Jan-March 2006 - Institute of Sikh Studies

GURU GRANTH SAHIB – THE PERFECT, PERPETUAL GUIDE...35– Non-Sikh saints freely and openly talk of Allah, Ram, Isharwarand other names, and also talk of their own form of worship.Since Gurbani is our Guru, i.e., Guru Granth Sahib is our SabadGuru, every word of every saint included in Guru Granth Sahibis our Guru.– Our most important shrine, Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar has thedistinction of its foundation stone having been laid by a Muslimsaint, Hazrat Main Mir.– Guru Gobind Singh says: manas ki jaat sabhe eke pehchanbo –Recognise the whole human race of one caste. And he also asserts: Deora masit soi pooja namaj ohi – Temple and the mosque are thesame; Hindu worship are the same.– When Guru Gobind Singh had to fight tyranny of the rulers, hemade no distinction between the Muslim rulers or the Hindu Rajas,and his army had Muslims fighting on his side, because the fightwas for righteousness and not personal ends.– Our gurdwaras are always open to all human beings, not only forworship but also for lodging and boarding.– Our Gurus themselves declare that the Sikhs will be treated noton the basis of what label they have, but what their deeds are.– Our system absolutely forbids mere karamkand, hypocrisy, externalcosmetism and intellectual word-jugglery. Only the internal purityand dedication matter.I am personally convinced that on the basis of Guru’s teachingsin Guru Granth Sahib, anyone who lives these can become a gooduniversal human being. In fact, whenever I attend inter-faith meetings,I insist that I should be considered not only of Sikh tradition butbelonging to all Mankind. So long as one believes in Truth, Love andGod’s Name, he is my co-religionist, whatever his label.But my chagrin is that although we have held seminars, we havepropagated the universality of Guru Granth Sahib, and I am sure thatGuru Granth Sahib is definitely and perpetually relevant to the handlingof the problems of the new Millennium, I do not see the results evenamong Sikhs today. Let me share my anguish :Even the leaders, managers, jathedars of our leading Sikh religiousand political institutions have not learnt anything from theteachings of Guru Granth Sahib. They display an unfortunate