Shamas Faqir

Shamas Faqir(شمس فقیر in Kashmiri) is one of the most famous Sufi poet of Kashmir.

Name and Birth

He was born Mohammad Sidiq Bhat in Chinkral Mohalla, Habba Kadal neighborhood of Srinagar, Kashmir in 1843.

Early life

Having been born in a poor family, it is said that he never received any formal education. He however did become an apprentice of Niama Saeb another famous Sufi poet of Kashmir. He became a disciple of many Sufi Saints, among them were Souch Maliar, Abdul Rehman of Burzalla, Atiq-Ullah of Gulab Bagh, Mohammad Jammal and Rasool Saeb.

Sufi Affiliations

Shamas Faqir belonged to the Qadiriyya silsila of Sufism. At age 25 he left for Amritsar, in Indian Punjab where he became a disciple of another Sufi Saint. After his return from Amritsar he decided to live in Anantnag, Kashmir, where he got married. He came back to his ancestral home in Srinagar for some time. He then meditated for six months in a cave at Qazi Bagh in Budgam district of Kashmir.After his meditation, he decided to live in Krishpore.

Death

Shamas Faqir died in 1901. He is buried at Krishpore, Kashmir. Shamas Faqir had two sons and a daughter.