Shaivism and Islamic mysticism in Kashmir valley: Focused on comparison between Lalla Ded and Sheikh Nour al-din Reshi

Abstract
The Kashmir Valley is considered one of the important cultural and religious regions in Asia, which has always been the home of various religions, including Kashmiri Shaivism and Islam. The present study, in a descriptive-analytical way, has explained the opinions and compared the thoughts of Lilladad, as one of the important personalities of Kashmiri Shaivism, with Sheikh Nooruddin Rishi. The mystical opinions of Laladed and Nur al-Din can be generally categorized in three areas: theology, practical behavior and social approach. The results of the research indicate the interaction and connection between Sheikh Nooruddin Rishi and Laladed. As Noor al-Din used the word Deva and the name Shiva, who is the main god of Shivaism, along with the word Allah. Also, some similar expressions can be seen in the poems of both characters. Of course, there are other common themes in Nooruddin and Lalladad's poems, which are not specific to Kashmiri Shaivism and Rishiya Tariqat; Rather, there are such thoughts in other mystical traditions and ways. Among these beliefs are extreme austerities, leaving the family, celibacy, refusing to eat meat, not harming animals, meditation, self-control, behavior, criticizing appearances and paying attention to the inner workings and the spirit of tolerance. Tolerance with others, pointed out.
 
1. Introduction
Kashmir is considered one of the important cultural and religious regions in Asia, which has been a home for many centuries for people with different beliefs and religions. From the very beginning, this place was considered a place for the interaction of followers of different religions, peacefully, and a place for learning different sciences. Kashmiri Shaivism is a monotheistic religion that developed in the early 9th century AD in the Kashmir valley, located in the western part of the Himalayan mountain range and the northern part of the Indian subcontinent (Chaterjee, 1962: 3). Islamic law is another religion that went to the Indian subcontinent and the Kashmir region. Muslim mystics are among the most important Muslim missionaries who migrated to Kashmir and caused the growth and spread of Islam in this region.
In addition to the mystical tariqats and figures who went to Kashmir to propagate Islam, a mystical tariqat called Rishiyya, by Nooruddin-e Rishi or Rishi, emerged and grew in Kashmir (Majeed Dar, 2019: vol 6, 18)). Nuruddin Reishi was originally a Hindu and grew up in a Muslim family. According to the researchers, according to the researchers, Sheikh Nur al-Din interacted and communicated with Laladed (Razavi, 2010, Vol.1: 428; Rafiqi, 2003: 191). Considering the position of Shaivism and Rishiya mysticism in the Kashmir Valley and the interaction that has taken place between them, it is important to conduct a research in the field of explaining and comparing their opinions and thoughts.
1.1. Research Methodology
This research was done by analytical-comparative method and using library resources. As the desired topics have been extracted and then explained. Due to the fact that the personalities of Leladed and Sheikh Nooruddin Rishi have been less researched, a brief introduction of them has been presented at the beginning and then the opinions and thoughts of these two thinkers have been explained. Finally, their opinions have been analyzed and compared in the direction of the relationship and interaction between the two traditions of Islamic mysticism and Kashmiri Shaivism.
2. Discussion
Kashmiri Shaivism is a monotheistic religion. Laladed mentions his god as Shiva. According to Laladed's poems, Shiva is present everywhere. Laladed sees Shiva in everything. The school of Kashmiri Shaivism considers man and his soul as emanating from Shiva and believes in the possibility of union with him (Radhakrishnan, 1952, 384). Self-knowledge, attention to the inside of man, asceticism, reliance on personal experience, and the principle of Ahimsa are important in the practical conduct of Laladed. As a Kashmiri mystic, Lalladad criticizes the worship of appearances and believes that a person should pay attention to the inner workings. He was not passive towards his society and always felt responsible for others and advised the people of the society to pay attention to the conditions of others and emphasized on tolerance and peace with others.
Baba Nuruddin Reishi is the founder of the mystic order of Reishi in the Kashmir valley. Nur al-Din believes in the only God; Of course, according to him, the one God can be called by different names. In the practical conduct of the sheikh, actions such as self-knowledge, condemning external actions and paying attention to the inner actions, giving up relationships, severe austerities, refusing to eat meat and meditation are very important. He has also paid attention to social issues such as helping others, changing traditions, and tolerance and respect for followers of other religions and schools.
3. Conclusion
Kashmir Valley, as one of the important regions of the Indian subcontinent, is considered a place for the interaction of Hindu mystical traditions with Islamic Sufism. This peaceful interaction can be seen in relation to Laladed as Arifah Kashmiri and Sheikh Nooruddin Rishi as the founder of the Rishi sect. The proof of this statement is the presence of Laladed in Nuruluddin's house; While Nur Al-Din was still an infant, he was noticed and loved by Laladed. In his youth, Nooruddin was also influenced by the thoughts of Arifa Kashmiri, and according to what is mentioned in the sources, one of the factors that caused Nooruddin to repent was Laladdin's advice to him in relation to God. Lalladad's personality was revered by Sheikh Nur al-Din; As he considered him as one of those who found the way to the valley of salvation and he also asked God for such a status for himself.
By comparing the opinions and thoughts of these two personalities, it is possible to see the result of Sheikh Nuruddin's interaction and relationship with Laladed. As Noor al-Din has mentioned the name Deva for God in his poems, which is derived from the Indian and Aryan word Deivos, which is used in Sanskrit to refer to God. Also, he has used the word God and Shiva, which is one of the great and triune gods of Hinduism and the main god of Shivaism, interchangeably and with the same meaning. Also, the existence of some similar expressions can be seen in the poems of Nur al-Din and Laladed, including that they compared the world to a burden that a person must carry; And they have advised to feed the hungry, without paying attention to the social class of the needy. Of course, there are other common themes in the poems of Sheikh Noor al-Din and Lalladad, which are not specific to Kashmiri Shaivism and Rishiya Tariqat; Rather, there are such thoughts in other mystical traditions and ways. Among these beliefs are severe austerities, leaving the family, celibacy, refusing to eat meat, not harming animals, meditation, self-control, behavior, criticizing appearances and paying attention to the inner workings, the spirit of tolerance and tolerance with others, pointed out. out.
 
 
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