The Development of the Nūrbakhshī Sufi Order in Gilgit-Baltistan: A Historical Account

Abstract

Islam came to Gilgit-Baltistan with various invaders and missionaries from adjacent neighbouring regions but there is a lack of tangible historical and archaeological evidence to find out an exact date. The Kubravī-Hamadānī Sufi order laid the foundation of Islam in Gilgit-Baltistan. This legacy was further carried on by the Nūrbakhshī Sufi order, which is the focus of the present study. This Sufi order, independent of Shī‘īs and Sunnis, was founded in the fifteenth century by Mīr Nūrbakhsh, who tried to overcome the schism of the Muslim community by reconciling the teachings of Sunnis and Shī‘īs. The paper examines the origin and development of the Nūrbakhshī order through centuries in Gilgit Baltistan, after giving its reflections in Persia and Kashmir. The Nūrbakhshī order retains its centuries-old sectarian identity despite a hundred years of massive missionary efforts from both Shī‘īs and Sunnis.