Editorial | Sufism in the Valley 

The sufi saint of Rishi order influenced Kashmiris and its culture. Kashmir has produced many Sufi saints and has therefore been also given the name “Reshi Waer” (Abode of Rishis). One of them was Reshi Peer, a lesser-known mystic of the valley. He worked tirelessly for the welfare of people irrespective of cast, creed and religion.

Sufism is a corridor to expansion of consciousness and realization of self and the universe as a whole. It unlocks the innate spiritual and intuitive abilities of the practitioner while bringing about a holy communion with God through a personal relationship with the Divine. They emphasised on seven stages to be one with God: Repentance, Abstinence, Renunciation, Poverty, Patience, Trust in God, and Submission to the will of God.
Sufism propagates the doctrine of love, compassion, peace, development for mankind, irrespective of any biases and prejudices.

We in kashmir need to reconnect our past , the shape and character of Sufism that ultimately arose in Kashmir was totally native which acts as a bridge for brotherhood, fraternity among all the sections of the society.