Parentage

From both sides (mother and father) he came down from the royal family of Kishtwar
which descended from Maharaja Vikramajit. Sheikh-Ul-Alam himself, mentions his
lineage in his verse:

My Father and mother belonged to the Sanz family. Ogra Sanz and his son Durpita
Sanz were my ancestors. His son Zanga Sanz who was killed in a battle succeeded
Durpita Sanz. He left behind a son: Hambar Sanz. The later had two sons: Salar and
Salu. I am the son of Salar Sanz.

Some hold that Sheikh-Ul-Almas father Salar Sanz paid allegiance to Yasmin Rishi,
embraced Islam, and assumed the name Sheikh Salar but the Sheikh contradicts the
tradition in his verses. His fathers spiritual guide and teacher were Syed Husain
Samnani.

His Mother

Sheikh-Ul-Almas mother was Sidrah who was en-trusted to be brought up by the

village chowkidar according to the custom. Her parents died in the meantime and the
Chowkidar married her away to a young man of the village who died in a short while.
After this on the advice of Yasmin Rishi or Syed Husain Samnani she was remarried
to the neo-Muslim, Sheikh Salar Uddin.

Titles

Noor Uddin is remembered by the titles: Sheikh-Ul-Alam, The Savior of Kashmir,

Nanda Rishi and Suneha Nand.

Birth and Bringing-up

According to a tradition Lalla Arifa used to visit his mother during her pregnancy
and took care of her. For the first three days he did not take a feed of milk.
Lalla Arifa then fed him on her breasts saying; You never hesitated in coming to
this world then, why do you hesitate in taking the milk?

The historians on Kashmir unanimously believe that he belonged to Owaisia Order but
Hasan refers to Vaqaeh Kashmir, that he drew spiritual sustenance from Hazrat
Amir-e-Kabir Shah-e-Hamdan, Syed Husain Samnani, and Mir Muhammad Hamdani. It is
also said that Hazrat Amir-e-Kabir entrusted him to Syed Husain Samnani at an early
age. The letter, kept in the Khanqah-e-Mullah, indicates that Mir Muhammad Hamdani
admitted him to his guidance for training and education in spiritual meditation and
divine rites.

Sheikh-Ul-Alam was, in fact, the source of all knowledge, intrinsic as well as

exterior. He was never educated or trained at a seminary or a monastery but
whatever he attained was the result of his sincere, and severe attempts in pursuing
meditation and prayers, although he was not literate, yet he was a poet, a
philosopher, a Rishi. A saintly mystic, the flag bearer of Kashmir, and the
protector of the Kashmiri culture all combined in one.