J.S. Neki

Guru Nanak’s companion Mardana was a Muslim by birth. At a previous occasion he had pleaded with the Guru to enable him make a pilgrimage to holy Mecca. And the Guru had said, “I respect your desire to make a visit to Mecca, but you won’t go there only by yourself.

I shall also go with you.” Mardana had been waiting patiently for that day.
After his odysseys to the East, South and North, the Guru returned home. However, after a brief stay there, his wanderlust welled up again and he told Mardana, “Rejoice Mardana! Time has come for us to travel westward and make a pilgrimage to Mecca.” Mardana was delighted.
A couple of days later, they set out for their fourth odyssey, as usual on foot. They waded through Punjab and Sindh, halting on the way at several places, inspiring people to remember their creator and to please him by ensuring the welfare of all his creation.
When they reached Mecca, the Guru happened to meet Sheikh Ibrahim of Pattan, whom he had visited at his place sometime ago.
Soon his presence there came to be known to many others and they came to meet him.
They included Pir Rukanuddin of Uch, Pir Bahawaldin of Multan and Pir Lal Jati.
During their discussions with the Guru they asked, “In your opinion, are the Muslims better or the Hindus?”
The Guru replied, “Without good actions both will come to grief.” The pirs said, “The Hindus read the Vedas and the Muslims read the Quran. Are these not good deeds?” The Guru said, “If one reads the scriptures but cares not to rein in his passions and inapt desires, then what is the benefit? The foundation for good actions is to keep the creator in your mind and seek the welfare of His creatures. That alone is beneficial as that will please the Lord.”
As the evening progressed, the much-fatigued Guru Nanak and Mardana fell asleep in the very precincts of the holy place. While asleep, the Guru possibly turned his tired limbs and it so happened that his feet came to point in the direction of Ka’ba, the holiest mosque.
At that time one Jeewan Shah, who hailed from Punjab and had settled in Mecca, came to clean those precincts. He noticed someone sleeping there with his feet pointing towards Ka’ba. Intensely enraged, he kicked the Guru saying, “O fool! Get up. How the hell can you sleep with your feet pointing towards the House of God?” Half awake, the Guru said, “I am too tired. Pray, turn my feet towards where the house of God is not.” Jeewan Shah lifted the Guru’s holy feet and dragged them to where he thought the house of God is not.
All the biographies of Guru Nanak have recorded that as the feet of the Guru were dragged and turned around, the mosque too began to move, following the Guru’s feet.
Jeewan Shah was perplexed and thought this man is no ordinary pilgrim. He might be some wali of Allah.
Jeewan Shah was penitent and remembered what that man had said — “turn my feet towards where the house of God is not” — and also recollected what the Quran says, “To Allah belongs the East and the West; withersoever you turn, there itself is Allah’s face for Allah is all-embracing (S2:A115)”. He fell on the Guru’s feet and begged for forgiveness. The Guru blessed him.

J.S. Neki has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his contribution to Punjabi verse. Currently he is Professor of Eminence in Religious Studies at Punjabi University, Patiala.