by Baldev Singh

Introduction

Early this year Professor Devinder Singh Chahal forwarded Dr. Muhammed Bilal Zidani’s letters to me. I declined to comment, as it is evident from the letters that i) Dr. Zidani is interpreting Guru Nanak’s thoughts on the basis of his faith – Islam and ii) he thinks that the “Truth” is exclusive to Islam. I thought Professor Chahal would give him an appropriate reply and that would end the discussion. However, his continuous insistence on the correctness of his views and misinterpretation of Guru Nanak’s thoughts published later in the SikhSpectrum persuaded me to respond to him.

Discussion

Dr. Zidani’s knowledge about Guru Nanak is based on what others have written about him, not on Guru Nanak’s own writings enshrined in Aad Guru Guru Granth Sahib (AGGS)¹ which is the only authentic source of Nanakian philosophy. The opponents of Nanakian philosophy have been distorting Guru Nanak’s thoughts since the time of Guru Nanak. They called him karahiya – one following a strange path. They even killed two of the Gurus and carried out mass murder of Sikhs and the destruction of Sikh literature and places of worship, in order to extinguish the light of Guru Nanak’s message of universal humanism - love, respect, justice, and equality for all.

Nanakian philosophy differs with other religions in the basic premise – the concept of God. Surely, the concept of one God was known long before Guru Nanak. However God was portrayed more like a tribal god. In addition to millions of gods, Hindus also believe in a God who communicates only through the Brahmins, and then there is a God for the chosen people - the Jews. Christian God is approachable through His only son Jesus Christ whereas the Muslim God, Allah, is accessible only through Mohammed who is Allah’s last and final Prophet in a long line of Prophets. On the other hand Guru Nanak preached about a God who is accessible to all seekers of “Truth” irrespective of their creed, caste, gender, color, ethnicity, and geographical consideration.

My Master is One, hey brother, the Almighty is One and Only.² The true Guru has made me see that the One is in every thing and every thing is in One.³ When I realized the True One within, then I saw Him outside. Nanak, the Almighty pervades everywhere and in every pore of the creation.⁴ There is one Father and we all are His progeny.⁵ Nanak says, “A true Guru (God) brings all together to meet Him.⁶ Within all there is light and it is Thy light which is in all.⁷ O kazi (Muslim magistrate) think it over dispassionately that Allah resides within all. Kabir proclaims loudly that the same God is within both Hindus and Muslims.⁸

One does not need a special agent or a broker (Prophet) to realize God. In a hymn addressed to a Muslim, Guru Nanak says,

“The mere fact of subscribing to the faith of Prophet Muhammad ensures nothing, neither paradise nor salvation. Such a presumption refutes an essential attribute of Allah: He is inscrutable. God’s grace cannot be taken for granted: Allah does not consult any one when He makes or unmakes, or when he gives or takes away; He alone knows His qudrat; He alone is the doer. He watches everyone and bestows His grace whomever He wills.”⁹

Mere talk does not lead to paradise, salvation lies in right conduct: If you add spice to unlawfully earned food, it does not become lawful (Halal). Falsehood begets only falsehood.¹⁰ Truth is higher than every thing but still higher is truthful living.¹¹

Guru Nanak did not assign any specific name or gender to God. He used both Hindu and Muslim names for God. Most often God is described by attributes or simply as One or oh ( meaning that or he / she) in the AGGS. In the opening verse of Aad Guru Granth Sahib Guru Nanak has given some of the attributes of God. He starts out describing God as “One and Only” that is Infinite and Ineffable – beyond the reach of human intelligence and comprehension and beyond the scope of religious scriptures.

Neither the Veda nor the Qu’ran know the mystery.¹² Great is God and exalted is His seat. And His exalted Name is higher than the most exalted. If there were one so great and exalted, only then he would know the Highest of the exalted. How great He is, only God knows Himself. O Nanak, God the merciful, by His grace bestows His gifts.¹³ He Himself started the creation. He is the Sole-Creator. There is no second one.¹⁴

Among the numerous attributes of God described in AGGS are-- Everlasting, Truth, Ultimate Reality, Infinite, Ineffable, Unknowable, Sovereign, Enlightener, Bounteous, Loving, Forgiving, Unassisted, Self-Sufficing, Self-Existent, Unborn, Without-Animosity, Transcendent, Immanent, Omnipresent, Omniscient and Creator, and Controller of the cosmos. Guru Nanak urges us to incorporate the attributes we comprehend in our lives to become Godlike – God-centered beings (Gurmukhs).

