Islam (in Bengal) came to Bengal comparatively late. Within about one hundred years of its advent, Islam penetrated into northwestern India, and Arabian traders came into contact with the coastal regions of India, including Bengal. But it took about five hundred years for Muslim political power to reach Bengal. According to unconfirmed traditions, some Muslim sufi-saints came to Bengal even before the political conquest, but Islam actually entered in full force with the Turkish conquest towards the beginning of the 13th century. Bangladesh is today a Muslim majority country; about 90% of her population belongs to the Islamic faith.
Objective
The objective of this article is to be
rediscover the rich history of our medieval Muslim period in Bengal. This
presentation will include how the Muslim rule started, how it had followed and
how far it has reached to lay it’s significance in our lives, our culture and
in our religious harmony.
Early Bengal
It is the picture of ancient geographical
divisions of medieval Bengal. It gives an idea about how with days and
distance, Muslim rule had spread in this soil and formed a dynasty which is
still being reminisced till this day.
Advent of Muslim Rule
There are three phases in the ascendancy of
Muslim rule in the sub-continent.
1. The first phase is the conquest of Sind and
Multan by Muhammad ibn Qasim, a lieutenant of Hijjaj ibn Yusuf, which resulted
in a lasting cultural contact between the arabs and the Western part of India.
2. The second phase saw the repeated invasions
of the Sub-continent by Amir Sabuktagin and his son Sultan Mahmud. The latter
penetrated deep into the sub-continent conquering the north-western area
centring around Lahor.
3. The third phase began with the Battle of
Tarain, led by Sultan Muizz-ud-Din or better known in Indian history as
Muhammad Ghori. The conquest of Bengal is a continuation of this third phase of
Muslim penetration into the Sub-continent and the leader of this conquest was
Malik ibn Bakhtyar Khalji.
Pioneers of Bengali
Muslim Rule
The Muslim conquest of this land began in the
thirteenth century. A large army of Muslim Turks accompanied by Ikhtiyaruddin
Muhammad ibn Bakhtiyar Khalji in his conquest of Bengal from the hands of the
powerful Hindu King Lakhshmanasena.
During the first
three hundred years or so of Muslim rule, the Turks of one or the other group-
the Khaljis, the Ilbaris and the Qaraunahs, ruled Bengal. The Abyssinian slaves
occupied the throne for a few years in the late 15th century and then came
successively the Sayyids, the Afghans and the Mughals. So broadly speaking, the
Muslim rulers of Bengal belonged to three racial groups-
1. The Turkish
2. The Afghans
3. The Mughal
Bengal remained under the Muslim rule for five
hundred and fifty four years up to 1757. So in a summary, the Muslim rule in
Bengal may be divided into a few divisions:
|
Rulers in Bengal |
Periods |
|
Khalji Rule |
1203 – 1227 A.C. |
|
Delhi Rule |
1227 – 1341 A. C. |
|
Ilyas Shahi Dynasty |
1342 – 1413 A. C. |
|
Raja Gonesh – Jalal Uddin Rule |
1414 – 1441 A. C. |
|
Ilyas Shahi Dynasty (Second Term) |
1442 – 1487 A. C. |
|
Habshi Rule |
1487 – 1493 A. C. |
|
Hussain Shahi Dynasty |
1493 – 1538 A. C. |
|
Pathan Rule (Sher Shah & Sur Dynasty) |
1538 – 1564 A. C. |
|
Karrani Dynasty |
1565 – 1576 A. C. |
|
Mughal Rule |
1576 – 1757 A. C. |
Stages of Muslim Rule
In 1206, Delhi Sultanate general Ikhtiyaruddin Muhammad ibn Bakhtiyar Khalji defeated the then last king of Sena dynasty Lakhshmanasena and took Bengal under the control of Delhi Sultanate.
As the influence of Delhi Sultanate decreased, In 1342 Sultan Shams-Uddin Shah established first sovereign Bengali Sultanate in this region.
Then by consequently
Saifullah Shah, Shihabuddin Shah, Ala-Uddin Firoz shah rule Bengal sultanate.
In 1414, Hindu
Jamidar Raja Gonesh killed the last Shahi Sultan Ala-Uddin Firoz shah due to a
palace conspiracy.
After then, his son
Jadu converted to Islam and named himself Jalal-Uddin Muhammed Shah, again
continued and ruled Muslim Sultanate in Bengal.
In 1435, Illius Shahi dynasty again re-established and
continued to rule for about 1487.
Then Sultan
Jalal-Uddin Fateh Shah (1481-1487) was killed by his own servant and then
Mamluk or Slave rule was initiated in this region.
Then followed one by
one Mamluk dynasty (1487-1495)
Hussain Shahi dynasty ( 1495-1538)
Suri dynasty ( 1539-1558)
Muhammed Shah dynasty ( 1558-1568) and then famous Karrani dynasty ruled Bengal
in this region for about 1568 to 1576.
In 1576 Mughal
Emperor Akbar won against the then ruler Dauyd Khan Karrani in “Battle of
Palace” and then he first established Mughal dynasty in the very soil of
Bengal.
In 1717 a relatively
independent group of Nawabs emerged under the Mughals
In 1757, Nawab Sirajudullah faced the British ruers at
Palashi Maidan. He was defeated and killed by the betrayal of his own generals.
The sun of Bengal’s
independence set forever in the campaign by deception of Mir Jafar and
Jagathsheth. Then gegan the British rule of tyranny until the year 1947.
Significance of Muslim
rule
This Muslim rulers had a great influence and contributed a
lot in many aspects in our country. The note worthy mentions are:
1. Spreading Islam in the Bengal region
2. Political development in the Bengal region
3. Economical development during the muslim rule
4. Agricultural development during the muslim rule
5. Development of Bengali Literature
6. Architectural development during muslim period
Conclusion
What made Islam in Bengal not only historically successful but a continuing vital social reality which has been it’s capacity to adapt to the land and the culture of it’s people, even while transforming both.
Finally we can say that, the history, the significance and the influence of muslim rule in Bengal was memorable. It was indeed the base of the history of Bengal.