Mohammad Anwar Shopiani

Mohammad Anwar of Shopian (or Moulvi Mohammad Anwar of Shopian) (1849–1939) was the founder of the Wahhabi sect in Jammu and Kashmir.

Anwar was born at Kanipora village of Shopian on 4th of August 1849 AD. His father Mohammad Mukhtar had four sons namely Mohammad, Ahsan, Akbar and Anwar being the youngest. Later Mohammad Anwar was adopted by a constable Mohammad Khan who renamed him as Sher Khan. Anwar’s grandfather Rasool Shah, was a teacher by profession who was drowned in a flooded river of Baytar at Poonch. Rasool Shah’s father Pandit Zama Bhat, a Hindu Brahmin, the original resident of Miasuma Srinagar converted to Islam in the times of Sheikh Imam-u-Din who was Governor of Kashmir during the period 1841 AD. Anwar received his basic education in a local maktab and later learned Qur'an and hadith at length. He witnessed the rules of Ranbhir Singh, Partap Singh and Hari Singh. Broadly the Anwar’s activities can be divided into two periods as under:

Jammu & Kashmir was ruled by Maharaja Ranbir Singh who succeeded his father Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1857 AD. The Wahabi movement began to influence the valley during his rule but he kept a strict vigil on the activities of puritans as mentioned by Sir Walter Lawrence in his famous book, “The Valley of Kashmir”. It shows that Maharja was worried about the move of puritans and strongly curbed their activities by jailing the activists from time to time.

Since the India was influenced by mutiny of 1857, the ruler Maharaja Ranbhir Singh tried to save his kingdom from any outer disturbance. During this period Anwar visited Punjab in quest of further studies which was a turning point in the life of Anwar after meeting the Islamic scholars of Bengal including Molana Yaqoub of Dinajpur (now in Bangladesh) who was an admirer of Shah Ismail Shaheed Dehelvi who guided and trained him. After returning from Punjab, Molana Anwar began to preach a puritanical form of Islam, which raised the ire of the locals due to his opposition of reverence at graves and shrines, which he derided as "worship": asthana wa qabar parasti. Several attempts were made by the opponents to kill him, without success. Akhtar Mohiuddin, a literary figure of Kashmir, mentioned in the book entitled, “Indian Literature” published by Sahitya Academy Delhi as under:

A significant poet preacher of the period is Molvi Anwar Shah of Shopian. He belonged to the wahabi sect of muslims. His poetry is therefore, devoted to the subjects relating to religion and more especially to his creed. While he versified hadith and muslim code of social conduct he denounced the grave worship and forms of superstition. He exhorted the people to rise above the world of petty gains and fear none but Allah. He wrote better satires against outmoded customs. His target were mullahs who he thought preached superstition instead of true religion

During this period Molana Anwar gained some level of support for his movement, and in 1912 the first Wahhabi mosque was built at Zaldagar Srinagar. During this period Molana Anwar visited Qadiyan city of Punjab and met Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani.

Molvi Mohammad Anwar died in 1939 at Shopian, having authored more than a dozen of books in Kashmiri and Persian languages. Another poet and writer Abdul Ahad Azad has paid his tributes to Molana Mohammad Anwar for his contribution to the Kashmiri language. Azad further states that verses of Molvi Mohammad Anwar have added more to the treasure of Kashmiri literature.

Molvi Mohammad Anwar of Shopian had three sons namely Molvi Abdul Gani, Molvi Abdu Rahseed and Molvi Abdul Hamid. All of them contributed to salafi movement but Molvi Abdul Gani authored more than twenty books in Kashmiri, Urdu and Persian on different subjects including Muslim jurisprudence, Hadith, Fiqah and Qur'anic commentary. His Kashmiri eulogy, became so popular that it stands adopted as morning prayer in the schools of Kashmir valley.

1. Dewan-e-Anwar (A collection of poems in the form of anthology according to Arabic alphabetical order) published in 1935 in Lahore.
2. Taleem-e-Sunnat (The only versified book in Kashmiri language which provides you the way of life in the light of Hadith. This book became so popular that it runs in 13th edition of printing till now since 1943 AD).
3. Guldaste-Anwari (This book consists of Kashmiri and Persian poems related to the praises of God and Muhammed published first in 1928 at Mohammadi Steam Press Lahore.
4. Tafseer-e-Surah Yousuf (A versified translation of Chapter 12 of Holy Qur'an.
5. Basharatul Mumineen (A befitting poetic replica to a local poet of Shopian who criticized the Salafis in the form of satire) first published in 1937 or 1942.
6. Usool-e-Hadith (Versified account of Hadith. This book has been published for the first time in 1936.
7. Naseehat-un-Niswaan (Two parts) Marriage songs in the form of Wanvun published for the first time in 1938).
8. Salam-e-Anwar Mae Kalam-e-Anwar ( A collection of eulogies of the Islamic prophet Muhammad) first published in 1938.
9. Jang-e-Badr (A versified account of battle of Badr in Kashmiri Language published first in 1970)
10. Jang-e-Uhad (A versified account of battle of Uhad in Kashmiri Language published first in 1970)
11. Al Qawlul Maqbool fi Meraj-U-Rasool (A versified account of divine visit of Mohammad to heavens first published in 1942AD).
12. Sheikh San’an (An account of pious person Sheikh San’an still unpublished but original manuscript found and preserved)
13. Haleema bar wazne Karima (A persian collection of poems in the style of Sheik Sadi’s book Karima first composed in 1901AD).
14. Nehrul Irfan (A poetic collection in persian in the praise of La-ilaaha-illAllah still unpublished).
15. Virdul Muwahideen (A book written in a style of Virdul Murudeen)