In the beginning of his composition of Japu on the opening page of AGGS, Guru Nanak has described God as Sach, meaning Everlasting or Truth. Then in the first stanza of Japu on the same page he has enunciated the purpose of human life: How could one become a sachiara (truthful) – Godlike? And how could one get rid of ignorance and falsehood, which prevents one from becoming a sachiara? “By living in harmony with Hukam (Divine Law),” says Nanak.¹⁵

How could one get rid of ignorance and falsehood? Through knowledge based on Truth. When the yogis asked Guru Nanak, “Who is your Guru or whose disciple are you?” “Word (Divine knowledge) is the Guru and my mind, which comprehends the Word is the disciple,” replied Guru Nanak.¹⁶ What is needed to understand Hukam? It is true knowledge. So a sachiara is one who understands the Hukam. Who understood the Hukam, Galileo or the Pope? In our opinion it was Galileo who understood the Hukam, which makes him a sachiara.

Guru Nanak rejected the concept of hell and heaven, karma and transmigration, reincarnation and concept of salvation as implied in other religions. Salvation in Nakian philosophy means being one with God by living in harmony with his Hukam. Furthermore Guru Nanak rejected asceticism, celibacy and the importance of clergy and liturgy in the realization of God. He denounced the exploitation of the masses by the custodians of religion:

Kazi (Muslim magistrate) tells lies and accepts bribe. The Brahmin priest practices cruelty and deceit and then bathes ceremoniously. The ignorant yogi has lost his way in search of tranquility. All three are spiritually barren (AGGS, M 1, p 662).

God according to Guru Nanak does not live in a far off place called heaven; He resides in every heart. Guru Nanak put God at the center of family life by calling Him father, mother, husband, brother, relative, and friend. He advocated the life of a householder, as it is the householder who sustains human society. One who earns honest living through hard work and practices charity recognizes the righteous path¹⁷ and realizes God while enjoying worldly pleasures.¹⁸ He urged people to emulate the creator by making positive contributions to the world and warned against life negating tendencies. Never bow at the feet of those who claim to be divines but live at the charity of others.¹⁹

He rejected the notion of Divine rights of kings or that kings are reflection of God on earth or that they are the promoter and the protector of religion. He denounced the unjust, cruel and bigoted rulers of his time:

The rulers are like ferocious tigers and their officials as wild dogs, who harass and persecute the innocent subjects.²⁰ Unless the petitioner offers bribe, even the king does not accept the petition. If someone petitions only in the name of God (justice), no body listens to him / her.²¹ The kings perform religious duties for selfish interests and practice charity for heavenly rewards.²² The righteous one who keeps God in mind should sit on the throne.²³ The righteous one who has control over - lust, anger, greed, attachment and self-centeredness - should occupy the throne.²⁴

Guru Nanak rejected the idea that woman is inferior to man. He condemned the persecution and humiliation to which women were subjected. Woman was relegated to the status of a man’s shoe in the Indian society. Both Hinduism and Islam sanction inferiority of woman. In both religions rulers are the protector and enforcer of religious rules and regulations. In his composition extolling womankind he challenged the custodians of these discriminating laws:

“It is the woman who sustains the human race through conception and nurture. It is the woman through whom relations are created. Every one is dependent on woman except the Creator of all. How could women of whom are born sovereigns be considered Inferior to man?”²⁵

Guru Amardas emphasized the same point by saying that in this world there is only one “Man” and all are His spouses.²⁶ In other words for God man and woman are equal. Due to discrimination and maltreatment women have lost their vitality and become submissive and as a consequence of that men have become brutal.²⁷

He rejected the concept of miracles. God according to Guru Nanak is a Rational Being who does not perform miracles. The cosmos is sustained and supported according to God’s Hukam. Everything is subject to Hukam and nothing is beyond it.²⁸ Every action and reaction and happening occurs according to Hukam. Hukam controls the entire activity of the cosmos. It is the ignorance of Hukam, which makes people say that such a phenomenon, or happening is a miracle.

