Thursday 4 February 2021

Some of the disciples of Guru Nanak were Pashtuns ?

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was a contemporary of Bahlul Lodi, Sikandar Lodi and Ibrahim Lodi. It appears that some of the disciples of Guru Nanak were Pashtuns, as corroborated by the following anecdote recorded in "Tazkira-i Pir Hassu Teli" of Surat Singh (completed in 1647 AD). Guru Nanak was born and raised in the times when Punjab was dominated by Pashtuns. 

 "When he [Guru Nanak] died, leaving this for another abode, Hindus and Muslims gathered around the Baba's head. 

The Hindus said that he was a Hindu, and thus he ought to be cremated. The assemblage of Muslims desired to make a grave for him.

Two bodies of his thereupon came to view: One they took and cremated; and the other was put in front for the [Muslim] funeral prayer.

 [But] he left both his bodies and went across to the other side of River Ravi. There an Afghan disciple (murid) had the privilege of a sight of him. 

He [Nanak] laid out before him a floorcloth containing a variety of eatables. The Afghan ate his fill from that laid-out meal. 

 The Afghan ate his fill from that laid-out meal. As is the convention of old, he [the Afghan] spoke and cried out about the ordeal of his journey, in soldierly talk that night. 

When that traveller crossed over to this side of the river, he saw the grave and the flames of cremation. He asked, "Why are these people making all this noise"? 

[Someone] replied: "Nanak has passed away from this world!". "The amazing thing is," [he was told,] "that after his death, there came to be two bodies. One is being buried and the other is being cremated".

 [The Afghan] said that both [Muslims and Hindus] have done wrong: "I have seen him well settled on the other side of the river". "I have eaten food and fruits and have talked with him, and I have come to this side after taking leave from him. 

All became astonished on hearing this and the report of his [Nanak's] moving himself to another place became well known. ["Sikh history from Persian sources", pp.88-89]



 

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