Srinagar, March 1 -- Emissaries and teachers, who travelled, during the early stage of Islam,almost fourteen centuries back, to the neighbouring lands of Arabia, played a great role in its propagation. Depending on their speciality they came to be called,hufaaz, mubaligs, muhaddis and muffasir etcthat ismemorizers/ reciters; propagators; narrators of the statements of the holy Prophet and commentators/exegesis-experts of the holy verses,respectively.

But there was another type of men, characterised by their impressive temperament, having distinctive character that commanded reverence, far and wide. They were theSufimissionaries who traversed long distances and went as far as Africa, Persia, India etc. They did not merely sow the seed of ...