti cult. Chaitanya openly converted Muslims to Bhakti Hinduism.¹² The *Bhaktamala* relates many instances of conversions that Pipa effected.