His personality was marked by mildness, self-effacement, and unwavering compassion.
Sheikh Muḥammad Ishaq Qadiri (RA), commonly known as Ishaq Ṣaḥab.
Born 1120 AH / 1708 CE in Srinagar; died 1198 AH / 1784 CE; buried at Soura, Srinagar
A distinguished master of the Qadiriyya order; successor in the lineage of Mir Nimatullah Qadiri (RA) and Sheikh Nur Muḥammad Qadiri (RA).
Sheikh Muḥammad Ishaq Qadiri (RA) belonged to a scholarly family known for their loyalty to the Qadiriyya silsila. He was trained in Quranic sciences, Hadith, and Persian literature from an early age.
He later studied under Mir Nimatullah Qadiri (RA), from whom he received khilafat after years of discipline and devotional service.
His personality was marked by mildness, self-effacement, and unwavering compassion, which attracted seekers from across the Valley.
Humility (tawaḍu) as the basis of spiritual refinement
Constant remembrance of God through Qadiri wird
Ethical living and service to the needy
Rejection of spiritual pride and sectarian conflict
He established a small khanqah in Soura, which developed into a vibrant centre for Qadiri teachings. His disciples spread into peripheral regions such as Ganderbal and Anchar, strengthening Qadiri presence there.
His shrine at Soura remains well-preserved, with annual gatherings that include zikr, Quranic recitation, and readings from his Persian devotional writings.
Local oral traditions recount that he once calmed a violent storm through prayer – symbolising his perceived spiritual force rather than historical fact.
Tarikh-i-Ḥasan, Volume III
Asrar al-Akhyar manuscripts
Qadiriyya Networks of Srinagar (Heritage Review, 2020)
Department of Archives, J&K: ‘Soura’s Spiritual Legacy’
