Research

Research may be simply explained as an investigation, exploration or study of information and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions from the available sources. Our research is an effort to present the rich Islamic history, culture and heritage of Bengal spanning over a millennium from the earliest Muslim traders, Sufis and preachers as well as during the Sultanate, Mughal and British rule in Bengal. During this period, unprecedented social and cultural transformations took place, merging Islamic influences with local traditions, as large sections of the Indian people adopted Islam, not by force, but by social interaction and generous patronage of the Muslim rulers. Over time a distinct Muslim society evolved, being inclusive, open and welcoming. The Muslim rule in Bengal left a lasting social, cultural and architectural imprint across the sub-continent in the form of monuments, mosques, tombs, shrines, coins, calligraphy, music, literature, and language. Bengali literature, being heavily influenced by Islamic thought and culture, gradually replaced a wholly Sanskrit-centric worldview, as reflected in Mughal Emperor Akbar’s restoration of the Bengali calendar. Our research will therefore focus mainly, though not exclusively, on the following subjects in order to raise awareness of Bengal’s rich Islamic history, culture and heritage for the benefit of the present and future generations, both in the sub-continent and the diaspora:

• The Lives, Thoughts and Achievements of Great Muslim Scholars, Writers and Reformers of Bengal from the time the Sufis settled in Bengal to modern day Bangladesh and West Bengal
• The role of early Muslim Sufis in Bengal in the wide acceptance of Islam and establishing a distinct Muslim society in Bengal
• Arrival of early Muslim traders and merchants in Bengal and their legacy in establishing thriving Muslim trading communities
• The emergence of Bengali culture, most specifically the impact of language on crystallising a distinct Bengali Muslim identity
• Development of Bengali language and literature under the Bengal Sultanate and the Mughal Empire