Farooq Renzushah Declares Shrine ‘Independent and Unspecified’ During Grand 7th Zilhaj Congregation
KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, April 6: In a historic spiritual congregation marking the 7th Zilhaj (April 6), Khwaja Farooq Renzushah, Chairman of the Hazrat Bulbulshah Trust (Awaqaf), declared the revered shrine of Hazrat Abdul Rahman Bulbulshah (RA) as an “independent and unspecified” Khankah, free from the clutches of any state or central Waqf control.
The announcement came amid a spiritually charged atmosphere at the grand Majalis held at the 14th-century shrine located in Srinagar. Renzushah highlighted that the shrine was consciously excluded from the “draconian” J&K Waqf Act of 2004 during the drafting of the specified shrine list in 2003—a move he attributed to divine intervention and the early spiritual foundation laid through Tasawuf practices.
A Shrine Steeped in Sufi History
Built in 1320 A.D. by Sultan Sadruddin Renchenshah and Sultana Kota Rani, the Khankah of Hazrat Bulbulshah is regarded as the first Sufi shrine of Kashmir. The Sultan and Sultana were among the earliest to accept Islam at the hands of Bulbulshah (RA), whose influence is credited with transforming Kashmir into a land of spiritual unity and communal harmony. Renzushah emphasized that it was Hazrat Bulbulshah’s guidance that saved Kashmir from the tyranny of Zulqadar Khan in 1321 A.D.
The shrine premises also house the tomb of Sultan Sadruddin and are located near the final resting site of Kota Rani, who embraced self-martyrdom when her rule was overthrown. These elements contribute to the spiritual and historical sanctity of the complex, reinforcing its unique status.
Preserving the Sufi Legacy
Renzushah recounted how, under mystical inspiration in 2003, he laid the foundation for a new structure measuring 70 by 86 feet—an astrological sum symbolically tied to “786 Al-Rahman.” The foundation was laid amid recitations of Surah Rahman, traditional chants (Wanwun), and floral tributes. He invited senior civil officers in his personal capacity to mark the occasion, reinforcing the shrine’s significance beyond bureaucratic control.
The Waqf Act of 2004, influenced by controversial cleric Zakir Naik according to Renzushah, had aimed to bring Kashmir’s major shrines—including Dargah Hazratbal, Makhdoom Sahib, Chrar-e-Sharief—under centralized control. However, due to Renzushah’s firm resistance and legal positioning as Chairman of the Hazrat Bulbulshah Trust, the shrine was exempted from being declared a specified Waqf.
Prime Minister’s Historic Recognition
Renzushah thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 2019 speech in the Indian Parliament, in which the PM named Hazrat Bulbulshah, Sheikh-ul-Alam, and Syed Ali Shah Hamdani as the “true identities of Kashmir.” This, Renzushah said, was a significant national acknowledgment of Kashmir’s Sufi roots and a vindication of his decades-long struggle to preserve the shrine’s autonomy.
Resistance to Shrine Commercialization and Misuse
Criticizing the commercial exploitation and mismanagement of Sufi shrines taken over by Waqf bodies, Renzushah decried the misuse of donations, lavish spending on elite gatherings, and the installation of foreign-funded structures that disrupt religious practices. He cited examples like the new mimbar (podium) at Eidgah Srinagar, which he argued dilutes the sanctity of the historic mimbar built during the time of Shah Hamdan (RA).
He urged the authorities to remove this new mimbar and restore the spiritual architecture aligned with Tasawuf. Comparing it to the rejection of the Pathar Masjid by the masses centuries ago, he called for the faithful to continue prayers at the original Sufi podiums.
Appeal for Asset Recovery and Shrine Protection
Renzushah made a strong appeal to trace and restore the nine trunks of treasure and jewels reportedly brought from Yarkand and Kashgar by Mohammad Moheiti in 1937. These, he claimed, are currently in government treasuries and should be returned to the Hazrat Bulbulshah Trust before any attempt is made to convert its status from independent to specified.
He also mentioned the contributions of local families like the Dastageer, Banday, and Farooqi in safeguarding relics and called on them to consider relocating sacred items like the Moi-e-Muqaddas (Holy Hair of the Prophet) to the Bulbulshah shrine if existing structures fall under the Waqf Act.
Clarion Call to Safeguard Tasawuf
Calling for a fair and unbiased fresh survey of Waqf properties post-1990, Renzushah insisted that Sufi shrines—particularly those predating the Waqf Act—must retain their unspecified, autonomous status. He urged for Tasawuf experts to be involved in such surveys to prevent the erosion of spiritual legacies through bureaucratic or radical interference.
He concluded by emphasizing that the original city layout of Srinagar was spiritually guided by Sufi saints, with shrines strategically placed on the right bank of the Jhelum. The mimbar of Shah Hamdan, he said, is a divine marker of that spiritual geography and must be protected at all costs.
By retaining the shrine of Hazrat Bulbulshah (RA) as an independent entity, Kashmir continues to uphold its deep-rooted Sufi legacy, resisting waves of religious radicalism and bureaucratic encroachment. This declaration by Khwaja Farooq Renzushah is not just an act of spiritual defiance, but a reaffirmation of Kashmir’s centuries-old identity rooted in Tasawuf and peace.
