Abdul Rashid Sheikh Dawoodi also known as Dawoodi Sher, is a Sunni Muslim scholar,^[1] preacher^[2][3][4] and reformer from Jammu and Kashmir,^[5][6] who founded the Islamic organisation Tehreek-e-Soutul Awliya.^[5][7][8][9]

Abdul Rashid Sheikh was born at Yaripora in Kulgam district.^[5] He was enrolled by his father,^[10] Sheikh Abdul Rahman, in a religious institute run at that time by the preacher Qazi Nisar.^[5] In 2005, after Qazi Nisar passed away, he set up an Islamic institute called Tehreek-e-Soutul Awliya^[11][12][5] which promotes the teachings of the 19th century scholar Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi of the Hanafi tradition.^[13]

In November 2006, he was wounded in a grenade attack while entering a mosque in Tahab area of Pulwama.^[14][15][16] Police alleged that the attack was instigated by the militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.^{[17][18][19][20]}

Perceiving Islam as the religion of peace,^[21] he advocates that "Ulemas should issue fatwas (edicts) in accordance with the Quran and Sharia. Fatwas must not be issued to please anyone".^[22] This statement was especially directed against senior Saudi cleric Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh who, back in 2012, had asked for banning and demolition of the churches in Kuwait. Dawoodi said that "there is no scope for violence in Islam".^[22]

• Karwan-I-Islami