Mirwaiz

See also: Mir (title) and Mir (clan)

Mirwaiz (Urdu: میر واعظ, from mir, chief and waiz, preacher) is a hereditary institution of head priests that is unique to the Kashmir Valley.[1][2] The traditional role of mirwaizes is to provide religious education in the shrines and mosques. Over time, the mirwaizes also took up social, cultural and political activities.[2][3]

There are two main mirwaiz lineages in Kashmir: Mirwaiz of Kashmir has its seat at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar. The other lineage, known as Mirwaiz Hamadani (after Ali Hamadani), is based at the historic Khanqah-e-Moula mosque. Each lineage is traditionally the preserve of a single family that traces its roots to an ancestor who arrived in Kashmir with Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani in the 14th century.

The rivalry between the two lineages, which were frequently involved in local politics, has historically been a cause of clashes, including violent ones.[4]

  1. ^ Hussain, Kashmir Profiles 2017, p. 30.
  2. ^ a b Dar, Religious Institutes of Kashmir 2006, p. 19.
  3. ^ Journal of Peace Studies, Centre for Peace Studies, 2004, p. 2
  4. ^ Mridu Rai (2004). Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. pp. 268–269. ISBN 978-1-85065-701-9.