Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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doubtful whether the disparate caste groups could be welded together
for a common purpose, and the masses could be aroused to work out
their own destiny, through any ideology other than a religious one.
Another reason for the erroneous impression probably is that
the first four Gurus did not take overt political steps against the rulers.
‘There seems to have been an intermediate stage in the evolution of
the Sikh military machine out of the Sikh religious fraternity which
had been founded by Nanak about a hundred years before Hargovind’s
time. In the last quarter of the sixteenth century of the Christian Era
the Sikh community seems to have assumed a form which was already
political though it was not yet warlike.’ 24b This intermediate state was
inevitablebecause the Sikh Gurus were not interested in making empty
declarations or idle gestures. They aimed at building a mass movement
and had to avoid taking premature false steps which could unnecessarily
jeopardize the movement in its nascent stage. What is important is
that they consistently pursued the objectives of the movement and
did not deviate from them or compromise when faced with dire
consequences. Guru Nanak did not desist from preaching his gospel
in Kabul when warned that it was highly risky to do so in a Muslim
country. 25
What is even more significant is that the Gurus, before Guru
Arjan and after him, did not hesitate to admit those Muslims to their
faith who wanted to join. This was deliberate definance of the Shariatic
concept of the Muslim State. If the political confrontation had not
been precipitated earlier, it was because of a number of reasons. The
movement was to insignificant to attract the notice of Babar and
Hamayun, who were preoccupied with the consolidation of their
empire. On statement puts the numbers of instructed followers of
Guru Ram Das as eighty-four only. 25a This is obviously an underestimate,
but it does indicate the slow progress of the movement upto
the end of Guru Ram Das’s ministry. The number of Sikhs increased
rapidly only in the time of Guru Arjan. Mohsin Fani says, ‘In the time
of Guru Arjan Mal their number became very large.’ 25b Either the fact
of Muslim converts to the Sikh faith did not come to the notice of
Akbar, or he was too broadminded as he was himself engaged, in
his own way, in encouraging liberal trends in the India body politic.