Scriptures are written documents of the original philosophy and foundation of religions, compiled and authenticated to be preserved by followers and to be used as fountainheads of wisdom, decades and centuries after the departure of their founders from this world.
The Torah of Judaism was compiled three centuries after the death of its founder, Mosses. The Zend Avastha of Zoroastrianism of Parsis was compiled three centuries after its founder, Zoroaster. The Dhampada of Buddhism was compiled two centuries after the death of its founder Goutam Buddha. The Bible of Christianity was compiled two and a half centuries after the death of its founder Jesus Christ. Presently, four different volumes are considered to be authentic and prevail in the Christian world. The Quran of Islam was compiled by Hazrat Omar -the Third Caliph, who compiled the text, seventy years after the death of its founder Hazrat Mohammad. The text of Hadees (sayings) of Hazrat Mohammad was compiled after two centuries. Four different versions are accepted to be correct by Muslims.
The compilation of Granth Sahib was designed and initiated by the first Guru, Shri Guru Nanak Sahib. Wherever Guru Sahib went on his Udasis (sojourns), he collected the authentic versions of the bani (verses) of the divines of the Indian religious traditions in their original languages. For preparation of this unique Scripture, the first Guru (1469-1539) collected the revelations and teachings of these pious souls, some of whom had passed away as long as 250 years prior to his birth.
He collected their works from their native places and in their original simple communicative spoken languages. For example Baba Sheikh Farid Ji (1175-1265) a Muslim from Punjab, Bhagat Jaidev Ji (1201-1245) a Brahmin from Bengal, Bhagat Namdev Ji (1270-1350) a so-called low caste person, Bhagat Trilochan Ji (1267-1335) a Vaish from Maharashtra, Bhagat Ramanand Ji (1366-1467) a Brahmin from Uttar Pradesh, Bhagat Sain Ji (1390-1440) a barber from Madhya Pradesh, Bhagat Dhanna Ji (born 1415) a Jat, Bhagat Pipa Ji (born 1426) a Rajput king of Rajasthan, Bhagat Sheikh Kabir Ji (1398-1495) a Muslim weaver from Utter Pradesh and so on. The dates of Bhagat Sadna Ji, a Muslim butcher from Sind and Bhagat Beni Ji are not known; probably they were of a much earlier period.
Out of the 36 contributors, 7 are Muslims, 6 are the Sikh Gurus, 2 are from the so-called lower caste, 1 was a Sikh, while all others were Hindus of various denominations. The first of the five Gurus continued the process of collecting the material for 135 years from 1469 to 1604 for inclusion in this Scripture.
In 1699, the Tenth and the last Guru in person, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji ….added the Bani of the ninth Guru, Shri Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji and completed the present version of Shri Aad Granth Sahib in the year 1705, before conferring Guruship on it in the year 1708.
The approach of Shri Guru Granth Sahib towards all religions is equalitarian and inclusive as the Scripture of mankind. It not only teaches the importance of the qualities of compassion, sympathy, goodwill and tolerance but emphasizes the significance of accepting all religions and its followers as equal and co-travellers of the Universe.
The contributions of enlightenment and spiritual knowledge of the text of the Scripture should determine the status of the Scripture. One of the key differences of Shri Guru Granth Sahib with other Scriptures is that in no other Scripture one finds a message for the believers of other faiths. The beauty of Shri Guru Granth Sahib is that, those persons not belonging to Sikhism are sitting and preaching their own religious faiths from the single source of this Scripture. This is a unique mosaic of spiritualism and a marvelous example of a universal message amidst diverse contradictory attitudes and infamous traditions of the followers of the prevailing Indian religions. This gives an unprecedented call that seemingly different and contradictory religions are basically one in letter and spirit.
Shri Guru Nanak Sahib has invented a new methodology of forcefully expressing his views without hurting the sentiments of people of other faiths though his opinion is radically contrary to the prevalent practices. The founders of all religions have denounced and condemned their earlier religions and Scriptures. They have preached something new saying that God has revealed them to do so. But Guru Sahibs have graciously accepted all of them as true and recognised them as different paths to the same destination. They have showed a way of spirituality and truthful way of life, above religiosity and beyond the bonds of rites and rituals. Gurbani denounces superficial diversities which create differences, superiority, inferiority, hatred and underlines the inherent similarities and fundamental truths of all religions.
The revelations, wisdom and personal experiments of 36 pious souls during their span of life of 500 years, in the human laboratories among different denominations, facing all ups and downs of practical life, have been narrated in Shri Guru Granth Sahib. All engagements are beyond the bonds and barriers of time. Thus these teachings, encompassing a time span of five centuries, were not only relevant for that period but are more than relevant for the present and future generations. Therefore, Shri Guru Granth Sahib is a Living Guru for all ages.
In all religious traditions of the world, messengers of God were in human form and after their lifespan their presence ceases. Guru Sahibs evolved and gave unto us the unique philosophy and tradition of “Guru in Shabad” –the Guru in word, gyan, knowledge and wisdom, enabling continuous eternal guidance. The Shabad was the Guru of our Gurus and also of the Sikhs. This new concept of Guru prevailed in the past, is valid for the present and will reign in future. It can never become obsolete. It is timeless, it is beyond time.
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