Sultan Sadr-d-Din, Rinchan or Rinchana, the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir, a contemporary of Edward III of England, was originally a Ladakhi, also called a Tibetan, from western Tibet. He was well-disposed towards Islam on account of his contact with Shah Mir, then in the Kashmir state service. Richan is believed to have actually owed his conversion to Sayyid Bilal (popularized to Bulbul) in the beginning of the fourteenth century.
Aankh dar rahi ilahi roshan az badr-o- hilal
Bulbul bagh wilayat shahbazi la misaal
Shudh bi kashmir awal az dastash darakhti deani nihal
Sheikh-o-murshid aarifi haq, hazrat Baba Bilal
Bilal Shah or Bulbul Shah is stated to have visited Kashmir first in the time of Raja Suhadeva, the predecessor of Richan. The original name of Bulbul Shah is said to have been Sayyid Abdur Rahman, though some believe it to be Sayyid Sharaf-ud-Din, while others call him Sharaf-ud-Din Sayyid ‘Abdur Rahman Turkistani. This much is certain that he was a widely travelled Musavi Sayyid from Turkistan having enjoyed a long stay at Baghdad. Haji Miskin is of the opinion that Bulbul Shah was a disciple of Mulla Ahmad Allama, who is stated to have accompanied Bulbul Shah when he visited Kashmir on the first occasion, in the time of Raja Suhadeva. The same writer mentions Mulla Ahmad Allama as the Shaikh-ul-Islam in the reign of Sultan Shams-ud-Din(740-743 A.H.). Available evidences appears to establish that Bulbul Shah was a spiritual disciple of Shah Nimatullah Wali Farsi. Mulla Ahmad was a lieutenant of Bulbul Shah, died in the reign of Sultan Shihab-ud-Din, and is buried next to Bulbul Shah. The Mulla was made the first Shaikh-ul-Islam and was the author of two books, Fatawa-i-Shihabi and Shihab-i-Saqib.
The circumstances that led to the conversion of Rinchan appear to have been the impression created on him by the simplicity of Bulbul Shah’s faith coupled with his own dissatisfaction with what was then professed by the people around him. Different people have attributed different motives to Richan for adopting Islam, into the details of which motives we need not enter. Suffice it to say that Rinchan embraced Islam at the hands of Bulbul Shah and assumed the name of the First Muslim Ruler Of Kashmir. Muslim historians write his name as Rinchan.
After the conversion of Rinchan, and several others ten thousand embraced the creed of Bulbul Shah. A place of gathering for the new converts was setup on the bank of the Vitasta and is known as Bulbul Lankar- and also the first mosque in Kashmir now unfortunately reduced to ruins. The Bulbul Lankar is a three storied decayed wooden building on the right bank of the Jhelum, about 200 yards below Ali Kadal, the fifth bridge, in Mahalla Bulbul Lankar, Srinagar.
Death
He died on 7, Rajab 722 Hijri (1326 AD) The following couplet, when computed, gives 722 Hijri as his date of death.
Saal-e-Tarikh-e-Vasl-e-Shah
Bulbul-e-Quads Guft-e-Khas Ilah.
Reference:
Sufi,G.M.D (1996). Kashmir Under The Mughals. Kashir: Being A History Of Kashmir(pp.81-83) Delhi:Capital Publishing House.
