Dr Darakhshan Andrabi releases ‘Apostle of Light’ on Sheikh-ul-Aalam at Chrar-e-Sharief
Mir Aatif
Chrar-e-Sharief (Budgam), October 22 (KINS): Chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, on Thursday released Apostle of Light, an English-language biography of Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Aalam Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani (RA), authored by writer Baba Ghulam Nabi Adfar.
The book was released at a literary and academic event organised by Kashmir Markaz-e-Adab-wa-Saqafat at the Sheikh-ul-Aalam Conference Hall of the J&K Waqf Board in Chrar-e-Sharief, Budgam district.
The event was attended by several scholars, writers and academicians, including Prof. G. N. Khaki, Dr Satish Vimal and Ghulam Hassan Talib. Author Inayat Gul moderated the programme and delivered the welcome address.
Speaking at the event, Dr Andrabi said that documenting Kashmir’s spiritual and cultural heritage in English would help introduce the region’s rich traditions to a wider audience.
“We need to tell our story of spiritual excellence to the world,” she said, adding that the teachings of Sheikh-ul-Aalam reflect Kashmir’s Rishi-Sufi tradition and its emphasis on spirituality, compassion, humility and coexistence.
Dr Andrabi said the teachings of Sheikh-ul-Aalam remained relevant across geographical, social and sectarian boundaries, particularly in promoting human dignity, harmony and devotion to the Creator.
She emphasised the importance of documenting and translating the works and teachings of Kashmir’s saints and spiritual figures to preserve the region’s intellectual and spiritual traditions and make them accessible to readers, researchers and scholars beyond Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our saints and spiritual masters have given us a universal message of peace, tolerance, coexistence and service to humanity. Their contribution should not remain confined to our local memory; it must reach readers, scholars and seekers across the world,” she said.
Dr Andrabi congratulated Baba Ghulam Nabi Adfar on the publication of Apostle of Light and expressed hope that the book would encourage further research and literary work on the lives and contributions of Kashmir’s Rishi-Sufi personalities.
Dr Darakhshan Andrabi releases ‘Apostle of Light’ on Sheikh-ul-Aalam at Chrar-e-Sharief
