Alchemy of Light: Selected verses of Sheikh Noor u din (RA)
Author: G.N Adfar
Publisher: Self Published
Year of Publication: 2011
Pages: 480 Price: Rs 500
Reviewed by Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander
Spirituality has left an indelible mark on the soil of Kashmir valley. The wise words of the famous poet and historian Kalhana that “Kashmir can never be subdued by the military might but only by the spiritual forces”, still upholds as gospel truth for the people of Kashmir because literalist, puritanical, rigid and exclusivist form and interpretation of no religion could take firm root in the valley. The spiritual essence of each religion found the soil of Kashmir conducive for its survival and spread. Islam was no exception to this norm, hence it spread in Kashmir through the selfless efforts of Sufis. Its spread wasn’t a result of fanatic zeal of some sword wielding Muslim conqueror. The Sufism (Tasawuff) in Kashmir also developed a unique indigenous aspect of its own known as Rishism which then spread through the poetry of Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani and works of his successor rishis.
The book under review is a selection of verses of Noor uddin Noorani, the epitome and pioneer of Rishisim in Kashmir, rendered into Urdu and English by G.N Adfar, a civil servant serving as District Agriculture Officer. In his Foreword, the noted academic and renowned scholar Prof. Hameed Naseem Rafiabadi, lucidly yet in a scholarly manner relates the number of studies conducted and books written on the life and works of Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani, also known as Nund Rishi or Sheikh ul Alam to Kashmiris. He praises the present work of Adfar as, “I have found that Mr Adfar has not taken liberty with otherwise the Islamic background and foregrounding of the poetry of the Sheikh as has been done by many unscrupulous authors by bringing un Islamic and far fetched like Budh Chirita to fore in order to prove otherwise but unnecessarily and unwarrantedly. Mr G.N Adfar has remained loyal to the spirit of Islamic weltanschauung of the Sheikh throughout and has thus served the great purpose of presenting the Sheikh in his true colors. Hence this book will be very valuable asset for the followers of the Sheikh who rightly consider him as a great saint and a guide to the way of the Prophet (SAW)”
The problem baffling while researching, organizing and compiling the verses of Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani is multi-pronged as setting the yardstick for the authenticity of verses of Noorudin Noorani is a difficult job, as most of his verses were transmitted orally from generation to generation before being penned down, hence each verse carries with it an exaggerated story with an invented background which makes it difficult to establish its authenticity. G.N Adfar seems to have overcome this difficulty.
Also due to the intellectual apathy, dishonesty and renegadism of some writers, academics and thinkers towards Noorudin Noorani’s teachings and life, who wish to scrap him off from his Islamic ideals and fervor and project him as some symbol of Hinduism, Buddhism or politically manipulated Kashmiriyat, but G.N Adfar’s book on Shaikh ul Alam, is an exception to this norm. G N Adfar hasn’t betrayed the Islamic Spirit of Shaikh ul Alam’s message and it draws compatibility and parallels between Shaikh ul Alam’s teachings, Quran and authentic hadith which are a living testimony to the brutally honest fact that Shaikh ul Alam was inspired over and above by Islam and was also a great scholar of Islam.
G.N Adfar in his Introduction to this work writes about the essence of Sheikh’s message and its relevance to our contemporary times and for the ages to come. This essence makes it immortal, hence it becomes obligatory on Kashmiris to spread and propagate his message far and wide. While deliberating about these aspects of his message Adfar writes, “Sheikh ul Alam (R.A) is the lone son of the soil whose poetry is society based and not a mere fun for beauty and love. It is in the 14th century that the man gave a new mode and momentum in poetic panorama. His poetry is a clear message to mankind irrespective of color and creed. His verses imply to social, moral, cultural, political, historical, mental and practical spheres of life. The overall message is for the welfare, upliftment, equity and equality of mankind”. Adfar acknowledges that good work and translations of Sheikh’s verses has been done in Urdu, but the new generation of youth doesn’t understand Urdu. In future the plight of Urdu will be seriously more pathetic. This factor led Adfar to translate the verses into English, besides Urdu. English now has attained a global preeminence; hence Sheikh’s message can reach to the whole world through this work.
This volume consists of more than three hundred and fifty poetic verses of Sheikh Noor uddin Noorani, related to different subjects and various aspects of life. Adfar has compartmentalized these verses under thirty five varied headings like God and His Attributes, Beautification of Deeds, Hope and Fear of Mumin, Scenic Amplitude of Mumin, Self Desired Scholars, Mansoor…. The Hallaj etc. These verses deal with a lot of subjects particularly with Tawhid ( monotheism), Allah, Holy Prophet (SAW), Quran, Destiny, etc. These verses also depict the evolutionary aspect of Sheikh’s Thought especially in case of his views about monasticism and in the advices to his favorite disciple Baba Nasurddin. The verses also relate to other aspects like women, scholars who don’t implement and practice what they have learnt, the importance of time, the change which youth can bring, essence of hardwork, the vices of Bad company and scores of other themes.
The message which runs through this whole book, reminds one of death and judgment day. Sheikh time and again laments in his poetic verses about the mortality and fragile nature of this world. He reminds himself and people about death, the torments of grave, the rewards of Heaven and punishment in Hell based on ones deeds performed while living on earth. Sheikh Noorani vehemently criticizes the illogical rituals which have no religious essence but just practiced by religious pundits to exploit and rob the hapless masses in the name of religion. These verses also unveil Noorani as a Social Reformer and Crusader against inhuman cultural and religious practices, which instead of liberating human souls make them vulnerable to superstition, poverty, and subjugation. The verses also relate the nature and stance of Satan as well as the Gnostic love of Mansur Hallaj who attained martyrdom for the Love of Allah.
Overall the book is worth reading and the translations are so lucid and appropriate that the reader can understand the real message of Sheikh Noorudin Noorani. G.N Adfar must be appreciated and encouraged for the work he has rendered in popularizing the message of Sheikh. He has undertaken the collective responsibility on behalf of all Kashmiris to present the message of Sheikh to the whole world. As promised in the book, more volumes of the Alchemy of Light containing the whole set of verses of Sheikh will be published soon. The readers will be eagerly waiting for the same. This book is a living testimony of the dedication and involvement of Adfar towards the work of Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani. It very well establishes his credentials as a serious researcher, translator and writer, despite having no formal training in the same field. This book needs to be read by all, who want to have a familiarity with the message and works of Nooruddin Noorani who is a symbol of Kashmiri Islam and its pristine Culture of Rishism.
Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir and can be reached at sikandarmushtaq@gmail.com .