In the year of 1511 AD the people of Baghdad were blessed to receive a messiah in the form of Guru Nanak, who had journeyed from India to Iraq en-route to Saudi Arabia after traveling through Pakistan, Iran and Syria.
While in Baghdad he decided to stay at a graveyard outside the town of Baghdad. Accompanied by Mardana the minstrel, Guru Nanak held discussions with the local people. Singing hymns, Guru ji wanted man to discover and liberate himself by surrendering to and loving God. Guru ji preached that all names and paths would lead to the one true God if we loved Him.
Some Muslims hearing Guru Nanak sing God's praise felt his utterances were blasphemous and complained to Pir Dastagir Abdul Qadir Jilani (supposedly a relgious man).
Acting on the Pir's orders people rushed to stone Guru Nanak to death. The violent mob arrived just as Guru Nanak finished singing a hymn. Guru opened his eyes and greeted the people. The bloodthirsty mob were mesmerized by the sheer presence and energy radiating from Guru Nanak. They put down the stones and sat down to listen to Guru ji.
Present in the crowd was a Pir* called Bahlol who had come with his six year old son. He began to debate with Guru Nanak on matters of spirituality. He asked the Guru to prove what he preached about countless earths and universes. Guru Nanak smiled and placed his hand on the head of the six year old son of Bahlol. After a few minutes he asked the boy to speak. The lad confessed that he had seen many worlds and universes and what Guru ji said was true.
Bahlol and most people present there fell to their knees in submission and asked Guru ji to enlighten them, for they wanted to follow him and his preachings to find God. Guru ji told them it was quite simple. He asked them to sincerely love the one true creator and all his creations and they would find God.
The turn of events infuriated the haughty Pir Dastagir Jilani who reported the perceived blasphemy to the Caliph** of Baghdad. The Caliph recognizing that Guru ji was not an ordinary soul did not pass any judgement. Instead he ordered Pir Dastagir Jilani to question Guru Nanak in his presence.
Bahlol and most people present there fell to their knees in submission and asked Guru ji to enlighten them, for they wanted to follow him and his preachings to find God. Guru ji told them it was quite simple. He asked them to sincerely love the one true creator and all his creations and they would find God.
The turn of events infuriated the haughty Pir Dastagir Jilani who reported the perceived blasphemy to the Caliph** of Baghdad. The Caliph recognizing that Guru ji was not an ordinary soul did not pass any judgement. Instead he ordered Pir Dastagir Jilani to question Guru Nanak in his presence.
Pir Dastagir asked Guru ji three questions
- If there is God then where can he be found?
- If God is there then, what was there before he came?
- If there is God then what work does he do?
Guru Nanak after meditating on God for a few minutes asked for some milk. Promptly a bowl of milk was provided. Guru ji looked at the bowl and said there was ghee in the milk and everyone knew it, but no one could see it. "Such is God he is omnipresent but cannot be seen, only known and experienced."
Secondly Guru Nanak then asked for some beads and this was arranged. He asked Pir Dastagir to count the beads and when he started from one, Guru ji asked him "can you tell me what was there before the number one?"
When Pir Dastagir had no answer Guru ji told him "God has always existed from the dawn of time, everything began with God".
Then Guru ji requested the Caliph that to be able to respond the next question he would like the Caliph to come down to the witness box and permit Guru Nanak to stand near the throne. When the Caliph obliged, Guru ji said, "This is what God does, he makes a king into a beggar and a beggar into a king. All things are obtained by the grace of God and not by the efforts and grace of man".
The Caliph accepted the folly of his advisors in not recognizing Guru Nanak as a man of God and his lofty message, begged his forgiveness. He proclaimed to the citizens that Guru Nanak was a pir.
Guru Nanak shunned the Caliph's offer to stay at the palace and continued to reside in the humble hut outside the city for a further four months. The residents in the area thirsted for spiritual wisdom and fresh water. Guru ji directed the residents nearby to dig a well in the south east area vicinity of where he was staying. Lo and behold! the well yielded plenty of sweet water, a rare occurrence in an area where most of the water found was brackish.
Before his departure Guru Nanak was presented a robe as a token of respect on which verses in Arabic are inscribed. This robe can be seen in the Gurdwara at Dera Baba Nanak, in Pakistan.
A shrine was built at the place in Baghdad where Guru ji stayed, spiritually guiding the citizens of Baghdad and adjoining territories As per the caretaker there exists a manuscript detailing in detail the account of Guru Nanak's visit to Baghdad. Unfortunately it was stolen in 1926.
The shrine known to locals as the tomb of Bahlol Dana bears two inscriptions carved on plaques made of sandstone.
Behold! How a wish has been fulfilled by Holy and High Providence. That the building of Baba Nanak has been newly built with the help of seven autat (great valis).
That the happy murad of God (Baba Nanak) has started a fountain of grace issuing new water in the land. 917 Hijri (1511AD)
* Pir - Saint
** Caliph - Administrative and spiritual head of a territory.