I do not believe in the trickery of tantra and mantra to win God’s affection, I imbibe Him in my heart. Meditation on Naam (God’s attributes) is the collyrium that pleases Him. The one who understands the Everlasting One through Guru’s teachings has this insight?²⁹

During the invasion of India by Babur, the Lodhi Pathan rulers engaged Pirs (Muslim holy men) to defeat Babur’s army with their supernatural powers. Guru Nanak was an eyewitness to Babur’s attack on Saidpur. Guru Nanak says, “Not a single Mughal solider was blinded by the miracle performing pirs.”³⁰ Guru Nanak denounced the atrocities committed by Babur’s army and held the Lodhis responsible for their defeat. He condemned them for not being just rulers and not making adequate measures to defend the country. “No one will mourn the death of these dogs who have wasted this precious jewel – India.”³¹

Aad Guru Granth Sahib rejects the miracles of virgin birth and resurrection. The Infinite Lord created human body with beautiful features from father’s seaman and mother’s blood (eggs).³² Mother and father create a child through sexual union according to the Hukam of the Creator ( biology of reproduction of life).³³ Salvation can’t be obtained without remembering God as child can’t be produced without the sexual union of mother and father.³⁴

Birth and death are natural, as it is the Hukam (Devine Law) that governs the process of birth and death (biology of the process of death and birth).³⁵ Kabir, human birth is difficult to attain because the dead person is not born again like a ripe fruit fallen on the ground does not get attached to the branch again.³⁶

Neither Guru Nanak nor any of his successors claimed to be a Prophet. They called themselves lowly, insignificant and the humblest of humble servants of God. There is no proper word for Guru in the English language. Moreover, Guru in AGGS does not have the same meaning as commonly implied in Hinduism.

In AGGS Guru means elightner (destroyer of ignorance), God, Word (Divine knowledge) and Guru-person. A Guru-person is the disseminator of the Word and sets a Sikh (learner) on the path of righteousness for the realisation of God. Guru Nanak made it abundantly clear in his composition that his Guru (Enlightener) was God and whatever he did was at the command of God.

I was an unemployed minstrel (dhadi),
But the Master gave me an occupation.
The Master ordered me to sing His praises day and night.
He called me to His abode of Truth,
And honored me with a robe of ‘propagating His true glory’.
AGGS, M 1, p 150.

The Gurus did not ask anyone to change his / her religion. They urged people to practice the “true religion” – devotion to God and universal love and respect for all as equal. It is superficial religion – rituals, customs and external symbols that divide people, not the “true religion.” Guru Nanak’s proclamation - there is no Hindu or Muslim - means God does not recognise the labels people wear but their actions. He urged Hindus to be good Hindus and Muslims to be good Muslim by seeing God everywhere and in all. He explained to people the meaning of “true religion” using of their religions and occupations as examples:

Make truth the first prayer, honest living the second one, practice of charity the third one, the cleansing of the mind of evil thoughts the fourth one and adoration and worship of God the fifth one. And let good deeds become your kalma, the article of your faith. Otherwise, by practicing hypocrisy, one becomes false through and through (AGGS, M, 1, p 141).

Let mercy be your mosque, faith be your prayer mat, honest living be your Quran, and circumcision be fidelity to your wife and right conduct as your fast. This will make you a true Muslim. Make pious work your Kaba, truth your teacher, good deeds your prayer and recognize rosary as God’s Will. This conduct of yours will bring you honor in the court of God (AGGS, M, 1, p 140).

When the Brahman priest insisted that he must wear a sacred thread mandated by religious tradition, Guru Nanak replied:

Consider compassion as cotton, contentment as the thread, continence as knot and truth as the twist thereof. O Pundit, a thread of this type elevates the inner-self - conscience. If you have such a one, then put it on me? (AGGS, M, 1, p 471).

Yogis (ascetics) used to look down upon the householders. Guru Nanak admonished them by saying:

Then, sir, why do you go from door to door begging alms! Why not make contentment your earrings, begging bowl your modesty, meditation on God as the ashes smeared on your bodies and the thought of death as begging robes. If you do this, sir, then you will find perfect tranquility (AGGS, M 1, p 6).

To a hard working farmer, he explained the path to God realization as:

Consider your mind to be a farmer, your deeds to be your occupation, your body as the land, your efforts as the water, God’s Name as the seed, contentment as the furrowing and humility as the fence. Then play the game of love with God, the seed will sprout and the bountiful crop of God’s love will fill your heart (AGGS, M 1, p 595).

Ecumenism, bringing all together under ‘One and Only” God, is the underlying principle of Nanakian philosophy, which brought Hindus and Muslim together. The message of ecumenism echo throughout the pages of AGGS. A follower of Nanakian philosophy is a world citizen. The whole world belongs to him and he belongs to the whole world.

None is our enemy, or stranger to us, getting along with all is our creed.
AGGS, M 5, p 1299.

O my Beloved, all claim partnership with You, no one looks at You as a stranger.
AGGS, M 5, p 97.

Recognize all human beings as one family.
Sawayae, Patshahi, 10.

May the glory of Thy Name - the philosophy of Nanak - prevail and prosper forever and forever - and may Thy Will be done wherein lies the good of all (Ardas, Sikh congregational prayer).

The practice of male circumcision and slaughter of animals or birds for food in kosher (halal) style is questioned in hymns addressed to Muslims in the AGGS.

Guru Nanak was a pir to the Muslims and Guru to the Hindus. A mosque built by Guru Hargobind Sahib is preserved as a historical site in Punjab.³⁷ Pir Budhu Shah, a well-known divine sacrificed two sons and many followers in a battle Guru Gobind Singh fought against the diehard defenders of casteism – Rajput rulers of Shivalik Hills.³⁸

It is noteworthy that there are no direct quotes or passages either from Quran or Hindu scriptures in the AGGS. On the other hand Guru Arjan Dev honored Indian divines of diverse background whose thoughts are compatible with the Nanakian philosophy by incorporating their writings in the AGGS.

Dear brother, circumcision may be for the love of woman. I don’t believe that it has any thing to do with the realization of God. If God wanted me to be a Muslim, He would have sent me in the world circumcised. If circumcision makes a man Muslim, what about a woman who can’t be circumcised? My wife is my life partner and always stands by my side. How can I leave her, it is better for me to remain a Hindu? (AGGS, Kabir, p 477).

O mullah on the one hand you say that Khuda (God) is present in all living beings, but on the other hand you kill a hen as a sacrifice to Khuda. Is not Khuda present in the hen? Did not Khuda create the hen? What kind of sacrifice are you making? O mullah you preach in the name of Khuda, but in your own mind you are not sure what Khuda wants? (AGGS, Kabir, p 1350).

Guru Nanak’s description of Sun and Moon as lamps in his composition of Arti is not about the source of light of Moon or Sun; it is about the beauty of the cosmos.³⁹ He was telling the idol worshipers that God is the creator and source of all beauty, He does not need man made decorations to adore Him. God’s adoration is love for Him and His creation. Only a poet can appreciate the beauty of this composition, that is why, Tagore, a Nobel Laureate poet described this composition as international anthem.

Guru Nanak answered a wide range of questions about the creation of universe (creation).

What was the moment, time, date, day, season and month when the universe was created? Had the pandits known it, they would have recorded it in the Puranas. Had the writers of Quran known it, they would have recorded it in the Quran. Nor do the yogis know the lunar date, day, season and month when the creation came into being. Only the Creator knows when the universe was created.⁴⁰

What is the extent of universe or how big is the universe?

After an immense and tiring search the authors of Vedas concluded that there are hundreds of thousands netherworlds under nether worlds and skies above skies. The Semitic texts say there are eighteen thousand worlds, but their Creator is One. However, the universe is so vast that it is beyond the scope of counting – one would run out of numbers if one were to undertake the counting. Nanak salutes the Great One, as He alone knows the vastness of the universe.⁴¹

How was the Universe was created?

What was the moment, time, date, day, season and month when the universe was created? Had the pandits known it, they would have recorded it in the Puranas. Had the writers of Quran known it, they would have recorded it in the Quran. Nor do the yogis know the lunar date, day, season and month when the creation came into being. Only the Creator knows when the universe was created.⁴⁰

What is the extent of universe or how big is the universe?

After an immense and tiring search the authors of Vedas concluded that there are hundreds of thousands netherworlds under nether worlds and skies above skies. The Semitic texts say there are eighteen thousand worlds, but their Creator is One. However, the universe is so vast that it is beyond the scope of counting – one would run out of numbers if one were to undertake the counting. Nanak salutes the Great One, as He alone knows the vastness of the universe.⁴¹

On Creation:

By God’s Hukam (Divine Law) the creation came into being but the Hukam can’t be described.⁴² In the beginning there was only God and his Will (Hukam) and for million and trillions of years God was in a state of absolute stillness – Impenetrable Invisible Transcendence.⁴³ When He willed He created the world.44⁶ With the command of one Word he created the expanse with myriad of entities.⁴⁵ From the Unmanifest He became Manifest.⁴⁶

Why God created creation?

It is for the God-conscious that He has fashioned this earth⁴⁷ to practice righteousness⁴⁸ and to serve Him.⁴⁹

Is the creation unreal?

O Nanak, True is the creation of the True One.⁵⁰ True are Your continents and true are Your firmaments. True are Your worlds and true are your creations.⁵¹

Is the creation eternal?

O Nanak, True is the creation of the True One.⁵⁰ True are Your continents and true are Your firmaments. True are Your worlds and true are your creations.⁵¹

Is the creation eternal?

God destroys and creates keeping all ever in mind.⁵² The creation and destruction of the creation has occurred many times, but the Infinite Creator remains unaffected.⁵³

How was life created?

The True One created air (gases) which in turn produced water. Water created all life and the True One is present in all.⁵⁴ Life is sustained by water, earth which supplies the basic elements and air. The role of water, earth and air in the creation, nurture and sustainment of life is depicted by Guru Nanak as that of father, mother and Guru, respectively.⁵⁵

Human life as we know it passed through many phases and forms of evolution before reaching the homo-sapien stage.⁵⁶ It took a very long time for the human life to evolve. Human birth is your chance to meet the Creator.⁶

Conclusion

The source of Nanakian philosophy is Guru Nanak’s own composition enshrined in Aad Gruru Granth Sahib, not what others wrote about him? The primary objective of Nanakian philosophy is to transform man into a moral man – God-centered being (sachiara).

REFERENCES

¹ AGGS: Aad Guru Granth Sahib. 1983 CE (Reprint). Pp 1430. Publishers: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar. (M = Mahla, i.e. succession number of the Sikh Gurus to the House of Nanak, for the composition of bhagats, M is substituted by the name of the bhagat, P = page of the AGGS).

² AGGS, M 1, p 350

³ Ibid, M 1, p 907

⁴ Ibid, M 5, p 966

⁵ Ibid, M 5, p 611

⁶ Ibid, M 1, p 72

⁷ Ibid, M 1, p 663

⁸ Ibid, Kabir, p 483

⁹ Grewal, J. S. The Sikhs Of The Punjab, 1994, p 33 (AGGS, M 1, p 53).

¹⁰ Grewal, J. S. The Sikhs Of The Punjab, 1994, p 33 (AGGS, M 1, p 141).

¹¹ AGGS, M 1, p 62

¹² Ibid, M 1, p 1021

¹³ Singh, I. Japji And Other Sikh Scriptires, 1986, p 67 (AGGS, M 1, p 5).

¹⁴ AGGS, M 4, p 11

¹⁵ Ibid, M 1, p 1

¹⁶ Ibid, M 1, p 942- 943

¹⁷ Ibid, M 1, p 1245

¹⁸ Ibid, M 5, p 522

¹⁹ Ibid, M 1. P 1245

²⁰ Ibid, M 1 p 1288

²¹ Ibid, M 1, p 350

²² Ibid, M 1 p 1024

²³ Ibid, M 1 992

²⁴ Ibid, M 1 p 1039

²⁵ Ibidi, M 1 p 473

²⁶ Ibid, M 3, p 591

²⁷ Ibid, M 1, p 1243

²⁸ Ibid, M 1, p 1

²⁹ Ibid, M 1, p 766

³⁰ Ibid, M 1, p 418

³¹ Ibid, p 360

³² Ibid, M 1, p 989

³³ Ibid, Kabir, p 872

³⁴ Ibid, M 1, p 472

³⁵ ibid, Kabir, p 1366

³⁶ Singh, S. The Sikhs In History, 4th ed. 2001, p 46.

³⁷ Mehboob, H. S. Sehje Rachio Khasa (Punjabi), 2nd ed., 2000, p 370- 371.

³⁸ AGGS, M 1. P 663

³⁹ Ibid, M 1, p 4

⁴⁰ Ibid, M 1, p 5

⁴¹ Ibid, M 1, p 1

⁴² Ibid, M 1, p 1035(Massey, J. Guru Nanak’s concept of Creator and Creation, Abstracts of Sikh Studies, 1994, January, p 43-57.)

⁴³ Ibid, M 1, p 1035

⁴⁴ Ibid, M 1, p 3

⁴⁵ Ibid, p M 1, 1035Ibid, M 1, p 941: gurmuiK DrqI swcY swjI ]

⁴⁶ Ibid, M 1, p 1033

⁴⁷ Ibid, M 1, p 142Ibid M 1, p 7: nwnk scy kI swcI kwr ]

⁴⁸ Ibid, M 1, p 463

⁴⁹ Ibid, M 1, p 354

⁵⁰ Ibid, M 5, p 276

⁵¹ Ibid, M 1, p 19

⁵² Ibid, M 1, p 8

⁵³ Ibid, M 5, p 1388

⁵⁴ Ibid, M 5, p 176


Copyright©2004 Baldev Singh. About the author