Shaykh Syed Mir Mirak Andrabi - Mir Mirak As Propagator of Islamic Ideology

Mir Mirak As Propagator of Islamic Ideology

Among all the descendants, the noteworthy and prominent was Syed Mir Mirak, d.990.A.H./1582.A.D), Andrabi son of Syed Shamsu’d-din Andrabi,(d.932.A.H./1525.A.D).He was putting up in the Khanqahi Andrabia at Malaratta Srinagar.He was the follower of Qadriya Sufi order and was among the prominent disciple of Syed Nimatullah Shah Qadri (d.990.A.H/1582.A.D), who laid the foundation of Qadriya Sufi order in the valley of Kashmir in the second half of 16 the century during the rule of Chaks, 968-994.A.H/1561-86.A.D. Syed Mir Mirak Andrabi traveled various parts of the valley for the purpose of propagation of Islam. The society has accepted him as their guide to religious path and adviser in all their day today matters. He acted as the true mentor of Kashmiri society, and used to move from place to place with his followers. Mir Mirak lived at a crucial period in Kashmir history because there were social tensions in the society. He himself was strong supporter of Sunni sect. From the Malfuzat it appears that the overall mission of Sheikh was to build up the contemporary Muslim society in Kashmir in accordance with principles of Islamic Shariah.Syed Mir Mirak Andrabi felt that for the acquisition of different types of religious knowledge the teacher should be selected with care. As a good teacher he continued to teach the disciples according to their capacity and prescribed the right path for the spiritual attainments. He compared his task with worldly physicians and said that the medicines might be innumerable, but only a particular medicine is prescribed for a particular disease in accordance with the nature of disease, which is known only to the physicians. The same is the case with the Sufi path, although the forms of devotion are innumerable and all of them are true, the particular disease of the heart of a devotee can be cured only through a particular devotion. He emphasized that the remedies of the sickness of heart are known only to the Prophets, Auliyas, pious persons and the physicians of the faith. Like all spiritual teachers Mir Mirak Andrabi, laid great stress on Namaz. He pleads that it should precede all other acts of devotion. But the key to prayer is purification, which is of three kinds, firstly the clothes and body, secondly of the Nafs, (lower soul), and thirdly of the heart. He who does not purify his body and clothes is, Najs (unclean) according to the, Ahli-Shariah. The other two kinds of purification can be achieved only by the followers on the spiritual path. He held purification as a pre-requisite to prayer, and guided the people and taught them the principles to be followed while praying. The real meaning of prayer, he said can be understood only by arbab-i-qulub, while going to pray one should banish all desires from their minds and purify their hearts with thoughts of God, if they do it then they face the real, Qibla (Mecca). Mir Mirak said that prayer connects the creature with the creator, and it is a medium through which man can approach God. The real meaning of prayer he says is Munajat, Invocation, which is impossible without concentration. He also asserts that fasting is compulsory for every Muslim, whether rich or poor, however the poor are relieved from the obligation of Zakat and Hajj two of the five principles of Islam. All his descendants became the followers of Qadriya Sufi order. They were instrumental in the construction of Mosques, Khanqahs, Bridges, and Sarais for travelers etc at different places of the valley.