Sufi meet pays tribute to Waza Mahmood in J-K's Srinagar

A Sufi conference that paid tributes to the life and works of famous Sufi poet Waza Mahmood was organized by Kashmir Society International on Saturday in Shahr-e-Khass of Srinagar. The conference also aimed at informing people about the centuries-old roots of Sufism in Kashmir.

A Sufi conference that paid tributes to the life and works of famous Sufi poet Waza Mahmood was orgzed by Kashmir Society International on Saturday in Shahr-e-Khass of Srinagar. The conference also aimed at informing people about the centuries-old roots of Sufism in Kashmir.

Kashmir is known as the valley of Sufis and saints but as modernisation and western culture took their toll on Kashmir's culture, Sufism lost its glory and the young generation are not fully aware of their loss.

The participants asserted that Kashmir's civilisation and culture are known by its spiritual Hanafi character which is re-emerging again in spite of successive efforts by governments to bury it.

The orgser of the program said that the spiritual contribution of Hazrat Waza Mahmood was completely ignored during the last 70 years and observed that leftist ideology writers played a part in the ommission of Sufi scholars and saints from Kashmir's history.

Referring to the place where the event is conducted, Farooq Renzu the orgser of the program said, "This is the heart of Shahr-e-Khass, where Hazrat Bulbulshah was told to meet the first Badshah who will owe his allegiance to Bulbulshah and as predicted it happened, and there started the spiritual Historic Revolution of 1321."

"In the revolution of 1321 CE (Common Era) when Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus united as one force to defeat 70,000 force of Mongols to save their joint Civilization," Renzu said.

He said that the 1321 CE Historical Revolution of Kashmir established the world wide power of unity of faiths.

"Waza Mahmood was ignored by the successive governments. Has any place been named under Waza Mahmood in the last 70 years?..I went to his Khan Khaiyat. No government has done anything there," he said.

"Leftist ideology writers tried to remove real Sufi scholars from Kashmir's history. Can anyone find the literature of Waza Mahmood, Samad Amir or a real Sufi scholar in the government libraries? Peace should come from libraries,... No real scholars are respected but only communist scholars," he further said.

"Our 72 lakh books were put on fire..Why did they kill Tasawuf and Hanafiyat?.. Last 70 years, the destruction of Sufiyat and the destruction of Hanafiyat is happening," he shared his concerns.

Asked if Sufism will be revived, he said, "Today it is already in the hearts" and pointing to the youth at the conference he said, "look at these youngsters, take a look at these people, the locals of Shahr-e-Khass."

Khurshid Ahmad, the grandson of Waza Mahmood said, "He did not get the rightful respect he deserved. Sufi conferences and Islamic conferences are different, People may have different faiths, but we are all Allah's slaves"

Lateef a Participant said, " Waza Mahmood is a face of Kashmir. The literature we have got from him is indeed a treasure."

"This program is very essential, especially for our youth. This is our identity. Mahmood Saab urges us to respect all lives, to see everyone as equal. This type of 'mehfils' should increase day by day," he further said.

Faisal Fareed another participant said, "Kashmiris understands the value of saints, We want to live with these saints, live with their days. Kashmiri youths should learn their literature and history".

"People keep on saying proud things about Kashmir but unless we know our history, our talks will be taken as hollow words," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )