PORTRAYAL OF GŪRŪ NĀNAK IN MUSLIM COMPENDIUM: AN APPRAISAL

Abstract

Gūrū Nānak (1469-1539), is one of the celebrated personalities of Indo-Pāk subcontinent who had earned a name due to his religious and harmonious thoughts. He is a founder of Sikhism and equally revered among the Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims of South Asia on the basis of his teachings. Although he is renowned universally, nonetheless, he is appealing to all as Muslim hagiographers of South Asia considered him a Muslim saint while Hindus and Sikhs acknowledged him as a founder of Sikhism. A lot of work has been done by various writers in the form or Janamsākhīs, hagiographies, historical compilations and poetry to describe the life and time of Bābā Gūrū Nānak, but mostly this work is done by Sikhs therefore, there is a dire need to understand the portrayal of Gūrū Nānak in non-Sikh sources.  This research is an attempt to explore the discussions about this Ṣūfī saint in the Muslim account that how they have perceived the ideas and thoughts of Bābā Gūrū Nānak in their hagiographies. This study is also unique in nature as an effort has been made to introduce the maximum South Asian Muslim important primary sources which presented portray of Gūrū Nānak, his life and discourse. Moreover, an endeavor has also been made to scrupulously dissect this literature regarding the biography of Gūrū Nānak. Likewise, the originality and genuineness of Ādī Granth and Janamsākhīs about Gūrū Nānak have also been critically examined.