Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud

Ghazi Saiyyed Salar Masud (1015 - Rajab 424AH / 1032 AD) was a Ghaznavid army general and the nephew of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi. He invaded India in early 11th century to propagate Islam in the subcontinent.

His semi-legendary biography is contained in Mirat-i-Masudi, a 17th century Persian language text by Abdur Rahman Chishti. According to Chishti, his work is based on Tawarikh-i-Mahmudi by Mulla Muhammad Ghaznavi. Mirat-i-Masudi is a historical romance, and the biography has a "gossipy feel".

Early life

Salar Masud was son of Ghazi Salar Sahu, a descendent of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, son of Hazrat Ali, and Sitr-i-Mu'alla, who was sister of Ghaznavi. Salar Masud came along with his uncle Salar Saifudin and teacher Syed Ibrahim Mashadi Bara Hazari (Salar-i-Azam of Ghaznavi) in early 11th century to the South Asia for propagation of Islam.

According to Mirat-i-Masudi, Masud was born in 1015 CE. As a child, he accompanied his uncle in the Ghaznavid raids on the Hindu temple at Somnath.