Poetry as history: Maulana Muhammad Anwar Shopiani and the Ahl-i Hadith movement in Kashmir

Abstract The Ahl-i Hadith in South Asia has largely been studied as a textualist, puritan movement result of its exclusive emphasis on the Quran, sources, and connection with variety radical political armed groups. In contrast, poetry associated Sufi movements. This article questions this distinction makes historiographical intervention by examining Maulana Muhammad Anwar Shopiani (d. 1940) Kashmiri, Persian, Urdu languages. Through close analysis Shopiani's biography poetry, complicates hitherto available picture which helped to take root Kashmir. Doing so draws attention movement's novel literary aspect that engages regional sympathetic Hanafi thinking well broader Persianate traditions transregional currents revivalist basis principle taḥqīq , research. Even message remains committed ‘factual’ iteration based upon Quran it is concept love, both spiritual worldly manifestations, emerges central his thought. It through paradox between actual historical distance from Prophet Muhammad's time Hadith's ideological desire revive literal enactment sunnah resolved. doing so, methodological case for employing source writing an intellectual history below examines Islamic movements their own terms.