Khawaja Habibullah Nowshehri

Khawaja Habibullah Ganai Nowshehri (, ), known by his pen name Hubbi, was a Kashmiri Sufi mystic, poet, and scholar active in medieval Kashmir Valley during the late Chak and early Mughal periods. He is remembered for devotional poetry (including naʽat) and for his shrine (Aastan) in the Nowshera locality of Srinagar, where his annual urs is celebrated.

Hagiographical traditions describe him as a disciple within Kubrawiya-Hamdani Sufi tradition in Kashmir and as one of the successors of Shaykh Yaqub Sarfi.

Early life

Birth Habibullah Nowshehri was born in the Nowshera locality of Srinagar, in 963 AH . His father, Shamsuddin Ganai, was reportedly a local salt merchant,

Education According to Sufi Hagiographical sources, Habibullah had memorised the Quran at a young age and would assist in his father's shop while continuing religious studies. He later studied under Mulla Hasan Afaqi, where he acquired proficiency in Persian and Arabic and studied Hadith and Fiqh. Later he became a disciple of Mir Muhammad Khalifa, under whom, according to hagiographical sources, his spiritual training advanced significantly. His later spiritual and poetic development is historically linked to the circle of Shaykh Yaqub Sarfi, as well as other contemporary Kashmiri scholars and Sufi masters.

According to Historical accounts and Sufi hagiographical traditions, Mughal emperor Jahangir during his visit of Kashmir valley visited Nowshehri.

Literary works Nowshehri composed devotional poetry in the Kashmiri and Persian literary traditions. He adopted the pen name Hubbi, under which his verses circulated in oral and manuscript traditions. Several works are attributed to him in manuscript collections and later literary surveys, including:

Tanbhiy al-Quloob (The Admonition of the Hearts): Persian verses on Tasawwuf (Sufism) and Irfan (spiritual gnosis). Rahat al-Quloob (Comfort of Hearts) Mirat al-Gayoob (Mirror of Unseen) Risalat al-Insaf (Treatise of Justice): Arabic treatise Maqamat-i-Eishan (The stations of the Master): A Biographical account in Persian rhyming couplets documenting the life, travels, and spiritual lineage of his master, Shaykh Yaqub Sarfi, written in 1011 AH (1602 CE). Diwan-i-Hubbi: containing Qasida, rubaiyat and qit'as. He is also known for devotional poetry and na'at compositions associated with Kashmiri Sufi traditions.

Among these, the na'at commonly known by its refrain Kuntu Kanzan Avaye (or Yare gachav diwayae) is regarded as one of his most popular composition in Kashmir. or 1026 AH .

Shrine and Mosque

Habibullah Nowshehri was laid to rest in Nowshera, Srinagar, where his Aastan (shrine) remains a site of annual urs observances. Adjacent to the shrine is Masjid Hubbi, a mosque that was rebuilt in the early 1900s. A graveyard is also located towards the south, withing the shared premises of the mosque and the shrine.

Footnotes