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Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Visit to Mecca, the Holy Place of Muslims
Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539), the Founder and First Guru of Sikh religion (Sikhism) had travelled across India and several Asian countries. Most of the time Mardana (a Muslim friend and his follower) accompanied him. Guruji’s visit was for spreading the message of love and communal harmony.
Guruji and Mardana together made most of the missionary tours in India and abroad. Wherever they reached, Guruji sang beautiful devotional songs and Mardana supported him by playing his music instrument Rabab. Mardana was a good Rabab player. He was a poet also. One of his ‘slokas’ (hymn) had appeared in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy religious text of Sikhs.
During their several missionary tours, Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Mardana once visited Mecca, the holy place of Muslims. Though Guruji was the founder of Sikhism and tried to preach the values of the religion, he respected other religious faiths also. He loved and mingled with other religious people. He tried to learn and practice the fine values of other religions as well. His visit to Mecca underlines all these facts clearly.
Arrival at Mecca, the holy place of Muslims
Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the holiest place of Muslims all over the world. It is the birthplace of the prophet Mohammed. The world famous Islamic pilgrimage called Hajj is taken place here every year. And every Muslims dream to reach this sacred place at least once during their lifetime.
Since Muslims consider Mecca as the holiest place on the earth, the entry of other religious people is strictly prohibited. If anyone tries, he would be arrested and subjected to stringent punishment. Your visit by mistakes also won’t be tolerated.
Still, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, a non-Muslim visited this holy land once. He was, as usual, accompanied by Mardana, his Muslim friend. He made the historic journey in the year 1499.
His visit to Mecca and subsequent turn of things are amazing. It is an interesting story, which also highlights his power as a Guru. Though some Islamic scholars deny the fact of Guruji's visit to Mecca, there is evidence to show that the visit had really taken place. The Video I appended below give you the scientific proof of the historic visit.
The story goes thus: On reaching the sacred place Mecca, he and Mardana lay down to rest near the Kabba. You can imagine the plight of their long and tedious journey all the way from India, thousands of miles apart.
It was a shocking sight for the Qazi (religious judge in Islam). He had never witnessed such a scene till then on the mosque premises. Obviously, he was furious and shouted at Guru Nanak, “How dare you sleep with your dirty feet pointing towards the holy Kaaba?”
Nanak ji was calm and quiet. He replied, “I am a man of God and for me God is everywhere”.
The Qazi was not in a mood to listen to his words. He displayed his arrogance again. Guruji requested the Qazi, “Turn my feet in the direction where there is no Kaaba”.
The Qazi did exactly as Guruji requested him. A miracle was happening then. He was amazed to see the Kaaba on all sides. He was at short of words before Guruji. He did see the Kaaba in wherever direction he turned. He wondered how the Kaaba in the west is also appearing on the north, south and east sides. It was a great lesson for him. He realized that the God is everywhere. Guru Nanak Ji credited Allah for this miracle.
Only then the Qazi understood that the man before him is not an ordinary person but a divine power! Through this astonishing incident, he came to grasp the meaning of Guruji’s words. He remembered Guruji sensible saying that God is everywhere and there is not a place where the God is not present. He honestly admitted the fact and felt at Guruji’s feet asking forgiveness.
Strong evidence to support the claim of visit:
++++++Source: The Charismatic Guru Nanak compiled by Mrs.Rungeen Singh++++++++
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