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PORTRAYAL OF GURU NANAK IN MUSLIM COMPENDIUM: AN APPRAISAL
1DR. MUHAMMAD TANVEER JAMAL,2DR. ABDUL ZAHOOR KHAN, 3DR. KISHWAR NAHEED, 4GHULAM
MURTAZA
1Assistant professor, Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad
Campus.
2Assistant professor/In-charge Academic Affairs at the Department of History and Pakistan Studies, FSS, International Islamic University, H-10, Islamabad. 3Assistant professor, Foundation University School of Science and Technology Islamabad 4M.Phil. School of History and Pakistan Studies, Minhaj University, Lahore.
Abstract
Guru Nanak (1469-1539), is one of the celebrated personalities of Indo-Pak subcontinent who had earned a name due to his religious and harmonious thoughts. He is a founder of Sikhism and equally revered among the Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims of South Asia on the basis of his teachings. Although he is renowned universally, nonetheless, he is appealing to all as Muslim hagiographers of South Asia considered him a Muslim saint while Hindus and Sikhs acknowledged him as a founder of Sikhism. A lot of work has been done by various writers in the form or JanamsakhTs, hagiographies, historical compilations and poetry to describe the life and time of Baba Guru Nanak, but mostly this work is done by Sikhs therefore, there is a dire need to understand the portrayal of Guru Nanak in non-Sikh sources. This research is an attempt to explore the discussions about this SufT saint in the Muslim account that how they have perceived the ideas and thoughts of Baba Guru Nanak in their hagiographies. This study is also unique in nature as an effort has been made to introduce the maximum South Asian Muslim important primary sources which presented portray of Guru Nanak, his life and discourse. Moreover, an endeavor has also been made to scrupulously dissect this literature regarding the biography of Guru Nanak. Likewise, the originality and genuineness of AdT Granth and JanamsakhTs about Guru Nanak have also been critically examined. Keywords: Guru Nanak, Sikhism, hagiographical compendium, ChishtT SufTs, AdT Granth.
Introduction
Guru Nanak like Baba FarTd (d. 1265) is considered as one of revered personalities among all the communities of Indo-Pak subcontinent. However, regarding his faith and religious discourse, he is considered as a controversial one. There are four different notions existed about Guru Nanak's faith as well as Sikhism such as i), many Sikh intellectuals postulated that Guru Nanak was a divine person chosen by God and he introduced a new hybrid kind of religion which was mixture of Islamic and Hindu teachings. ii), some Hindu and Sikh scholars considered him a Hindu reformer and Sikhism as a revivalist movement within Hinduism iii), third group believe that Guru Nanak had a profound impact of SufTs but still he was a Hindu reformer iv), Muslim historians particularly hagiographers considered him a Muslim SufT.
Guru Nanak has earned a huge respect among Muslim masses as well as rulers like ZahTr al-dTn Babar (r. 1526-30), the founder of Mughal rule in India shown great esteem to Guru Nanak. Akbar the Great (r. 1526-30), personally visited Guru Arjan (d. 1606)1 owing to Guru Nanak high spiritual status as Guru Arjan was his spiritual successor. However, it was Nur al-dTn JahangTr (r. 1605-27), who infused the seed of contention, he not only disdained Sikh Gurus including Guru Nanak, declared them non-believers but also executed Guru Arjan. He further maintains that not only Hindus, but many foolish and ill-faithed stupid Muslims also followed Sikh Gurus.2 It is quite clear that he took action owing to high popularity of these Gurus which he reckoned a threat for his rule and that's why he took
1Abu al-Fadal, Akbarnamah Vol. III. trans. H. Beveridge (Calcutta: Asiatic Society, 2000, first published in 1921), 1115.
2NUr al-din Jahanglr, Tuzk-i Jahangiri (Lucknow: Nawal Kishor, n.d), 45.
immediate action against Guru Arjan when he offered shelter to prince Khusrau who was a revolted prince.
