Renzushah, Mirwaiz Noorani criticize Waqf Act 2004 at Tasawuf gathering

Srinagar, Aug 25: Khwaja Farooq Renzushah, Chairman of Tahreek e Dawat Tasawuf International, and Mirwaiz Moulana Mufti Mohammad Adil Noorani delivered fiery addresses during a large congregation organized by Tahreek Tasawuf at Nawab Bazaar Eidgah on the eve of Mir Mushtaq’s anniversary. The event, held in collaboration with the Sufi Cultural Welfare Society and Jamaat Aitqaad Hanafiya, drew a significant crowd, underscoring the deep roots of Tasawuf in the region.
Renzushah praised the organizers for their efforts and emphasized that the Hanafi Tasawuf fiqh remains a point of pride for Srinagar’s Shahar-e-Khaas. He highlighted the historical role of Sufi Awaliya’s, including Hazrat Bulbushah, Hazrat Shah Hamdaan, and Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Aalam, in shaping the spiritual fabric of Kashmir. Renzushah also noted that his recent efforts to incorporate spiritual autonomy in the Central Waqf Bill 2024 will ensure better protection for shrines, compared to the “draconian” provisions of Jammu and Kashmir’s Waqf Act 2004.
Mirwaiz Noorani, addressing the gathering, fiercely criticized the Waqf Act 2004, accusing it of eroding Kashmir’s composite culture and Tasawuf heritage. He argued that the act’s provisions had opened doors for radical forces, leading to the destruction of 700 years of non-violent Sufi traditions in Kashmir. Noorani lamented that the spiritual sanctity of the region’s Dargahs had been compromised under the influence of the Waqf Act, which had paved the way for violence and suppression of Tasawuf practices.
Both leaders expressed concerns about the misuse of religious symbols for political gains. Renzushah took issue with political parties that, in their manifestos, sparked unnecessary disputes by renaming Shankaracharya Hill as “Takht-e-Sulaiman” for communal appeasement. He noted that the Awaliya’s of Kashmir never objected to the Shankaracharya Temple, but criticized the deliberate renaming for political purposes, which he said only served to divide communities.
The event also served as a platform to call for accountability from institutions that have benefited from the existing Waqf Act while reaffirming the importance of preserving Kashmir’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage.