By Dr. Bilal Ahmad Bhat for TheMONdaily
In the vale where chinars whisper tales of peace,
Where rivers sing lullabies beneath the sky’s fleece,
Rose a soul so brave, so firm in his stand,
Syed Adil Hussain Shah, the pride of our land.
A son of Kashmir, where conflict casts shade,
Yet he chose light, where others may fade.
With courage as his armour, truth as his creed,
He rose like a lion in humanity’s need.
The dawn was broken by the echo of fire,
Terror roamed free with malicious desire.
Innocent voices, unfamiliar and warm,
Tourists who came seeking beauty, not harm.
Most were strangers, not of his faith or kin,
But Adil saw hearts, not colour or skin.
As fear stormed the valley in a ruthless tide,
He stepped in between, with love as his guide.
No sword in his hand, no shield on his chest,
Just the will to protect, and give his best.
He wrestled with fate, gripped the terrorist’s arm,
Tried to stop carnage, to shield from harm.
But fate was cruel and bullets were blind,
One struck his head—yet he left behind
A legacy grander than any throne,
A story that pulses in every bone.
Twenty-six lives perished, a tragedy deep,
More than twenty injured, the world weeps.
Yet in the storm, one star chose to shine,
Adil’s courage, an act so divine.
He didn’t run. He didn’t retreat.
He stood tall where danger did greet.
A Muslim protecting non-Muslims in strife,
Proving Kashmiriyat isn’t just a word—it’s life.
Not driven by hatred, nor tribal pride,
But by a conscience that stood beside
Every soul, every breath, every human plea,
A martyr for justice, for unity, for peace to be.
O Shaheed, your name shall forever resound
In prayers, in tears, in love unbound.
No terror can erase the path you paved,
No bullet can silence the lives you saved.
Your grave is not the end, it is the start
Of stories whispered in every heart.
Your picture framed in heaven’s own light,
The soul of a valley, forever in fight.
Let the world take heed, let history write—
Here stood a man who chose what’s right.
Let no biased lens twist the tale anew,
Kashmir breathes because of heroes like you.
We mourn the lives lost, the blood-stained earth,
Yet from your sacrifice, rises rebirth.
Syed Adil Hussain Shah, your truth won’t fade,
Your soul walks on through the light you made.
Let TheMONdaily carry this ode far and wide,
Of a Kashmiri son who would not hide.
In the face of horror, he dared to defy—
A guardian of peace, who chose to die.