The current study considers that maximum Muslim sources deal with Guru Nanak from biggening till 1940. By and large, these sources are of two categories including historical and hagiographical compilations. In this regard, Mobid Zulfiqar ArdistanT's Dabistan-i-Mazahib3 is the first Muslim work which discusses Guru Nanak as well as Sikhism in great detail. Zulfiqar ArdistanT (d. 1670) was also a good friend of Sixth Guru Hargobind (1606-1645), and in this way his work has won great importance in academia and also reckoned as an early-contemporary Muslim work on Guru Nanak. Similarly, Qasim 'Ibrat LahorT's 'Ibrat Namah completed in 1723 provides precise information about Guru Nanak, Siyar al-MutakharTn of MTr Ghulam Hussain Khan JabatabT completed in 1781 is another very important work regarding Muslim rule in India, it precisely discusses Guru Nanak. Ghulam 'AlT Khan's 'Imad-us-Sa'adat completed in 1808, 'Abdul KarTm's TarTkh-i Punjab Tuhfa al-Ahbab completed in 1849, MuftT 'AlT al-dTn's 'Ibrat Namah completed in 1854, MuftT Ghulam Sarwar LahorT's TarTkh Makhzan-i-Punjab completed in 1868 and TarTkh-i Punjab of Sayed Muhammad LatTf published in 1891, are some other important historical sources which provided information about Guru Nanak. The hagiographical sources which included in this study are Khwajah Hassan NizamT's Sikh Qum Awr us kay BanT kT Nisbat Musalmanon kT Muhabbat amTz RaT (The Love-filled Views of Muslims about the Sikh Community and its Founder), published in 1922, SufT Ghulam Qasim QadirT's Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak published in 1923 and Muhammad 'Abdullah Muntazir's Nanak completed in 1940. Portrayal of Guru Nanak in Muslim Literature
The existing Sikhism hardly reckons as Muslims as they have their own different religious practices, traditions social and economic norms as well as religious festivals. However, Muslim hagiographers as well as historians postulated Guru Nanak as a Muslim saint and his followers were considered akin to Muslims owing to his teachings and practices. The silent features of Guru Nanak describes by Muslim intellectuals are mentioned as under: Early Life
Nanak Shah FaqTr or Baba Nanak was born in 1469 CE. He was born in a village known as TalwandT4--now a days known as Nanakana Sahib, a city of PakistanT Punjab--. Parents of Baba Nanak were Hindus from khatarT or BedT cast, BedT is a subdivision of khatarT tribe. He is a founder of Sikhism. Sikh literal meaning disciple, follower, or devotee; it is a term coined by Baba Nanak for his followers. In his teenage he become popular for his good character, probity, beauty of his personality as well as his talent.5
TawahTd
Almost all the Muslim compilations which address Guru Nanak, are unanimously claimed that he had firm believe on TawahTd (Oneness of God). He got his education from a prominent Muslim saint named Sayed Hassan who was a sahib-i hal darwaish and who beside sharia education, also esoterically
3The authorship of Dabistan-i-Mazahib is contentious, however, the fact is that Zulfiqar Ardistani is its author, Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza, Introduction to Dabistan-i-Mazahib (Lahore: Institution of Islamic Culture, 2002), 2-12). However, some orientalists and popular Sikh historian Ganda Singh and Tara Chand have mentioned Muhsin Fani as its author (Introduction to The Dabistan, School of Manners, vol.1. trans. David Shea & Anthony Troyer (Paris: 1843), 7-12). Ganda Singh, "Nanak Panthis or The Sikh and Sikhism of the 17th Century"). Dr. Tara Chand, GURU NANAK (from Influence of Islam on Indian Culture) Dr. Rashld Ahmad Jalenderl mention Kai Khusru Asfandyar as its author. (Preface to Dabistan-i-Mazahib (Lahore: Institution of Islamic Culture, 2002), 4).
4Ghulam Hussian Khan Tabatabi, Siyar al-Mutakharin (compl. 1781) Vol. 2 (Lucknow: Nawal Kishore, 1897), 401; see also Sayed Ghulam 'Ali Khan 'Imad al-Sa'adat (compl. 1808) (Lucknow: Nawal Kishore, n.d), 70; see also Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Lahon, Tarikh Makhzan-i-Punjab (compl. 1868) (Lucknow: Nawal Kishore, 1877), 473-74; see also Sayed Muhammad Latif, History of the Punjab: From the Remotest Antiquity to the Present Time (Calcutta: Calcutta Central Press Company, 1891), 240.
5Tabatabi, Siyar al-Mutakharin, 401; see also Lahorl, Tarikh Makhzan-i-Punjab, 473; see also Latif, History of the Punjab, 241; see also Sufi Ghulam Qasim Qadirl, Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak (Amritsar: 'Abdul Karlm printers, 1923),10.
blessed Nanak. Sayed Hassan profoundly impressed with the beauty of Nanak's character and developed great affection and love for him. Nanak studied under him the most sacred books of Islam and SufTsm. He was so impressed with his teacher's methodology as well as Islam that in his free time he kept himself busy to make notes of Islamic philosophy into poetic style in PunjabT language which was his mother tongue. The followers of Nanak FaqTr's cult are reckoned similar to the SufTs of Hindustan6 rather than the Hindus or Hindu mystics. Additionally, owing to Nanak's Islamic preachings to his followers, Khwajah Hassan NizamT, therefore postulated that the Sikhs are Muslims.7 From his childhood Guru Nanak attracts attention to Islam, SufTsm as well as TawahTd mostly because of his aforementioned mystic teacher Sayed Hassan. Moreover, another anonymous Muslim saint-Muslim hagiographers did not mention his name it seems he might be a majzub or ascetic saint like IbrahTm QanduzT who blessed Khwajah Mu'Tn al-dTn Hassan (d. 1236) the founder ChishtTyyah silsilah in Hindustan and these ascetics saints mostly remained unknown due to their itinerant nature and not staying permanently an any place--who casted a divine look and spiritually captivated him. In this way Nanak distributed everything he possess and abandoned the world and worldly desires. He even did not eat anything for a long time.8 Maulvi Qutab al-dTn was another teacher of Baba Nanak.9 MuftT Ghulam Sarwar LahorT "an unparalleled scholar" of the nineteenth century-India10 and Sayed Ghulam 'AlT Khan maintain that Baba Nanak was popular for his Khuda ShanasT (Godliness), worshiping and devotion with Allah.11 'Allamah Muhammad Iqbal (d. 1938), a renowned Islamic philosopher and poet declared Guru Nanak similar to Prophet IbrahTm for India who inculcates the true message of TawahTd among the idol worshipers as he maintains: But, age later, the house of idols was lit up again Azar's house was lit up by Abraham!
Again, from the Punjab the call of monotheism arose: A perfect man roused India from slumber.12
As mentioned above, one of the significant prowess of Nanak's personality mentioned in Muslim sources is his firm believe on TawahTd. It is the law of Allah Almighty that whenever the people or a nation look down upon the spirituality and the divine laws, Allah Almighty sends some of His friend, mujadid, RishT Mum, a spiritual leader or a guide to the earth. Guru Nanak is such a saint sent to India during fifteen century CE. From the very young age of five years, Guru Nanak kept himself busy in meditation and dhikar (remembrance), and even enjoyed the ecstatic condition in that age--similar condition in this age prevailed on Baba FarTd--. Guru Nanak teaches and preaches pure TawahTd to his people.13
Where Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) launched a thorough, equitable and notion of TawahTd in the world. Guru Nanak preached such TawahTd among the people of Hindustan. Additionally, Nanak is mentioned as a "true friend of the true Allah", "ocean of monotheism," and "True missionary of TawahTd."14 Moreover, Guru Nanak like Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is a beloved of Allah. Whenever
6TabatabI, Siyar al-Mutäkharin, 401.
7Khwajah Hassan NizamI, Sikh Qum Awr Us kay Bäni ki NisbatMusalmänon ki Muhabbat ämiz Ra'i (The Love-filled Views of Muslims about the Sikh Community and its Founder) (Batalah: Khwajah Press, 1922), 4-12
8Mobid Zulfiqar Ardistanl, Dabistän-i-Mazähib (Lucknow: Nawal Kishöre, n.d), 223.
9QadirI, Tadhkira Janäb Bäbä Nänak, 16.
10Marcia Hermansen, Imagining Space and Siting Collective Memory in South Asian Muslim Biographical Literature (Tadhkira). Studies in Contemporary Islam, 4 (2) (Ohio: Centre for Islamic Studies, Youngstown State University Press, 2002), 11-12.
nLähöri, Tärikh Makhzan-i-Punjäb, 473-74.
12'Allamah Muhammad Iqbal, "Nanak" in Bäng-i Darä (New Delhi: Slmanat Parkash, 1996), 134.
13Dabistän-i-Mazähib, 223; see also NizamI, Sikh Qum Awr Us kay Bäni ki Nisbat Musalmänon ki Muhabbat ämiz Ra'i, 35: see also Qadiri, Tadhkira Janäb Bäbä Nänak, 44-45. see also Muhammad 'Abdullah Muntazir, Nänak (Gujranwala: 1940), 194-95
14LatIf, History of the Punjäb, 246; see also NizamI, Sikh Qum Awr Us kay Bäni ki Nisbat Musalmänon ki Muhabbat ämiz Ra'i, 35-40.
he possesses any material object he distributes it promptly among the poor.15 Similarly, Khwajah Hassan NizamT describes certain common and popular prowess and attributions of Islamic mysticism and Guru Nanak such as remembrance (dhikar), seeking the company of a true spiritual preceptor, to serve the preceptor sincerely regarding the accomplishment of spirituality, charity or spends money in the way of Allah, love for poverty and the poor people, good deeds, piety and probity, worship, khalwat dar Anjuman (inwardly to be with Allah, outwardly with people), sincerity, dedication and devotion in religious practices, distributes all the possession among the people, disdain the anger and loathsome.16 Besides TawahTd, Guru Nanak also believes on the Prophethood of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Additionally, although he did not offer congregational prayer owing to nonavailability of true divinely devotion of the Imam of mosque, however, he visited mosques and preferred individual prayer,17 moreover, for prayers he also built mosques.18 Profound Meditation of Allah Almighty and Disdain Idol Worshiping
The Muslim intellectuals extolled Guru Nanak's extreme devotion with Allah Almighty. He abnegated the world and worldly desires and kept himself busy all the time in meditation and worship of Allah almighty.19 He strictly disdains idol worshiping and the image worshiping.20 Moreover, he buried his chief disciple Mardana according to Islamic rituals.21 Muslim hagiographers declared AdT Granth as sacred book of Sikhism. Pilgrimage and visiting Islamic Holy Places
Like other devoted Muslim Guru Nanak too, visited Islamic holy places including holy Ka'aba, Mosque of Holy Prophet (PBUH), and the hospice of Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir JTllanT (d. 1165). Initially, he wore ahram (dress of hajj or pilgrimage) in the Arab land and finally reached Ka'aba and stayed there for a many days. QadT Rukn al-dTn, Imam of holy Ka'aba also visited Guru Nanak and discussed with him about the differences between Hinduism and Islam. Guru Nanak replied that it depends on the deeds of a person.22 An incident is also quoted that QadT Rukn al-dTn at first did not like Guru Nanak as he was putting his foot towards Holy Ka'aba. Nanak when came to know he replied to put his feet in a direction where the house of God does not exist.23
From holy Ka'aba, Guru Nanak left for MadTnah Munawarah. At MadTnah, many leading SufTs and 'ulema started religious debate with him. One among these saints extoled his high spiritual level as well as his spiritual poetry. Upon the question about his belief on Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the first four pious caliphs, Guru Nanak avowed that he believes on them. He set too near to the grave of holy Prophet (PBUH) and started to sing devotional songs loudly with great devotion. When people tried to refrain from him, he said sama' is permitted for the mendicants and that SufTs considered it permissible in Islam. From MadTnah, he left for Baghdad and visited the shrine of Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir JTllanT and like at the Mosque of Holy Prophet (PBUH), he again started devotional songs. The eminent saints of Baghdad joined his assembly, appreciated him and his kalam and in response Guru Nanak also appreciated them. 24
The people of Baghdad deemed Guru Nanak as a Muslim saint owing to his preaching of Islam, especially TawahTd, remembrance and durud. His house at Baghdad is still intact known as "House of
15Nizami, Sikh Qum Awr Us kay Bam ki NisbatMusalmanon ki Muhabbat amiz Ra'i, 43.
16Nizami, Sikh QUm Awr Us kay Bani ki Nisbat Musalmanon ki Muhabbat amiz Ra'i, 43-48.
17 Latif, History of the Punjab, 246-48.
18Muhammad Qasim 'Ibrat Lahori, 'Ibrat Namah (compl.1723), ed. Zahür al-din Ahmad (Lahore: Pakistan Research Institute, University of Punjab, 1977), 55.
19Khan 'Imadal-Sa'adat, 70; see also Lähörl, TarikhMakhzan-i-Punjab, 473.
20Ardistani, Dabistan-i-Mazahib, 223; see also Latif, History of the Punjab, 241; see also Nizami, Sikh QUm Awr Us kay Bani ki Nisbat Musalmanon ki Muhabbat amiz Ra'i, 47: see also Qadiri, Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak, 89.
21Qadiri, Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak, 77.
22'Ibrat Lahori, 'Ibrat Namah, ed. Ahmad, 55; see also Qadiri, Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak, 65-68: See also Muntazir, Nanak, 164-67; see also Latif, History of the Punjab, 243; see also Bhai Bala, Janamsakhis Shri Guru Nanak Dev JiMaharaj, trans Ajit Singh Awlakh (Lahore: Mushtaq Book Corner, 2013), 115-17.
23Latif, History of the Punjab, 243.
24Muntazir, Nanak, 167-170: see also Qadiri, Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak, 68-70.
Nanak Pir". Cruel governor of Baghdad repentance at his hand and presented him an embroidered dress of Quranic verses as a gift which is still intact. He also visited eminent SufTs' shrines of Iran, Herat, Isfahan, Bukhara and as per his custom, kept himself busy in remembrance at these shrines. He also visited SakhT Sarwar, another popular saint of Hindustan, both saints had great love and devotion with each other.25 Additionally, he performed a Chillah under the supervision of Shaykh 'Abdul Rahman Bakhtiyar,26 and spent time with Shaykh IbrahTm a Sajjadah nashTn of Baba FarTd Ganj-i-Shakar.27 Likewise, he joined the company of many other prominent SufTs.28 Additionally, he became a firm advocate of Unity of Being29a popular doctrine of Sufism introduced in Islamic mysticism by Shaykh al-Akbar Muhy al-dTn Ibne 'ArabT (d. 1240).
Similarly, Khwajah Hassan NizamT stated that haq Allah is equal to Sat Sri akal30--Bole so nihal Sat Sri akal is a popular Sikh phrase which means 'God is ultimate truth' and they said when greeting each other--. He further maintains that "Sikhs are Muslims and Muslims are Sikhs". In fact, with respect to their national traits and all practical purposes, the Sikhs are Muslims without any doubt and soon would merge with their fellow Muslims (Islam). He further glosses that like Muslim mosques and unlike Hindu temples, the Sikhs therefore does not allow the Hindus and others to keep idols or worship idols in gurdwarah--Sikhs' worship place--and consider this practice against Sikhism. Like Holy Quran teaches in the mosques by Muslim teachers, the Sikhs teach Guru Granth in gurdwarah. As the Hindus are also devotees of Guru Nanak and in this regards they also visited gurdwarah. Some Hindu even become custodians of gurdwarah. They, unfortunately, placed idols in gurdwarah. The Sikhs disdained this action and forcefully outs these idols from there. The Sikhs further decided that the Hindu Pandits have no right to become custodian of their gurdwarah.31 Miracles
Numerous miracles of Guru Nanak described in Muslim some of these are such as i), Babar got the throne of Delhi owing to prayers of Guru Nanak,32 ii), Nanak removed the guilt of a virtuous woman who helped him when the children stitched up his eyelids, nose and ears. That particular woman unstitched them but received allegation of adultery when people found Nanak come out from her house. However, when people of that town failed to open its entrance gate, Nanak therefore predicted that it would be opened by a woman who did not indulge in adultery and when all women fail to open the gate, the same woman who helped Nanak successfully opened it,33 iii), Guru Nanak appointed as an in charge of alms house of Nawab Daulat Khan and he distributed all the food among the needy and during investigation Nawab found that all the food stuff was available at alms house, iv), God not only speaks to Guru Nanak but also praised him, v), a black snake protect Nanak from the hot rays of sun34 are some miracles of Nanak selected from Muslim sources. However, he has so many miracles that according to ArdistanT one can compile a complete book on them. Death
Guru Nanak breathed his last in 1539 CE and on his death a trauma was stem as both Hindu and Muslim communities wanted to perform his burial ceremonies according to their respective religions. Surprisingly, his dead body was disappeared, and a shroud and some flowers were available at his
25QadirI, Tadhkira Janäb Bäbä Nänak, 70-80: see also Muntazir, Nänak, 171.
26Lähön, 'Ibrat Nämah, 55.
27MuftI 'Ali al-din, 'Ibrat Nämah (compl. 1854) (Lahore: Punjabi Adabi Academy, 1961), 159; see also Latif,
History of the Punjäb, 245.
28'AlI al-din, 'Ibrat Nämah, 157; see also Lahöri, Tärikh Makhzan-i-Punjäb, 473.
29Latif, History of the Punjäb, 246.
30NizamI, Sikh Qum Awr Us kay Bäni kiNisbatMusalmänon kiMuhabbat ämiz Ra'i, 36.
31Ibid., 4-12.
32ArdistanI, Dabistän-i-Mazähib, 223-24; see also Qadiri, Tadhkira Janäb Bäbä Nänak, 79.
33ArdistanI, Dabistän-i-Mazähib, 224.
34Latif, History of the Punjäb, 243-48.
death place. So, half shroud and flowers buried by the Muslims and other half burnt by the Hindus according to their religious traditions.35 Critical Analysis
Some legends and irrational events and information found in the aforementioned Muslim compendiums. These are like i), Zulfiqar ArdistanT maintains Guru Nanak permanently abandoned food and lived on air or ate air for a long period of time36 which is hardly acceptable and the early Sikh sources--although JanamsakhTs are also fabricated-- silent about this supernatural prowess of Nanak. Medically, it is not justifiable that a person lives without eating and drinking--water, milk, or medically any permissible liquid-- for a long time. However, numerous eminent SufTs including Baba FarTd (d. 1265) and Muhammad Ghaus of Gwalior (d. 1562) rarely eat food but they relied on wild fruit and grass, ii), Guru Nanak abandoned animal food or meat37 contradicts with Guru Granth, (Var Mahar Ki) as well as some Muslim hagiographical sources,38 iii), it is falsely postulates that Guru Nanak wore zanar (Brahminical thread) in his neck as he already rejected to wear Brahminical thread and pandit Hardial failed to convince him in this matter. Additionally, it was sehlT (a black woolen string) wore by the Muslim saints rather Brahminical thread39 iv), It is hardly believable that someone sew up one's ear, nose and mouth and he or she does not feel any pain, moreover, that incident is also not available in contemporaries Sikh sources of Guru Nanak, v), Guru Nanak visited Hell, visited the people of Hell and return to this physical world again, he preaches the same people to save them from Hell and that all Sikhs are people he saw in the Hell, but Nanak successfully saved them40 is mere a legend.
vi), JabatabT and LatTf mentions Sayed Hassan a prominent teacher of Guru Nanak who teaches him prominent Islamic theological and mystical books is not mentioned in early Sikh source, vii), Muhammad LatTf mentions that a tree in which Guru Nanak conceal himself after the incident of khara souda (unalloyed bargain)-- his encounter with a group of hungry saints and he fed them with the amount given by his father for business purposes-- in his teenage is still exist is hardly acceptable, viii), Nanak visited Gorakh Nath and numerous Islands41 is hardly justifiable as Gorakh Nath a legendary personality born centuries before Nanak. Moreover, the South Asian medieval Muslim intellectuals and SufTs considered Gorakh Nath as a prophet, particularly apostle Khidar,42 ix) Guru Nanak visited SakhT Sarwar is another legend as the later died in 1181 CE, x), where QadirT argues that Guru Nanak buried his chief disciple Mardana according to Islamic rituals,43 LatTf postulates that Mardana's dead body was burnt according to the wish of Nanak.44
'Ibrat LahorT's argument that Guru Nanak performed Chillah under Shaykh 'Abdul Rahman Bakhtiyar is not found in any early Sikh as well as Muslim source. Khwajah Hassan NizamT's postulation that Sikhs are Muslims is debatable. It seems Khwajah Hassan NizamT's hagiography of Nanak is an effort to unite Sikhism and Islam against the extremist Hindus. NizamT's approach arises owing to hold a sway over the extremist Hindu Mahasabha in politics and emergence of its different anti-Muslim wings
35'Alï al-dïn, 'Ibrat Namah, 161; see also Latïf, History of the Punjab, 248; see also Qâdirï, Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak, 83-84: see also Muntazir, Nanak, 187-88.
