The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c5.s6.5

c5.s6.5

There is nothing surprising about the belief in miracles by medieval Muslims, in particular about their Sufi Mashaikh. In theory Islam disapproved of miracles. In practice it became a criterion by which Sufi Shaikhs were Judged and the common reason why people reposed faith in them. Many Sufi Shaikhs and *Faqirs* were considered to be *Wali* who could perform *karamat* or miracles and even *istidraj* or magic and hypnotism.⁷² Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya held that it was improper for a Sufi to show his *karamat* even if he possessed supernatural powers.⁷³ But belief in alchemy and miracles was common even among Sufi Mashaikh⁷⁴ and there are dozens of hagiological works and biographies of Sufi saints containing stories of such miracles including *Favaid-al-Fuad*, *Siyar-ul-Auliya* and *Khair-ul-Majalis* which are considered by many Muslims to be pretty authentic. There are unbelievable stories, hardly worth reproducing. It is difficult to say when the stories of the *karamat* of the Sufi saints began to be told. But they helped the Sufis take Islam to the masses. It is believed that impressed by these stories or actual performance of miracles, many Hindus became their disciples and ultimately converted to Islam.