Noorbakshia Islam

Noorbakhshia or Nurbakhshia (Persian: نوربخشیه) is a distinct sect that places significant emphasis on the concept of Muslim unity and on "Fiqh ul Ahwat" (which delves into Islamic jurisprudence), a concept by Muhammad Nurbakhshi.

Khanqah Shah Hamdan in Srinagar, Kashmir, was a center for Noorbakshis for centuries.

The Nurbakhshia tradition is distinguished by its spiritual lineage known as the Silsila-e-Zahab, or Golden Chain. This spiritual lineage claims to trace its origins back to the Imam Haqiqi (Divinely Appointed 12 Imams), spanning from Imam Ali to Imam Mahdi. Notably, Noorbakhshia stands out among Sufi orders within Shia Islam for its foundational principles deeply rooted in the teachings of the Aima Tahirreen, or Fourteen Infallibles. The followers of this lineage are known as Noorbakhshia.

Doctrine

The primary doctrinal sources of Noorbakhshi teachings are encapsulated within three key things: "Al-Fiqh al-Ahwat" and "Kitab al-Aitiqadia," created by Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistani, and "Dawat-e-Sofia Noorbakhshia," by Ameer Kabir Syed Ali Hamdani, a preacher.^[1]

History

In its country of origin, Iran, the Noorbakhshia underwent a transition towards Shia Islam, particularly Tied in 1527, or in the subsequent decades, coinciding with the brief reign of the Chak dynasty. In regions such as Baltistan and Purig in the Kargil district, the Nurbakhshia persisted as a distinct sect with its own doctrinal framework, blending elements of both Shi'ism and Sunni Islam although much of its teaching, law and doctrine is derived from Imami Shia doctrine.^[2][3]

Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistani, a Sufi master of the 15th century, has received relatively little attention from researchers despite his significant influence. Although Nurbakhsh had numerous scholar-disciples, such as Shaikh Asiri Lahiji, none of them undertook substantial efforts to document Nurbakhsh's biography or to preserve his teachings.^[4]

Nurbakhshis believe that the practices are not an assemblage of his personal views but were originally conceived by him from Muhammad through the masters of the spiritual chain. They state that anyone who questions this connection is invited to travel on the long road through the history of mysticism and to compare it with that of Nurbakhsh's teachings.^[5]

In Baltistan and Ladakh

The Noorbakshia order persists in Baltistan and Kargil (in Ladakh) as a distinct sect with its own unique doctrinal blend encompassing elements of Shi'a and Sunni Islam. While the order formerly had numerous adherents in these regions, its prominence has waned in recent times, after the deaths of notable figures such as Mir Danial Shaheed, although the specific timeframe of these events requires further specification.^[6] Significant pockets of adherents continue to exist, particularly with many residing in Baltistan, and in villages scattered throughout Kargil and the Nubra Valley in Ladakh.^[7]

See also

• Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani
• Mir Sham ud-Din Iraqi