36Ardistanï, Dabistan-i-Mazahib, 223.
37 Ibid.,
38Qâdirï, Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak, 47.
39 Ganda Singh, "Nanak Panthis or The Sikh and Sikhism of the 17th Century", Journal of Indian History, footnote, 8, p, 200.
40Ardistanï, Dabistan-i-Mazahib, 232.
41Latïf, History of the Punjab, 242-45.
42'Abdul Qudus Gangohï, RushdNamah, trans. Nisâr Ahmad Asharafï (Rodulï: Jam'at Chishtiyyah, 2019), 105124; see also Carl W. Ernst, "The Islamization of Yoga in the Amrtakunda Translations". The Royal Asiatic Society, series 3, 13, 2, (2003): 208; see also Carl W. Ernst, "Sufism and Yoga According to Muhammad Ghawth". Sufi, Issue, 29. (Spring:1996): 10-12.
43Qâdirï, Tadhkira Janab Baba Nanak, 77.
44Latïf, History of the Punjab, 245.
such as Hindutva, RSS (Rashtriya Sewak Sangh) ShuddhT and Singhthan during the early twentieth century British-India.
Demonstration of Profound Respect for Guru Nanak in Muslim Compendium
Muslim intellectuals' compilation demonstrated great respects for Guru Nanak. JabatabT and Sayed Ghulam 'AlT Khan mentioned him as "Shah" and "FaqTr". 'Abdul KarTm mentioned him "Shah", and "Arif", additionally, he added that Muslims also offer fatihah for Nanak Shah.45 MuftT Ghulam Sarwar and MuftT 'AlT al-dTn mentioned him "Baba" which demonstrates high respect of the Muslim intellectuals towards Guru Nanak as all these titles are used to extoll the Sufis. AdT Granth
AdT Granth the most sacred book of Sikhism not only preserved poetry of Sikh Gurus but also the fifteen Hindu and Muslim mystics--among the Muslims only Baba FarTd is included--. Where legends found in the Muslim hagiographical and historical compendium the sacred AdT Granth is also not free from fabrications. Although it is a great contribution of Guru Arjan who compiled AdT Granth otherwise we lose great assets of knowledge. However, it seems that Guru Arjan and BhaT Gurdas--disciple of Guru Arjan who complied AdT Granth on his preceptor's instruction-made some mistakes regarding the authorship of few verses. For instance, MTr 'Abdul Wahid BilgramT's (d. 1608) Sab' Sanabil is a popular SufT compilation completed in 1561 CE. It describes some PunjabT verses of Baba FarTd which mistakenly attributed to Guru Nanak by Guru Arjan. The verses are as under:
i ^/Vaj № № 6)
46^ Ofr 4U jt/fr
A mouse who is unable to enter into a narrow hole
puts a heavy load over his head, although he moves in a narrow place
Interestingly, the same verses have also been described in Jawahar-i FarTdT.47 Paradoxically, in AdT Granth, the above-mentioned verses refer to Guru Nanak which means that may be few other Baba FarTd's verses in AdT Granth mistakenly attributed to the Sikh Gurus.48 It does not means it reduce the importance of AdT Granth as it was Guru Nanak and AdT Granth which protected the poetry of the father of PunjabT poetry Baba FarTd.
The JanamsakhTs
Like Guru Granth the JanamsakhTs which are the contemporary source on Guru Nanak are also not on their original forms as their scrupulously study reveals inclusion of numerous fabrications and legends. MuftT Ghulam Sarwar LahorT also highlights some of these fabrications as he maintains that the compilers of JanamsakhTs wrongly mentioned meeting of numerous Muslims saints with Baba Nanak including Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir JTllanT (d. 1165), Shaykh Baha al-din ZakarTyya MultanT (d. 1262), Baba FarTd (d. 1265) and Shaykh Nizam al-din Awliya (d. 1325), all these saints had passed away centuries before the birth of Guru Nanak.49
The JanamsakhTs mentioned Guru Nanak visited Makkah and MadTnah, eminent Muslim and Hindu saints and yogis but the stories are full of legends and fabrication and the author tries his level best
45Munshi 'Abdul Karim, Tärikh-i Punjäb Tuhfa al-Ahbäb (compl. 1849), 3-4.
