Srinagar, April 19 -- I still remember the first time I sat before him as a young student of Arabic grammar. I came from a Sunni background and he was one of the most respected Shia scholars in Kashmir. He welcomed me with a calm smile and began his lesson. For an eager learner, he became a lantern.

In a world obsessed with speech, Agha Syed Baqir Al-Mousvi Al-Najafi preferred silence. He was not quiet because he lacked conviction. He was quiet because his presence, words, and gaze carried weight. Where others debated, he reflected. Where others performed piety, he lived it - softly, simply, and steadfastly

Born in 1940 in Budgam, Agha Baqir Sahab belonged to the renowned Agha family, spiritual custodians of the Shia tradition in Kashmi...