Baba Zain-ud-Din Wali: Illuminating Kashmir’s Spiritual Path

By Sahil Razvi, New Age Islam 28 November 2024 Hazrat Zain-Ud-Din Wali, A Revered Saint Of Kashmir's Reshi Movement, Embraced Spirituality Under Nund Reshi's Guidance. Known For Miracles, Meditation, And Generosity, His Shrine At Ashmuqam Remains A Symbol Of His Enduring Legacy. Torch Processions During Urs Celebrate His Life, Spreading Messages Of Hope, Unity, And Spiritual Enlightenment Main Points: 1. Early Life and Conversion: Born Zai Singh in Kishtwar, he embraced Islam under Nund Reshi, joining the Reshi movement. 2. Meditation and Miracles: His spiritual journey included deep meditation and miraculous deeds, like reviving a lamb. 3. Ashmuqam Shrine: His shrine, featuring unique relics, is a spiritual center with mysterious burial legends. 4. Reshi Ideals: Promoted meditation, simplicity, and service to humanity, hallmarks of the Reshi movement. 5. Torch Processions: Celebrations during Urs symbolize his triumph over darkness, uniting devotees in reverence. ------- Hazrat Zain-ud-Din Wali is a great saint in the Reshi movement in Kashmir. His legacy goes strong with spirituality, endurance, and devotion. Torch processions, locally called Phruw, reflect the victory of light over darkness and good over evil in the spring season every year. These processions, generally children-led, were in celebration of the saint's life and his mission to defeat the darkness, both literal and figurative. In Ashmuqam, the greatest congregations are held at the shrine of the saint, a place that is most sacred to devotees. The excitement of torch lighting as a child was thrilling, but it was only later that the meaning of the whole affair could be understood. The processions depicted the qualities of the saint, who overcame evil and never lost faith in the Almighty. The Early Life of Baba Zain-ud-Din Reshi Born as Zai Singh in the village of Bounderkote, Kishtwar, a Rajput Hindu family man, suffered from a bad illness when he was still a child. His mother, seeing him so badly off, had sought blessings from Nund Reshi, the patron saint of Kashmir. The child recovered with divine intervention. His mother made a promise that once he regained his health, she would bring her son to see him. She fulfilled her promise and took Zai Singh to Kashmir where, under the hands of Nund Reshi, he accepted Islam and was renamed Baba Zain-ud-Din. Under the guidance of Nund Reshi and Baba Bamu Ud Din, Zain-ud-Din was initiated into the Reshi fold. Nund Reshi’s teachings emphasized understanding life’s ephemeral nature and dedicating oneself to spiritual growth. Zain-ud-Din was sent to meditate in a cave in Ashmuqam, a place that later became his spiritual home. The Mystical Journey After arriving at the cave in Ashmuqam, Zain-ud-Din found snakes had already occupied the space. He ordered them to leave, stating that the cave was now a sanctuary for saints. The snakes obeyed and vacated, and he spent years in deep meditation and spiritual practice. His dedication caught the attention of Nund Reshi, who declared Zain-ud-Din the "source of Abihayat" (the water of life) and appreciated his unwavering devotion and good deeds. Zain-ud-Din also acted as a shepherd and herded village sheep with great diligence and humility. One of the stories in Tareekhi Awliya-e-Kashmir is about his being falsely accused of killing a lamb. The saint invoked a miracle by bringing the dead lamb back to life, which revealed the truth and vindicated him. This further cemented his spiritual reputation and led him to withdraw into solitude to continue his meditation. The Shrine at Ashmuqam The shrine of Baba Zain-ud-Din Wali, located on the scenic Ashmuqam plateau is a rich treasure of the wooden architecture heritage of Kashmir. The saint's cave excavated from the granite rock housed his mortal remains along with other relics such as his bow, arrow, and the wooden bread. The only mysterious relic, the Aasa Sharief or, the sacred stick attributed to Prophet Moses is kept in hibernation. Many believe this relic possesses some miraculous attributes. The burial of the saint was shrouded in mystery. According to historical accounts, his body disappeared from the coffin, and later instructed a companion in a dream to build his grave at the spot where the coffin was placed. The shrine also holds the graves of 18 of his companions, adding to its spiritual significance. Baba Zain-ud-Din Wali followed the ideals of the Reshi movement: meditation, simplicity, and benevolence. He was known by his Sakhawat or generosity; thus no devotee would leave without receiving his blessings. These teachings and miracles inspire tens of thousands of devotees who visited his shrine on Urs occasions by carrying torches and praying. The Reshi movement itself, according to Mughal historian Abul Fazl, was a unique spiritual tradition in Kashmir. The Reshis were considered saints because of their humility, the commitment they made to other people's welfare, and the fact that they would not subscribe to sectarianism. They planted fruit trees for travellers, abstained from flesh, and lived lives of selflessness and devotion. Life about Baba Zain-ud-Din Wali is a golden and shining chapter in the history of Kashmir. His undivided faith, miracles and dedication to spread light than darkness has made him ineradicable from the memory books of devotees. Even the torch processions regarding the shrine keep his tradition surviving and continue to make this great soul a symbol of hope and unity in the valley with enlightenment of the spirit. ----- A regular contributor to New Age Islam, Sahil Razvi is a research scholar specialising in Sufism and Islamic History. He is an alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/baba-zain-ud-din-wali-kashmir-spiritual/d/133859 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism