His mission will live

By Peerzada Irfan Ali Shah - Greater Kashmir - Srinigar,India
Monday, January 22, 2007

Peer Sahab is no more but he will live through his ideals in the hearts of those who love him.

Death is the only reality of life. As Tennyson, a renowned poet [Lord Alfred T. 1809-92] has rightly mentioned:

Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean,
Tears from the depth of some divine despair,
Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes,
In looking on the happy autumn fields,
And thinking of the days that are no more

The entire valley came under a big shock when the death of a great visionary Peerzada Mehraj-ud-din Shah, spread like wildfire. Peer Sahib; as he was popularly known among the intellectual, political and social circles of Kashmir; was born on 29th July, 1929 at Batamaloo (in the heart of the capital city) in a well-to-do family.

It was a family of scholars and luminaries which has gifted Kashmir great intellectual giants like Peer Ghyas-ud-din Shah (Peer Sahibs elder brother), who besides being an erudite scholar-writer, was also the Cabinet Minister in Jammu and Kashmir Government.

The eldest brother and head of the family was Peer Abdul Ahad Shah, who was an accomplished politician, writer and orator of repute.

History of Kashmir bears glaring testimony to this vivid fact that from time to time great saints and scholars have risen on the spiritual and intellectual arena of the valley and whose ideals and teachings will always serve as a beacon light for the followers of truth and universal brotherhood. Peer Sahib was one such saint-philosopher who was profoundly concerned with the purpose of man’s creation, an organizer of immense capacity and a reformer of deep human motivation.

Peer Sahib was surely among messengers of truth and hope for entire Kashmir. He, by his pious living and rational attitude towards life, inspired thousands of people to strive for truth and to move on the straight and righteous path (Seerat-ul-Mustaqeem).

According to Sir Lawrence, Kashmiri Saints’ dictum was “To be in the world but not of it, free from ambition, greed... that is the saints’ ideal” and Peer Sahib’s life bears ample testimony to this truth. He would sit with the lowly and downtrodden. He received everyone with a broad smile. He never felt angry. He had the spiritual virtues of toleration and forgiveness to his credit. He was a writer who tirelessly worked for the regeneration of Kashmiri society because he had a firm belief that Kashmir’s rich spiritual heritage would be the greatest gift to the world culture and civilization.

I really feel proud to write here that this great illustrious son of Kashmir was my grandfather whom I, out of reverence and love, called “Aba Jaan”. He was and will always be an inspiration for me.

In fact some months before his death he helped and inspired me a lot in writing the draft of my first book on Kashmiri sufism namely “Bat-Mol”—Vegetarian Saint of Kashmir which by the grace of Almighty Allah is nearing completion and will be released very shortly.

But alas! Peer Sahib himself is no more to see his dreams coming true.

It is my strong belief Peer Sahib has not died, he lives in his intellectual and scholarly works. He lives in his ideals and principles which are serving as beacon light in my life. I would like to conclude my write-up with the words of the great poet-philosopher, Dr. Allama Iqbal (RA):

Hazaroon Saal Nargis Apni Benoori Pe Rotj Hai
Badi Mushkil Say Hota Hai Chaman May Deedwar Paida

May the soul of Peer Sahib rest in peace Ameen!