The Source Book On Sikhism

At Mecca

During the journey to the West, Mardana, the indefatigable companion of his travels, was with him.

Landing at Aden, they took the caravan route to Mecca and in a few days reached their destination. They were tired after a long journey and the Guru, deliberately stretching his legs towards the Qaba, lay down for rest.

Being the birthplace of Prophet Mohammed, the mosque at Mecca is deemed by the Muslims as the most sacred spot on earth. Naturally, therefore, seeing a stranger lie there in such a sacrilegious attitude, an angry murmur arose among the crowd. The unusual noise attracted the Chief Priest to the spot. But the Guru kept reclining there unperturbed.

The priest angrily said “What folly is this, O ignorant stranger, to point your feet towards the House of God?”

The Guru respectfully replied, “To me, Revered Sir, the whole world is the House of God. But if you think otherwise, you are free to turn my feet towards the direction where God is not.”

They tried all directions! Seeing them in confusion, the Guru explained, “My friends, it is a grievous error to believe that God dwells in a mosque or a temple. He is one with His Creation. He is here, there and everywhere. We can feel His presence only by loving His Creation.”

No argument could challenge this great and obvious truth.

Wali Qandhari

On his way back from Baghdad, the Guru visited some important towns of Central Asia and Afghanistan and, crossing into India, reached Hassan Abdal, a town near Rawalpindi (Pakistan).

Here he camped near the foot of a barren hill on the top of which lived a narrow-minded Muslim fakir named Wali Qandhari. The Wali had in his custody a spring of water from which the populace in the valley below received its supply of water.

The Wali’s disciples informed him that a Hindu fakir named Nanak was encamped in the valley below and had won over to his creed many erstwhile followers of Wali. This was enough to rouse the fakir into a fit of violent fury and, as an act of spite, he cut off the supply of water to the valley. The people were very much upset. They appealed to the Guru to intercede on their behalf.

The Guru sent Mardana to the Wali thrice and thrice did he refuse to relent, saying, “What a Guru you have who is powerless even to meet your paltry needs!”

Seeing Mardana return tired and thirsty, the Guru bade him lift a nearby stone. And lo! there gushed forth a spring of water, cool and clear, and began to flow into a tiny stream.

At the same time the spring uphill dried up completely. The Wali, mad with fury and frustration, hurled a massive stone downhill at the Guru. The latter saw it and with his left hand outstretched, stopped it. His hand imprint can still be seen preserved on the stone at Gurdwara Panja Sahib.

The Wali, now crestfallen, apologized to the Guru.