History

Hazrat Sharaf-ud-Din Abdul Rehman Bulbul Shah laid foundation of Sufi and secular culture of Kashmir in the year 1320 A.D.
The origin of Sufi civilization of Kashmir worldwide known as Kashmiriyat lies in the philosophy of brotherhood and mutual love respectability as propagated by Bulbul Shah commonly known as Amir-i-Kashmir and Baadashah-i-Kashmir. Wheather he was actually born in Kashmir and later on received religious education in Turkistan and Bhagdad or he was actually born in Turkistan and later on visited Kashmir where he permanently stayed till his death is subject to various scholarly opinions. However, it is clear that like other great Sufi saints of Kashmir his grave and shrine is present in the Valley.
During the time of Bulbul Shah three distinguished religions Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam had impact in Asia. Bulbul Shah propagated synthesis of all three religions and introduced message of peace as enshrined in Islam in such a manner that all luminaries of Hinduism and Buddhism were influenced by him, particularly Prince of Kashgar and Ladakh Rinchen Shah who is known as Renzu Shah.
He was an extensively travelled preacher. He had deeply impressed the people of Kashmir by his manner of preaching and persuasion at a time when people were passing through a period of political instability, heavy taxation and crushing burdens of feudalism.
All the historians are united upon the fact that Hazrat Bulbul Shah (RA) was the first saint who sowed the seeds of Islam in Kashmir. The historians have been reserved over the pedigree of the saint and some believe that he had come from Samarqand and some state that he was from Bukhara. But the majority of them believe that he was from Turkistan. They believe that Hazrat Sharaf- ud- Din (RA) was neither a king nor a soldier, nor a businessman but he was only a virtuous and great saint who possessed spiritual prowess and holiness. He came to Kashmir with the instructive power of Prophet (SAW) and enlightened the whole milieu. Different beliefs about the actual birth of Hazrat Abdul Rahman or Sharaf –ud- Din (RA) alias Hazrat Bulbul Shah (RA) have been promulgated. Some schools of thought believe that he belonged to Samarqand and some believe that he was a saintly celeb from Bukhara. There are also others who believe that he belonged to Turkistani or Central Asia. But the majority of people are united on the idea that he emerged from Turkistan and that is why the suffix of ‘Turkistani’ is found with the name of the great saint.
In the land of Kashmir he became much popular as Bulbul Shah (RA) because it is believed by different writers and spiritual scholars particularly by Baba Ali Raina of Tujar Sharief, the brother and special disciple of Sheikh Hamza Makhdom (RA), who writes in his book Tazkarat- ul- Aarifeen that “One day Hazrat Syed Sharaf- ud- Din (RA) was about to make ablution on the bank of a stream or canal. All of sudden he sighted a Bulbul (Bird) on the branch of a tree singing beautifully and impressively and then suddenly the bird flew towards the sky. Hazrat Bulbul Shah also flew after the bird and caught hold of the bird and flew down into his cottage and then the bird got was vanished in his august hands. One acquaintance present at the time, asked the saint about the whole episode and the saint replied that the bird was not a bird but it was his soul which was flying towards the sky and he followed it and caught hold of his own soul.” This episode with the saint got publicized and therefore, he came to be known as Hazrat Bulbul Shah.
After the King Rinchena embraced Islam as his religion, his mentor and guide entitled him as Shaha and he became prominent as Sultan Rinchena Shah, the first Muslim King of Kashmir. Since the King was influenced by the spiritual powers of the saint Hazrat Bulbul Shah (RA), he got constructed a Khankah or a cloister for his convertor near his palace in Srinagar. In order to keep other followers or Dervishes at ease, the King constructed quarters, where the food was served to them. The place at which the Khankah of Bulbul Shah (RA) was built came to be known as Bulbul Lankar during the rule of Chak dynasty, which endowed the spiritual followers and other disciples with free ration and other necessary items. The Sultan Rinchena Shah also constructed a mosque for the great saint and would present himself on Fridays before him for moral and spiritual salvation. It is important to mention that due to the much conversions among the Hindus, there grew a terrible animosity against the King Rinchena Shah. A conspiracy was hatched against him under the command of Udayanadeva in the royal palace. Fortunately, the Ladakhi security guards of the Sultan repulsed their attack on the King and made them to flee. Some of the conspirators were killed and some were imprisoned and punished. In 1323, Sultan Rinchena Shah fell ill and passed away after ruling for more than three years.
Hazrat Bulbul Shah (RA) took the heavenly flight from this world in 727 AH e.g, in 1327 AD. T

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