Ghulam Rasool Noori

After his arrival from Qom, Iran, a transformation in Azadari swept through the Kashmir valley. Previously, only Marsia were recited by the Zakirans in Muharram gatherings. However, he, with his visionary approach, revolutionized the traditional Azadari system by introducing the Ashra-Majlis system, a series of ten sermons delivered by religious scholar especially during night hours in the month of Muharram. This novel concept brought about a remarkable change as no such Ashra Majlis had been held in Kashmir before.

With his captivating speeches across various locations in the Kashmir valley, Noori swiftly gained widespread fame. His ideology resonated deeply with the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, who warmly embraced his teachings. Expanding his reach, he conducted extensive classes and lectures in different parts of Kashmir. Through these enlightening sessions, he passionately preached about the profound significance of the Battle of Karbala and earnestly emphasized the responsibilities of the younger generation.

Noori worked for the upliftment of the educational level of Shia community in Kashmir valley. In the initial stages when he arrived back to Kashmir, Noori organized different classes to teach different subjects especially ethics in modest rooms at different places, Nonetheless, the impact of his words was immense, as he imparted the teachings of the Islamic religion to these eager minds. Additionally, he selflessly collaborated with other Islamic organizations to further advance their shared goals in this noble endeavor. Noori in his Friday prayer sermons mostly stressed on education and in his lectures, he shed light on how important education is for the successful society. Noori organized and participated into number of educational conferences and seminars to propagate the values of education. He also participated in educational conferences of different colleges as representative of Shia community. Noori is ex-vice principal of Jamia Elmia Imam Reza Srinagar where he used to teach Kalam as well and more than half of the kashmiri seminary scholars are his students. Noori has also worked as a teacher at Jawadia Arabic College Banaras.

Noori laid the foundation of Idarh Nashir e Uloom e Ahlulbait in 1998 the main objective behind the establishment of this organisation was to propagate the science of Ahlulbait. It publishes different articles on different religious beliefs. The organisation organized different seminars and conferences on different religious issues [6]

According to Noori individuals are mutually dependent upon each other for the development and betterment of the society, as per him an ideal society is one in which members are interacting with one another to achieve the common goal. He says “an individual of an ideal society can never remain antagonistic to other members of society.” as per him “different goals can only be achieved when members of society become one, and work together.” [10]

He views an ideal society can only be formed by the members of the society who are piety and have purified their souls. In one of his lectures, he stated “the formation of an ideal society is not possible without Taqwa”.[10]

Noori sees Divine Guardianship as a solution to all the problems of the world. Noori says "the solution of all the problems of the world is possible under Guardianship, the guardianship of Allah"[2]

Hujjatul Islam Noorie promotes and backs unity among Muslim ummah. He has participated in different conferences organized by different Islamic school of thoughts that propagate unity within the Muslims. Besides that he has also delivered lectures and messages to promote unity and brotherhood within the Islamic community. Noori in an interview given to Islam Times said

"One is word of unity and one is unity of word, word of unity is present in us but there is absence of unity of word, it means Muslims should have one voice, one word. Our lord is one, our Quran is one, our Qibla is one and our interest and loss should also be one".[2]

He stresses that the leaders of each sub community within the Islamic ummah should play the pivotal role in order to promote this value. In one of his speech he made a remarks saying that "when leaders both religious and political are united entire nation is united" which show his emphasize on the role of the people in power to achieve this goal. In an interview he said that,

There is a need for our religious heads to see how things are being presented to us. Our clerics have to see who is behind such conspiracies which are eating up our society.[5]

This remark points out that the leaders of community according to Noori's point of view have the duty to fend off any outside threat that might lead to a discord within the Islamic society. In other sense he also made them know that one of the important characteristics of a leader is to have a vast knowledge of the threats that submerge from within or outside the community itself.

On several occasions he also defused tension that had arisen within the Islamic ummah especially in Kashmir with the speech that he has made publicly. For example, when there was a popular tendency within the Kashmiri themselves to interpret the death sentence upon Saddam Hussein to be motivated by sectarianism, he made a remark that the judgment should be viewed from the human rights and judiciary's perspective instead of the previous one, thus redirecting them towards the real issue and at the same time leaving no space for sectarian interpretation. His speech has been quoted by The Hindu, which wrote,

we should not see the judgment in the prism of sectarianism.[11]

Hujjatul Islam Noorie has always advocated free movement of azadari processions [ moharram processions] all over the globe especially in the valley of Kashmir. The government of jammu and Kashmir has banned 8th and 10th Muharram processions in Srinagar after the eruption of militancy in 1989. Prior to ban, the 8th Muharram procession used to be taken out from Shaheed Gunj and would culminate at Dalgate while 10th Muharram procession was taken out from Abi- Guzar to Ali Park Zadibal.[12]

Following the ban in 1989 Shia leadership and community continued to agitate peacefully and annually offered mass arrests during period of Muharram. Noori has for all time opposed the ban on moharram processions in Kashmir which he has described as infringement of right to freedom of religion. Noori in an interview given to The Citizen he said that

"It is extremely sad that when whole world promotes freedom of religion, our state Government bans the important religious procession, it is just a political game and nothing else"[13]

Noori has accused the state government of "divide and rule politics" over moharram processions[13]

in July 2019 a Model Nikahnama was released by Ehsaas, a group working on empowerment of women, aimed at including broader details that would empower, strengthen or define the position of women and elaborate on their rights.[14] Speaking on the occasion, Noori said our problem is that we don't follow Quran. "Solution of all our problems lie there. It is responsibility of ulema to spread the awareness," [14] Noori congratulated the Ehsaas group on framing the Model Nikahnama. And hoped that it would be welcomed by public, he said "I hope it would be received well in public," [14]