Srinagar, June 25: The shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RA) an epicenter of peoples’ religious and political activities for more than 200 years was gutted in a mysterious fire on Monday.
The shrine was built in 1182 H by Hazrat Syed Ghulam–ud-Din Azad whose ancestors had come to Kashmir from Thatha Sind for preaching the message of Islam. It had witnessed all the social and political ups and downs that occurred in Kashmir during all these years.
According to the Sajada Nisheen of shrine Khalid Geelani, Hazrat Sakhi Shah Muhammad Fazil Geelani, founder of Geelani linage, had come to Kashmir along with his elder brother Shah Abu Hassan (RA) in 1096 from Thatha Sindh. Both of them traveled to various areas of Kashmir for spreading the message of Islam. After sometime Shah Abu Hassan (RA) returned to Peshawar while Hazrat Shah Sakhi stayed back in the Valley for good to preach Islam and work for social reformation.
“Initially Hazrat Sakhi Shah along with his companions resided at Eid Gah, Srinagar, and made it centre for teaching lslam. But, in the meantime, one of his disciples from Khanyar Abdul Qadir Khan Chewar alias Qazi Khan took him to Khanyar. Qazi Khan dedicated his whole property, movable and immovable, to the service of Islam and for social reformation. When Sakhi Shah passed away, his mortal remains were laid to rest in the same compartment where they used to teach and preach Islam. Hazrat Sakhi was from lineage of Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RH),” said Sajjada Nasheen Khalid Geelani.
After the death of Sakhi, his grandson Hazrat Syed Ghulam-ud-Din Azad constructed the shrine at the same place in 1182 H. Later a noted spiritual personality Hazrat Syed Buzarg Shah made an extension to this shrine and placed there the relic (hair) of Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RA) and Nama Sharief (hand written Quranic verses) of Hazrat Ali (RA). In around 1920, noted businessman Khawaja Sonaullah Shawal renovated the shrine and made further extension. With the gifts and donations of people, the pointed ball of its spire was made of gold which melted in today’s fire incident.
This shrine had been the centre of political, social and religious changes including that of quit Kashmir, plebiscite and holy relic movements.  In 2003, this shrine was taken over by the Wakf Board.
According to Saleem Beg, chairman of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Jammu and Kashmir chapter, an Afghan traveler on a visit to Kashmir presented the then governor of the state, Sardar Abdullah Khan, with a holy relic belonging to the renowned sufi saint Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani. The relic was deposited with Syed Buzargh Shah, a prominent qadri order sufi of that time. A shrine was constructed at Khanyar in 1806 A.D. from where the relic was displayed on various religious festivals. The shrine was enlarged in 1877 A.D. by Khwaja Sanaullah Shawl."
Beg said INTACH has a digital map of the shrine and it would give it to the government for reconstruction of the shrine on the same pattern.
The wooden shrine was an architectural marvel of Kashmir and was covered with traditional Khatamband ceilings.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 25 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 25 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST