Tohfatu'l-Ahbab

"Araki nursed the secret desire of destroying the aforementioned temple. One night, Bejeh Agha, the mother of Shaykh Danial saw a dream. She saw that lofty trees around the temple in question bowed their tops before Shaykh Daniyal while he was still a child. She recounted the dream to Araki who interpreted it to say that while he himself could not fulfil the task of demolishing the temple and felling the trees, his son Shaykh Daniyal would accomplish it. The fortune of accomplishing that task actually fell to the lot of Shaykh Daniyal. Although he was yet to reach adolescence, he performed the act of pulling down the temple. It was in this meeting with Malik Musa Raina that Hazrat Baba sought the permission of destroying the temple of Paneh Renu. On the next day, after reciting awarad-e-fathiyyeh, Hazrat Baba took along with him Shaykh Daniyal and a group of dervishes and proceeded towards the pond. 1 He seated Shaykh Daniyal by the bank of the canal and directed his followers to begin the felling of trees. They hewed down trees that did not bear any fruit. Since Shaykh Daniyal was seated facing qibla (the Mecca, generally the West for the people in the East) the falling trees fell towards the west as if bowing to Shaykh Daniyal. Thus the dream of his mother Bejeh Agha came true. When Araki returned from his travels in Baltistan, he built a mosque on the ruins of the temple and appointed staff to look after it."

"No means of enjoyment were spared; bouts of drinking wine and indulging in other corrupt practices. These activities disallowed by Islamic law and falling within corrupted morals were conducted openly. The ëulema, Qadis and Sayyids of this land did not perform their duty of judging and enforcing what is allowed and what is not allowed in Islamic law just because they did not want to displease the Sultan and his administrative officers. Amir Shamsuíd-Din Araki stayed in the house of Mulla Ismaëil during the spring season. He heard a loud peal raised by the beating of drums and other musical instruments, in addition to the deafening noise made by the cheering and yelling crowds. He inquired of his followers what the noise was about. They explained the situation. He said that the purpose of his visiting Kashmir region was to pull down the idol houses of infidels and polytheists. His first task was to put an end to the customs, traditions and habits of the kafirs (infidels) and also stamp out corruption and aberration (that had seeped into their life). ìNow it is my duty to eradicate these innovations and the customs of the infidelsî, he exclaimed."

"Musa Rainaís allegiance The reins of power and authority had passed into hands of Malik Musa Raina. He had become a devotee of Shamsuíd- Din Araki, and had made it a point to do everything for his mentorís satisfaction and pleasure. He carried out his orders and instructions with great earnestness. In fact, Araki had doled out lengthy lessons and pieces of advice to him in matters of faith, and had succeeded in roping him into following his line. He had emphasized that such noble deeds would ensure his entry into paradise (in hereafter). Thus he had prepared Musa Rainas mind for raising high the banner of Islam, the sharia of Mustafa and the community of the Prophet. Musa Raina devoutly worked to translate this mission into practice. He wrecked the very roots of idolatry, infidelity and heresy. He raised to the heights of the sky the heads of those who followed Islamic faith. It was a matter of great pride and honour for them."

"There existed a big idol temple on top of Koh-i-Maran. 2 In Kashmiri, it was called Hareh Blari (Hareh Brari).3 Groups and clans of Hindu infidels, heretics and unbelievers circumambulated it. The tradition descended from ancient infidels 4 of the land was that on the day of spring (roz-e- bahar) 5 they would assemble here to pray at the idol temples. These people would go up the hillock and offer prayer. They observed the practices and rites of infidelity and polytheism. The people of this land resorted to idolatry and were joined by the Sultan, the officials, the nobles, the heretics, the miscreants and the wretched lot. A festival was observed during the spring at this place. Musicians, drumbeaters, singers, dancers etc. made a big crowd on that day. Many loose women and dancing girls joined them and thus enlivened the assemblies of dance and music. People from all walks of life in the town, merchants and shopkeepers, artisans, labourers and professionals all came to witness the festivities of dance and music. People from the suburbs, villagers and peasants all subscribing to infidelity and heresy came along to get pleasure from the pageant. Hindus and the corrupt people came to see the prostitutes and singing women."

"Owing to his satanic impulse and susceptibility to flattery as well as his haughty demeanor, Fath Shah thought of sending his musclemen to punish Araki as well as his band of sufis. He even ordered that the sufis be executed, which, however, was not liked by his courtiers. Maulana Muhammd Ganai was a pupil and a trainee of Araki. He exhorted the Sultan not to cause obstruction in the mission of Araki because the customs (of the infidels) were extraordinarily abominable. When he was informed of Fath Shahís anger and wrath, Araki just laughed it away. On the following day, after having finished recitation of awrad-e-fathiyyeh and before taking breakfast, he took along with him a group of his associates and Sufis and went up the heights of Koh-i-Maran (Hari Parbat). Together they destroyed even the smallest remnant of the idol house and scattered pieces of the idols (previously broken by them)."

"Consequently, every day groups of infidels numbering five hundred to two thousand or even more came to the residence of Shamsuíd-Din bringing with them their ceremonial thread (zunnar) for re-conversion to Islam. Dervishes and Sufis of Araki spread out in different parts of Kashmir. None among the nobles or the men of authority in the land had the courage to cause them obstruction in their mission. When infidels began to pour in at the seat of Shamsuíd-Din Araki in such large numbers, his subordinates and dervishes, particularly the father of this writer (Maulana Jamal uíd-Din Khalilullah) would take off the ceremonial threads from the necks of the infidels and polytheists, administer kelima to them, make them eat beef and get them circumcised. A large number of barbers was kept at hand to undertake the task of circumcision of all fresh converts to Islamic faith. In each village, locality and habitat, a master-mulla was appointed to educate the converts on the Quraín, principles of Islam, system of offering prayers (namaz), fasting, Islamic laws and tenets of faith etc. Thus all infidels, apostates and polytheists once again became Musulman. No person was left without circumcision or reciting the kelima. Infidels in villages and rural areas were also converted in the same manner. Only a very small group did not convert. Their fathers and forefathers had fled to Nagarkot during the reign of Sultan Sikandar, the Iconoclast. Some of them had settled in Kishtwar and others had fled to Jammu. As they had not converted to Islam, their descendants were spared the compulsion of conversion and were left in whatever condition they were."