Jammu Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha Attends National Convention on Sufism

The Lieutenant Governor (LG) of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha attended the National Conference on Sufism held in the capital city of Srinagar on 27 July 2023. 

Speaking on the occasion the LG Manoj Sinha said that Jammu and Kashmir is the land of saints and Sufis who are revered by all spiritual and religious streams.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan presided over the conference organized by the Cluster University of Srinagar in association with the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages.

About Sufism:

• The term ‘Sufi’ is probably derived from the Arabic word ‘suf’ which means ‘one who wears wool’. The earlier Sufi saints used to wear clothes made of wool. 

• Sufism focuses on the spiritual search for God and abstains from materialism.

• It developed first in Iraq. 

• The first Sufi saint was Begum Rabia of Bashera in Iraq.

• The Sufis were divided into 12 orders each under a mystic Sufi saint like Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi, Fariuddin Ganj-i-Shakar, Nizam-ud-din Auliya etc.

Some of the important Sufi orders:

• Chisti: It was founded by Sheikh Abdul Chisti.

• Suhrawardi: It was founded by Shihabuddin Shuhrawardi.

• Firadausia: It was founded by Sharafuddin.

• Qadri: It was founded by Sheikh Jilani Qadri.

• Naqshbandi: It was founded by Sheikh Biqabullah.

Sufism-related Important terms: