Exploring Guru Nanak’s Shrine in Baghdad

On By Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryIn Iraq, Medieval Middle East, Spiritual Places

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is known for his teachings of love, peace, and unity. His message has reached far and wide, and his followers can be found all over the world. One such place where his teachings have left a lasting impact is in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, where he arrived around 1511 CE after visiting Mecca and Medina. There he met with some prominent Muslim saints and scholars and shared his spiritual insights with them.

Guru Nanak Dev

There are various accounts and stories in Sikh tradition regarding Guru Nanak’s travels and encounters with different religious figures, including Muslim saints and mystics. However, the specific encounter between Guru Nanak and Pir Dastagir or Pir Bahlol isn’t widely documented or emphasized in Sikh historical texts.

While it’s historically accurate to note that Pir Bahlol lived centuries before Guru Nanak, suggesting potential inaccuracies in stories that blend their timelines, it remains plausible that Guru Nanak engaged in dialogue with the custodian of the shrine of Dastgir in Baghdad.

According to some accounts, Guru Nanak was initially not allowed to enter the city of Baghdad and had to spend a night in a cemetery outside the city. There he performed a miracle by making a dead tree bloom with flowers. The next day, he was welcomed by the people of Baghdad who were impressed by his radiance and wisdom.

Guru Nanak had a dialogue with Pir Dastgir, a famous Sufi saint of Baghdad. He also met with Pir Bahlol, another Sufi saint who lived in a tomb near the cemetery. The meeting between Guru Nanak and Pir Dastagir is said to have had a profound impact on both men. Guru Nanak is said to have learned from Pir Dastagir about the importance of humility and service, while Pir Dastagir is said to have been impressed by Guru Nanak’s wisdom and spirituality.

Guru Nanak left a lasting impact on the local people who revered him as Baba Nanak or Baba Nana. They built a shrine in his memory in the cemetery area where he had stayed in the 16th century CE. The shrine was later rediscovered by Sikh soldiers during World War I and World War II who repaired and rebuilt it.

The shrine was also visited by some prominent Sikh personalities such as Major General Harkirat Singh and Dr. Kirpal Singh who documented its history and significance. The shrine of Guru Nanak in Baghdad was a sacred site for Sikhs until it was destroyed during the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

I was planning to visit the holy site with my colleague and friend Mohammed Al-Samarrae for a couple of years. The place is in the backyard of Baghdad railway station surrounded by graveyards.

I connected with Dr. Mehiyar Kathem, a Research Associate at University College London (UCL) through Twitter. His NGO, Nahrain Network, work in Iraq for funding the development of heritage places. He was also interested in visiting the shrine of Guru Nanak.

Dr. Mehiyar is now in Baghdad, and we planned to go together to visit the area. Since no Gurudwara exists now, we have to explore the area known as Sheikh Maarouf cemetery, which has been used since the Abbasid era (750 – 1258 CE) in Baghdad and is still being used today.

Mohammed Al-Samarrae also said that he would accompany us too. We decided to meet at 10.00 AM on Friday, 11 November 2022 in Mansour. Mohammed and I waited for a few minutes and Dr. Mehiyar joined us and we proceeded towards our destination with the help of Maps.

From Google Maps, we found that it is near the tomb of the 9th-century Sufi saint Junayed Al-Baghdadi. He is a central figure in the spiritual lineage of many Sufi orders.

Tomb of the 9th century Sufi saint Junayed Al-Baghdadi in the cemetery

When we took the turn from the road towards the shrine, we were stopped at the checkpoint. We were allowed to go in only after we deposited our ID cards with them. The police didn’t tell us the reason. Maybe because we were entering the backyard of the Baghdad Central railway station and the rail siding.

While exploring the area, we crossed the tomb of Pir Bahlol. We found another structure and went to check for that. We were surprised to find that the place is said to be the tomb of the Prophet Joshua.

The Tomb of Prophet Joshua is believed by some to be the burial place of the biblical figure Joshua, who succeeded Moses as the leader of the Israelites. Prophet Joshua was mentioned in the Quran and the Torah. According to the Old Testament, Prophet Joshua was a companion of Prophet Moses, yet his exact place of death and burial remains uncertain.

Historical evidence does not confirm that Prophet Joshua was buried in Iraq, as there are at least three other claimed shrines attributed to him, including locations in northern Palestine and Turkey. Nonetheless, for over a millennium, pilgrims, both ill and devout, have frequented the Baghdad tomb believed to be his resting place.

It’s important to note that the identification and authenticity of such religious sites can be subject to debate and vary based on religious beliefs and historical narratives. In the case of the Tomb of Prophet Joshua, its existence and significance are primarily based on religious tradition rather than historical evidence.

Throughout history, Baghdad has been home to various religious sites and tombs revered by different faiths, including Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. These sites often hold cultural and religious significance for believers, but their historical accuracy can be difficult to ascertain definitively.

A caretaker at the tomb of Joshua informed us that the shrine of Guru Nanak is located next to the tomb of Pir Bahlol. Following this, we visited the tomb of Pir Bahlol, where a caretaker showed us a courtyard adjacent to the tomb, the very place where Guru Nanak had stayed.

There used to be a Gurudwara. Now, it’s a desolate courtyard lacking maintenance. War, insurgents or looters have wiped any trace of a historical footnote that had preserved the memory of the Sikh Guru’s 16th-century journey through Arabia and his stay in Baghdad, hailed by Sikhs as an early example of inter-faith dialogue.

With Dr. Mehiyar
With Mohammed Al-Samarrae
The tomb of Pir Bahlol and the place where Guru Nanak lived lay as a vacant courtyard

After Guru Nanak’s departure, a memorial platform was erected at the spot where he had sat and delivered discourses. Later, a room was constructed, and a stone slab with an inscription was installed on it. The Gurudwara (Sikh temple) was established by Mohammad Pasha Amoot, a follower of Pir Bahlool, after Guru Nanak visited Baghdad in 1520. Known as Baba Nanak Shrine or Sikh Gurdwara in Baghdad, it was rediscovered by Sikh soldiers during World War I and subsequently repaired and rebuilt by Sikh soldiers once again during World War II. The shrine remained in good condition until 2003.

Historic relics, including an old plaque inscribed with Arabic text, were present in the Shrine until the Iraq war in 2003 when they were looted. In the chaos that ensued following the invasion of Iraq in 2003, vandals stripped the monument of its religious texts and the plaque commemorating the historic meeting. Sadly, there is now no trace of anything Sikh at the site.

Naa Ko Bairi, Nahin Bigaana; Sagal Sang Hum Ko Bann Aayi.

Guru Arjan Dev

In English, it means “I see no stranger, I see no enemy; I look upon all with goodwill.”

Let us hope that this early example of inter-faith dialogue is not erased from the memory of people. At the very least, a plaque commemorating the three-month stay of Guru Nanak should be placed on the wall. Guru Nanak’s shrine in Baghdad stands as a testament to the universal appeal of his message, a place where people from all corners of the world can gather and connect with his teachings of love, peace, and unity. Rebuilding the Gurudwara at the site would be a remarkable gesture. Wahe Guru!

39 thoughts on “Exploring Guru Nanak’s Shrine in Baghdad”

      1. Manjeet Singh

        Very well explained. I am so inspired that I am planning a visit to the shrine early next year. Can you guide me the best way to visit this shrine? Should I connect with Dr. Kathem? Any assistance will be much appreciated.

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        1. Thanks, Manjeet. Dr. Kathem mainly stays in London and visits Iraq for his interests on heritage and resoration purpose. If you can visit Baghdad then you may ask for your local guide or taxi drive to take you to Sheikh Junaid’s tomb. His tomb is well known. You have to make enquiries there to reach the tomb of Pir Bahlol. The area is a graveyard and so you need to be a bit careful to the sentiments of the perople visitng the tombs and the graves. Unfortuately, there is no structure is surviving now except for the floor, where the Guru Nanak Dev spent almost three months. Of course, being there gives the spiritual experience of being at the site where Guru Nanak lived.

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        2. smanjeet7d27ae1e5a

          Thanks for quick reply, Indrajit. Quick question: Is it safe to hire a taxi at Baghdad airport to visit the shrine? Do taxi drivers speak English there? Thanks.Manjeet

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        3. There are airport taxi companies, where you can get pre-paid taxi service. English is not very popular here in Baghdad. If you are lucky, you may find someone who knows English well. If you are staying in a hotel, then they may arrange a taxi for you.

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  4. Nilanjana Moitra

    That’s an amazing journey to history. It’s nice to be at a place where many enlightened saints of different faith had their presence.

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  6. ANIL LAMBA

    And I thought you had forwarded an article on Baba Guru Nanak Dev and his visit to Baghdad with his companions Bala & Mardana which my Dadi recounted in my childhood. I enjoyed the casual style and the informative piece and scrolled down to see the photos and….lo & behold, who do I see? A very familiar fellow standing there posing with a bearded hulk. Arré, ai te sadda Munda ai!!! I looked for the credits and sure enough, it is aapro dhokra!! Don’t know what’s a hodophile but that’s okay, it’s a free world Indrajit, you can be what you want. I sorely miss not having gone downtown with you to the legendary pavement book bazaar everybody talks about as a cultural leaning of Iraq. Well done, old hodophile!!

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  13. Manojit

    Very informative and well narrated. Perhaps Khuswant Singh also missed to include this visit of Guru Nanak to Baghdad in his book The Sikh. I read it he manuscript but cannot remember it clearly.

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  17. Hebah.T.H

    I read your article on Sikh Guru Nanak Shrine in Baghdad. I object to that. Because it is not possible.

    My article on this objection has been published in Iraq sun News.
    “Fake Shrine of Sikh Guru Nanak Exposed”

    https://www.iraqsun.com/newsr/27176

    I have written a book “Shameful Lies of Taajudin’s Diary” in which the Sikhs have been exposed. According to the Sikhs, Bhlul fell at the feet of Guru nanak and called him Lord and made his shrine. Behlul had Died in 805 AD, then how did he meet with Sikh Guru Nanak around 1511-1520 and built a shrine in 917hijri.

    https://archive.org/details/shamful-lies-of-taajudins-diary-eng-final_202403/Shamful+lies+of+Taajudin's+Diary+eng-final

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    1. You are correct in pointing out the historical inaccuracies that can sometimes occur in stories and accounts, especially when they involve figures who lived in different time periods. It’s essential to approach such narratives with a critical eye and rely on historical evidence whenever possible.

      Regarding Guru Nanak’s potential dialogue with the custodian of the shrine of Dastgir in Baghdad, it’s indeed a possibility, as Guru Nanak is believed to have undertaken extensive travels during his lifetime, including journeys to various parts of the world. However, specific details about such encounters may vary depending on the sources and traditions.

      In Sikh tradition, there are indeed stories and accounts of Guru Nanak’s travels to distant lands, including Baghdad, and his interactions with people of different faiths. These narratives often emphasize Guru Nanak’s message of universal love, understanding, and respect for all human beings, regardless of their religious or cultural background.

      While there may not be concrete historical evidence to confirm every detail of these accounts, they are valued within Sikh tradition for the moral and spiritual teachings they convey. As with any historical or religious narrative, it’s essential to approach them with an open mind and a willingness to explore their deeper meanings and implications.

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