Selected Editorials - The Sikh Bulletin

established tradition; as Mr. Tohra had explained away the unsikh practice of denial of sewa to the
women at Harmander Sahib because of the long established tradition. The fact that Guru Nanak had
broken many traditions going back centuries was inconsequential.
Bhai Ardaman Singh, a Sikh scholar of yore, in his book ‘Thoughts of Bhai Ardaman Singh’ writes, “In
Sikhism, certain philosophical interpretations are common with Hindu thought, like life after
death,…while such concepts as Oneness of God…Sikhism is nearer to Islam than to Hinduism.”
Unfortunately, he is dead wrong on both counts. As for the comparison with Hinduism Dr. Baldev
Singh’s article, which is this entire issue, explodes that myth. Comparison with Islam and the other two
Middle Eastern religions, Judaism and Christianity, all three the people of the Book and believers in One
God, is also not kosher. Although all three believe in One God and share historical personalities, each
one of them has their own separate One God. Jews claim to be the chosen people of their God who
bequeathed for eternity strictly for them the lands of Palestine and they are still waiting for their Messiah.
Christian God delivered his own son to die for the sins of only those who will accept his son as their
savior and had him crucified but only to raise him from the dead to come back to the earth for the second
and the last time. Muslim God declared Mohammed the last prophet among the peoples of the book, with
no more to come. Guru Nanak does not agree with any of it. His God is loving and merciful God of the
entire universe and all the creation in it.
In this issue we are presenting a revolutionary interpretation of Gurbani by Dr. Baldev Singh. It will, no
doubt, cause controversy. We would welcome reasoned response to further the intellectual discussion that
involves the use of ‘bibek budhi’.
Hardev Singh Shergill
[Editor’s Note: Entire January-February 2009 issue of The Sikh Bulletin was devoted to the
writings of Dr. Baldev Singh. It can be accessed at www.sikhbulletin.com . Sikh qaum suffered a
great loss when Dr. Baldev Singh passed away on October 1, 2009 at Yuba City, California.]
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EDITORIAL
WHO IS A SIKH
[Editorial from March-April 2009 Sikh Bulletin]
“A person, who follows Sikhi (Gurmat/Sikhism) that is based on Gurbani, incorporated in the Aad Guru
Granth Sahib by Guru Arjan, and Guru Gobind Singh, the Fifth and Tenth Gurus in succession to the
‘House of Nanak’ (Mahla), respectively, is a Sikh. Consequently, that person is the follower solely of
Sikhism and does not practice any other religion simultaneously.” This is the suggested definition of a
Sikh by Dr. Devinder Singh Chahal in his article on page 2 in which he details various definitions as
enshrined in the Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925, Mahan Kosh, SGPC Rehit Maryada, and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara
Management Committee (DSGMC) Constitution, and to which this writer can subscribe.
Notable omission in this definition is the issue of hair that started the current controversy in Panjab over
denial of admission to SGPC operated Medical College to a Sikh girl because she trims or plucks her eye
brows. But even so, only one of four legal definitions, DSGMC’s, includes the requirement of unshorn
hair. But why get lost in manmade definitions. Why not look to Guru Granth Sahib for guidance in
defining a Sikh That is precisely what Avtar Singh Missionary has done on page 27. He points out one
relevant statement from GGS: kbIr pRIiq eyk isAuN kIey afn duibDf jfie] BfvY lFby kys kru BfvY Grir muzfie]
GGS p. 1365.
In the past I used to hear the words "Saabat soorat dastaar sira" from the GGS in defense of uncut hair
requirement in Sikhi. Lately I have come across another phrase, “Hukam rajai chalnaa Nanak likhia
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