Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur
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.
Daud Kirmani Tomb
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.
The grave of Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani
Entrance to the Dargah
Dargah
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:
| isrIrwgu mhlw 1 ] |
| sireeraag mehalaa 1 || |
| Siree Raag, First Mehla: |
| Amlu glolw kUV kw idqw dyvxhwir ] |
|
amal galolaa koorr kaa dhithaa dhaevanehaar || |
| The Great Giver has given the intoxicating drug of falsehood. |
| mqI mrxu ivswirAw KusI kIqI idn cwir ] |
|
mathee maran visaariaa khusee keethee dhin chaar || |
| The people are intoxicated; they have forgotten death, and they have fun for a few days. |
| scu imilAw iqn soPIAw rwKx kau drvwru ]1] |
|
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|| |
| nwnk swcy kau scu jwxu ] |
|
naanak saachae ko sach jaan || |
| O Nanak, know the True Lord as True. |
| ijqu syivAY suKu pweIAY qyrI drgh clY mwxu ]1] rhwau ] |
|
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|| |
| scu srw guV bwhrw ijsu ivic scw nwau ] |
|
sach saraa gurr baaharaa jis vich sachaa naao || |
| The Wine of Truth is not fermented from molasses. The True Name is contained within it. |
| suxih vKwxih jyqVy hau iqn bilhwrY jwau ] |
|
sunehi vakhaanehi jaetharrae ho thin balihaarai jaao || |
| I am a sacrifice to those who hear and chant the True Name. |
| qw mnu KIvw jwxIAY jw mhlI pwey Qwau ]2] |
|
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|| |
| nwau nIru cMigAweIAw squ prmlu qin vwsu ] |
|
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, |
| qw muKu hovY aujlw lK dwqI iek dwiq ] |
|
thaa mukh hovai oujalaa lakh dhaathee eik dhaath || |
| and your face shall become radiant. This is the gift of 100,000 gifts. |
| dUK iqsY pih AwKIAih sUK ijsY hI pwis ]3] |
|
dhookh thisai pehi aakheeahi sookh jisai hee paas ||3|| |
| Tell your troubles to the One who is the Source of all comfort. ||3|| |
| so ikau mnhu ivswrIAY jw ky jIA prwx ] |
|
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? |
| iqsu ivxu sBu ApivqRü hY jyqw pYnxu Kwxu ] |
|
this vin sabh apavithra hai jaethaa painan khaan || |
| Without Him, all that we wear and eat is impure. |
| hoir glW siB kUVIAw quDu BwvY prvwxu ]4]5] |
|
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.
*https://www.facebook.com/savegurdwarasandtepmlesofpakistan/
