Who Speaks for Kashmiri Muslims? A History of Religious Authority, Shrines and Competing Traditions From Sufi saints and the Mirwaiz institution to Ahl-e-Hadith scholars, Jamaat-e-Islami and Shia clerical families, Kashmir’s religious leadership has never belonged to a single authority By: News Desk | 29 October 2026 Srinagar: Who speaks for Kashmiri Muslims? The question frequently returns during political controversies, religious disputes and major public events. It is often directed at prominent clerics, the Mirwaiz of Kashmir, religious organisations or influential Shia leaders. Yet Kashmir’s history offers no simple answer. For…
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Khwaja Digar in Kashmir: The Centuries-Old Naqshbandi Tradition That Brings Srinagar Together
Khwaja Digar: When Centuries of Kashmir’s Sufi Heritage Come Alive in Srinagar By: Javid Amin | 16 Aug 2026 Srinagar: Every year, as devotees make their way towards Khwaja Bazar in Srinagar’s Nowhatta, the narrow lanes around the historic Naqshband Sahib shrine take on a distinctly spiritual character. Prayer mats appear outside the shrine. Devotees arrive from different parts of the Valley. Religious scholars speak about the life and teachings of Hazrat Khwaja Baha-ud-Din Naqshband. And, at the heart of the observance, thousands gather for the traditional congregational prayer known…
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