AReturn to Kashmiriat
What is Kashmiriat (Kashmirness)? Kashmiriat is, in fact, another
name for Sufism. Kashmiri culture means Sufi culture. Kashmir is
perhaps the only place in the world where Islam was spread only
through the Sufis. As such, a revival of Kashmiriat in Kashmir
would in fact mean revival of Sufism. Sufism and spirituality are
synonymous. Sufism is based wholly on peace and love. Indeed,
Sufism is only another name for a culture of peace and love.
What is Sufi culture? In the words of the Sufis, it is peace with
all. This Sufi culture is desirable as creating a bond not only between
Muslims, but also between Muslims and Hindus.
The people of Kashmir have followed this Sufi culture for several
centuries, thus ensuring that the whole environment of the state is
based on the principle of peace, love and social harmony.
The people of Kashmir were totally innocent of hatred and
violence. But some external elements misled them into deviating
from this Kashmiri culture. This breeding of hatred and violence, far
from giving them anything positive, took away their most precious
asset, and that was the Sufi culture which had always been a symbol
of Kashmir — that is, the culture of peace and love.
It was the good fortune of the people of Kashmir that theMuslim
Sufis who came fromoutside in the last few hundred years, and those
Sufis who were born in Kashmir, all communicated the message
of peace and love. This brought about a tremendous revolution in
Kashmir, where Islam spread far and wide.
For instance, Shayhkh Nooruddin Noorani (d. 1439) one of the
great Sufis of Kashmir, symbolized the true Kashmiriat. He was
known as Alamdar-e-Kashmir, and was greatly respected also by the
Hindus, who called him Nand Rishi. He was equally popular among
Hindus and Muslims.
Shaykh Nooruddin Noorani once observed: “If you are wise,
do not differentiate between Hindus and Muslims. This is the way
to find God.” He was also a poet. His poems, titled
Rishi Nama
and his writings show that, to him, there was only one sure way of
acknowledging man, and that was for man to love man.To him loving
man was the way to realize God.
One of the precious sayings of Shaykh Nooruddin Noorani is as
