Islamic and Cultural Foundations of Kashmiriyat

In this collection of essays, the late Professor Mohammad Ishaq Khan (1946-2013) caps a lifetime of research into the history of Kashmir, especially of its cultural heritage. These essays are a broad selection from years of scholarship and give a clear view of Professor Khan's contribution to the field. Their main theme is Kashmiriyat, the essence of Kashmiri culture that can be traced through history. Professor Khan forcefully argues that Kashmiri Islam is 'neither syncretism nor synthesis'. In other words, Kashmiri culture should not be understood as a watered-down version of a 'pure' Islam, but rather the result of a cultural transformation in no way at odds with Islam as a religion. Professor Khan traces Kashmir's history as an outward looking and culturally self-assured society, tied closely to the rest of the Indian subcontinent, but maintaining unique traditions available to both Muslims and non-Muslims. The essays address the range of available historical sources, the relationship between Brahmanism and Islam, the role of saints and ritual in Kashmiri Islam, the Persian influence on Kashmir, and other topics. Professor Khan ends with a candid examination of his own experience as a Kashmiri living through the second half of the twentieth century.