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GURU NANAK AND SYED ABDUL QADIR GILANI Inderjeet Singh & Shahid Shabbir Dr Kirpal Singh who has been honoured with the title of ‘Professor of Sikhism’ has done a yeoman service for Sikh community by analysing all Janamsakhi and other sources on the life and time of Guru Nanak (1469-1539). This book ‘Janamsakhi Parampara’ was […]

GURU NANAK AND SYED ABDUL QADIR GILANI

Inderjeet Singh & Shahid Shabbir

Dr Kirpal Singh who has been honoured with the title of ‘Professor of Sikhism’ has done a yeoman service for Sikh community by analysing all Janamsakhi and other sources on the life and time of Guru Nanak (1469-1539). This book ‘Janamsakhi Parampara’ was first published in 1969. The Part II of Miharban Janamsakhi records Guru Nanak’s meeting with Sufi Faqirs. The names of these contemporary Muslim saints have been confirmed from the book ‘Tazkara-i-Sufia-i-Punjab’ by Ahijazul Haq Kadusi published in Karachi, Pakistan. This Janamsakhi is the only document which provides valuable details of last years of Guru Nanak when he stayed at Kartarpur.

Meeting with Daud Kirmani

Guru Nanak travelled and reached Shergarh town, now in Dipalpur Tehsil, district Okara in West Punjab, Pakistan. The township had a spiritually enlightened faqir by the name of Daud Kirmani (d. 1574). The Urs celebration at his dargah continues till today.

Guru Ji met Daud Kirmani and had a dialogue with him. Daud Kirmani who was the disciple of Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani of Lahore impressed upon Guru Ji to meet his mentor.

Meeting with Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani

The Janamsakhi states that Guru Nanak set out from Shergarh and passing through Chuhnian , Kanganpur and Kasur reached Lahore. Chuhnian, Kanganpur and Kasur have Gurdwaras to commemorate the visit of Guru Ji.

Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani lived on the bank of river Raavi where he had set-up an establishment. His father, Syed Jamaluddin, had migrated from Baghdad to settle in Lahore. Syed Gilani had three sons Syed Haji, Sultan Akbar and Gyasuddin. He passed away in 942 Hijri/ A.D. 1535-36

Guru Nanak met Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani on the river bank. They sat down together to have a discourse. Guru Ji said that this world is full of suffering. Syed Gilani said that pleasure is in realizing the truth and achieving union with God. Guru Nanak replied that only God is true and everything else is transient and real pleasure could be achieved only after realizing God. Guru Ji recited the following Shabad:

ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
sireeraag mehalaa 1 ||
Siree Raag, First Mehla:

ਅਮਲੁ ਗਲੋਲਾ ਕੂੜ ਕਾ ਦਿਤਾ ਦੇਵਣਹਾਰਿ ॥
amal galolaa koorr kaa dhithaa dhaevanehaar ||
The Great Giver has given the intoxicating drug of falsehood.

ਮਤੀ ਮਰਣੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿਆ ਖੁਸੀ ਕੀਤੀ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰਿ ॥
mathee maran visaariaa khusee keethee dhin chaar ||
The people are intoxicated; they have forgotten death, and they have fun for a few days.

ਸਚੁ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਤਿਨ ਸੋਫੀਆ ਰਾਖਣ ਕਉ ਦਰਵਾਰੁ ॥੧॥
sach miliaa thin sofeeaa raakhan ko dharavaar ||1||
Those who do not use intoxicants are true; they dwell in the Court of the Lord. ||1||

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਚੇ ਕਉ ਸਚੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥
naanak saachae ko sach jaan ||
O Nanak, know the True Lord as True.

ਜਿਤੁ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਤੇਰੀ ਦਰਗਹ ਚਲੈ ਮਾਣੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
jith saeviai sukh paaeeai thaeree dharageh chalai maan ||1|| rehaao ||
Serving Him, peace is obtained; you shall go to His Court with honor. ||1||Pause||

ਸਚੁ ਸਰਾ ਗੁੜ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਸਚਾ ਨਾਉ ॥
sach saraa gurr baaharaa jis vich sachaa naao ||
The Wine of Truth is not fermented from molasses. The True Name is contained within it.

ਸੁਣਹਿ ਵਖਾਣਹਿ ਜੇਤੜੇ ਹਉ ਤਿਨ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੈ ਜਾਉ ॥
sunehi vakhaanehi jaetharrae ho thin balihaarai jaao ||
I am a sacrifice to those who hear and chant the True Name.

ਤਾ ਮਨੁ ਖੀਵਾ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਜਾ ਮਹਲੀ ਪਾਏ ਥਾਉ ॥੨॥
thaa man kheevaa jaaneeai jaa mehalee paaeae thhaao ||2||
Only one who obtains a room in the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence is deemed to be truly intoxicated. ||2||

ਨਾਉ ਨੀਰੁ ਚੰਗਿਆਈਆ ਸਤੁ ਪਰਮਲੁ ਤਨਿ ਵਾਸੁ ॥
naao neer cha(n)giaaeeaa sath paramal than vaas ||
Bathe in the waters of Goodness and apply the scented oil of Truth to your body,

ਤਾ ਮੁਖੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਉਜਲਾ ਲਖ ਦਾਤੀ ਇਕ ਦਾਤਿ ॥
thaa mukh hovai oujalaa lakh dhaathee eik dhaath ||
and your face shall become radiant. This is the gift of 100,000 gifts.

ਦੂਖ ਤਿਸੈ ਪਹਿ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਸੂਖ ਜਿਸੈ ਹੀ ਪਾਸਿ ॥੩॥
dhookh thisai pehi aakheeahi sookh jisai hee paas ||3||
Tell your troubles to the One who is the Source of all comfort. ||3||

ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮਨਹੁ ਵਿਸਾਰੀਐ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਜੀਅ ਪਰਾਣ ॥
so kio manahu visaareeai jaa kae jeea paraan ||
How can you forget the One who created your soul, and the praanaa, the breath of life?

ਤਿਸੁ ਵਿਣੁ ਸਭੁ ਅਪਵਿਤ੍ਰੁ ਹੈ ਜੇਤਾ ਪੈਨਣੁ ਖਾਣੁ ॥
this vin sabh apavithra hai jaethaa painan khaan ||
Without Him, all that we wear and eat is impure.

ਹੋਰਿ ਗਲਾਂ ਸਭਿ ਕੂੜੀਆ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥੪॥੫॥
hor galaa(n) sabh koorreeaa thudhh bhaavai paravaan ||4||5||
Everything else is false. Whatever pleases Your Will is acceptable. ||4||5||

Syed Gilani was very pleased and said that a discourse on the Divine is always satisfying. Guru Ji spent some time with him and then returned to Kartarpur.

Readers may find the article on Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani in the Pakistani English Newspaper Dawn of some interest.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1206340

Acknowledgement

Islamabad based Shahid Shabbir of Pakistan Heritage Club who runs many pages on Facebook including ‘Save Gurdwaras & Temples of Pakistan’* has provided the photographs. His friend Ahmad Hassan from Lahore and member of Pakistan heritage Club was able to locate the dargah of Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani. It is a modest structure and hidden from most people. Ahmad Hassan informs me that this area was under the British Army and they had built high walls which obscure the view of the Dargah. The area is now no longer with the Army and people are starting clearing and renovating the structure. I am thankful to both of them for their help and assistance.

Courtesy- by Inderjeet Singh & Shahid Shabbir