Before settling in Central Asia in 1919, Shami-Damulla travelled to Iran, Afghanistan and Kashmir. Originally from Cairo, he was an Al-Azhar educated scholar. Shami-Dulla seems to have been influenced by the movement during the 15-20 years that he lived in Xinjiang; the Salafist movement was particularly influential in Xinjiang where it was a counter to Sufism.[1] He moved to Tashkent in 1919 with the support of the Russian consul in Kashgar.[2]
^Olcott, Martha Brill (2012-07-12). "4. Religious Leaders of the Soviet Era". In the Whirlwind of Jihad. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN978-0-87003-301-8.