Shrine of Shaikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani Chrar-i-Sharif
The movement flourished from the first half of the fifteenth century and the Shaikh Noor-ud-Din, commonly known as Nund Resh in Kashmir was responsible for its growth and popularity, aided by his four eminent disciples, Bam-ud-Din, Zain-ud-Din, Latif-ud-Din and Nasr-ud-Din. Shaikh Noor-ud-Din was born on Zul-Hajja, 779 AH/0 April 1378 AD. His birth place was Kaimoh, where his father Salar Ganai, belonging to the tribe of watchmen lived. It is said that when the Shaikh was born, he would not take milk from his mother’s breast. Three days after his birth, Lalla, the celebrated Shavite ascetic of Kashmir happened to come by…show more content… Among his prominent disciples were Bam-ud-Din, Zain-ud-Din, Latif-ud-Din and Qiyam-ud-Din. There is no evidence that he gave a Khilafat-nama to any of his disciples or that he nominated any of them as his successor. But Sayid Ali, the author of Tarikh-i-Kashmir, calls the first four above mentioned disciples his Khalifas, and the later writers have followed the Sayid. Out of these Khalifas, the first three are alleged to have been born as Hindus and to have been converted to Islam by Noor-ud-Din. It is said thar Bam-ud-Din was a famous Brahmin, respected by many Kashmiri Hindus, residing in Bamzu, where he used to worship numerous idols. He is credited with having possessed remarkable miraculous powers, even as a Hindu. For example, he is reported to have bathed, daily at dawn, simultaneously at five different places in Kashmir. Chandanyar in the town of Vijabror, Shoryar and Khujyar (in Srinagar); Vular (40 miles north-west of Srinagar) and Khadanyar (in the town of Baramulla). It is said that when Nooud-Din heard about his reputation, he decided to visit him and convert him to Islam. When he went to see Bhuma Sadh (the Hindu name of Bam-ud-Din), he put rhe bloody skin of a newly slaughtered cow on his shoulders, Bhuma Sadh saw the Shaikh and was naturally annoyed. He asked the Shaikh to go away, and not to pollute the idols. Noor-ud-Din stayed, the Brahman asked him what he wanted. Noor-ud-Din replied :”I want you to become a Muslim,” and added that it was folly to worship idols carved out of stone by a mere man. To worship what one has created himself is a sign of ignorance. After a long discussion, the Brahman asked the Shaikh to provide the truth of Islam. The Shaikh addressed the idols, which at once gave tongue and Bhuma Sadh accepted Islam and was later named Bam-ud-Din, by the Shaikh. Another disciple of the Shaikh, Zain-ud-Din hailed from Kishtwar and his father who was a decendent of