46Mir 'Abdul Wahid Bilgrami, Sab' Sanäbil (Iran: Majlis i-Shura Islami, n.d ), 65: See for English trans, Saiyid Athar Abbas Rizvi, A History of Sufism in India. Vol.1. (New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1978), 328.
47Nisar Ahmad Faruqi, "Baba Farid KI Mubarak ZindgI" in Bäbä Farid al-Din Masood Ganj Shakar: Biographies, Books and Studies, ed. Muhammad Ikram ChagataI. (Lahore: Sang-i-Meel Publishers, 2007), 668.
48Muhammad Asif Khan, Äkhiyä Bäbä FaridNe (Lahore: Pakistan Punjabi Adabi Board, 1978), 104-8.
49Lähön, Tärikh Makhzan-i-Punjäb, 473-74; see also Bala, Janamsäkhi Shri Guru Nanak Dev JiMahäräj trans Awlakh, 484-85.
to prove supremacy and dominance of Guru Nanak over all the Muslim and Hindu 'ulema, saints and rulers and that all these saints and rulers submitted before Guru Nanak and become his followers.50 Conclusion
At the end it is conferred that by and large Guru Nanak followed the teachings of prominent Indo-Pak subcontinent SufTs. He was a firm believer of TawahTd and disdained idol and image worshiping. He had profound devotion with Allah almighty and spent most of his time in meditation. Like the true saint he renounced the world and worldly desires. It was a significant impact of his SufT mentors that his followers and his first three spiritual successors had great resemblance with Sufism. ArdistanT and Muhammad LatTf rightly argues that Sikhism was neither a new religion nor a Hindu revivalist movement, but it was similar to SufTsm before the time of successorship of Guru Arjan. The Muslim hagiographies of Guru Nanak presented little bit different portray of Guru Nanak as compared to Muslim historians. However, it is pertinent to mentions that the leading Sikh intellectual are appreciated these Muslim hagiographies which intensified the importance and worth of these works.51 Where the Muslim historical compendium manifests Nanak and his early followers' great resemblance with Sufism and Islam, the Muslim hagiographies mentioned Nanak as Muslim saint and his followers as Muslims. However, there is a contradiction in Muslim hagiographies of Nanak as one side they averred Sikhs are Muslims and Muslims are Sikhs while on other hand they stated that there are three deeds of Sikhs which are alien to the Muslims including i), slightly believes on caste system, ii), respect to cow and lastly, iii), the major difference that they do not bury their demise persons. Nanak considers Sama permitted for mendicants and that SufTs considered it permissible in Islam. Sama is a part and parcel of ChishtT SufT silsilah which considered as the most prominent and earlier SufT order of Indo-Pak subcontinent. He recites durud on Holy Prophet (PBUH.). He built mosques, visited almost all the prominent Islamic learning centers, eminent SufTs and SufT hospices. Moreover, credit also goes to Nanak's AdT Granth which preserved PunjabT poetry of Baba FarTd who is known as father of PunjabT poetry.
During the time of Guru Arjan misbeliefs like halul--Guru Nanak soul transferred to Guru Angad, Amardas, Ramdas and finally to Guru Arjan and that Guru Arjan himself becomes Guru Nanak--become popular. Moreover, anybody who denies this notion was considered as disbeliever. Additionally, they declared Guru Hargobind as God and worshiped him like God. Such false beliefs and exaggeration proved fatal for spiritual authority of Sikhism as they deviated from the original teaching of Guru Nanak52and they also deserted Sufism and Islam. Beside the inclusion of these false beliefs, another reason which parted the Sikhs-Muslim trajectory and closeness was the Mughal emperors' execution of the Sikh Gurus. That's why the Sikhs therefore changed their policies towards the Muslims.
50Bala, Janamsakhi Shri Guru Nanak Dev JiMaharaj, trans. Awlakh, 115-226.
51Muntazir, Nanak, 1-11.
52Ardistani, Dabistan-i-Mazahib, 225-237; see also Latif, History of the Punjab, 245-50.
