Shaikh-ul Aalam Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies (SACMS), University of Kashmir organised a one day International Conference titled, “Texts, Shrines and Sufis: Reading Islam in South Asia” on 22 February 2022.  The Conference was held in the Seminar Hall of the Centre. The inaugural session was presided by Prof. Farooq Ahmad Masoodi, Dean Academic Affairs, University of Kashmir. Prof. M. Y. Ganai, Dean, School of Social Science, University of Kashmir was the Special Guest while Dr. Nisar Ahmad, Registrar, University of Kashmir was the Guest of Honour on this occasion. Prof. Masoodi underlined the usefulness of such a Conference in the present times, while Prof. Ganai remarked the importance of approaching such themes from a rigorous academic perspective. In his welcome address, Professor G. N. Khaki, Chairman, Shaikh-ul Aalam Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies, reminded the audience of the significance of Sufism in South Asian history and beyond while emphasizing the need to undertake academic research on various aspects associated with.

Multiple academic sessions were chaired by Prof. Manzoor Ahmad Bhat of Shah-i-Hamdan Institute of Islamic Studies, Prof. Siddiq Wahid, former Vice Chancellor of Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Prof. G.N. Khaki respectively. Noted academicians and scholars from various universities including Delhi University, Ambedkar University (Delhi), Presidency University (Kolkatta), University of Haifa (Jerusalem), etc., Among the more prominent ones who presented included Prof. Salil Misra (Ambedkar University), Prof. Raziuddin Aquil (Delhi University), Dr. Sajjad Alam Rizvi (Presidency University), Dr. Yogesh Snehi (Ambedkar University), Dr. Rafiq Pirzada (Women’s College, Srinagar) and others. The papers were themed on various dimensions of Sufism including Sufi texts, shrines, sainthood, etc.  These included: “The Concept of Bay‘ah in the Writings of Shah Wali-Allah of Delhi” (Dr Rizvi); “Sufism and the Politics of Islam in Medieval India” (Prof. Aquil); “The Social Space of Sufi Shrines in Punjab” (Dr. Snehi), “The Creation and Articulation of Islamic Space in Medieval Kashmir” (Dr. Pirzada). Prof. Misra gave an overview of Islam in South Asia. The Conference was well attended by the participants both in the offline and online mode. 

                                                                                                             Prof. G.N. Khaki

                                                                                                                   Chairman

                                                                                                                     SACMS