By Harbans Lal, Ph.D., D. Lit (Hons). Abstract This article explores the concept of Sikhism as a universal religion, according to its founder Guru Nanak. It suggests that neither its followers nor its leaders have effectively explained the characteristics that make Sikhism a universal faith. The article highlights Guru Nanak’s use of metaphors that involve oceans, rivers, clouds, and water flow to illustrate the universality of Sikhism. It also discusses how practicing Sikhi through the guidance of SABD Guru can be seen as a way to embrace the universal aspects of the religion. Continental Div ..read more

Make Sikh Scripture Available to Everyone By Harbans Lal, Ph.D., D. Lit (Hons). There are reports that awful restrictions are being imposed on the transportation of the printed volume of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) to homes and the gurdwaras in the West. This seems to be counter to the Guru’s mission of spreading the sacred word among the seekers everywhere in the world. The Sikh scripture, Sikh history, and Sikh traditions promote the widespread availability of the Sikh scripture.  When we call ourselves Sikh, we claim to possess the inherent privilege of being continuously in touch and ..read more

By Harbans Lal, Ph.D., D. Lit (Hons). Five centuries ago Guru Nanak undertook a worldwide journey to alert people of both the Sindhu civilization east of Sindh River Delta, and those of Turk civilizations west of Sindh Delta against clergy-concocted religion. Everywhere he visited, he advocated God as the virtual reality manifested in all creation. Thus, Guru Nanak’s God is realized through an appreciation of the natural designs that flourish within and around all peoples in every corner of the world and everwhere in the universes. ‘ALLEGORY, A Tapestry of Guru Nanak’s Travels’ (website) is a ..read more

By Harbans Lal, Ph.D., D. Lit (Hons) A new Gurdwara is always a milestone of a Sikh community anywhere. It signifies the presence of the Sikh community in that area. Over a century ago, the pioneering Sikhs built their first Gurdwara in North America in the city of Golden. Golden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located 262 kilometers west of Calgary, Alberta, and 713 kilometers east of Vancouver. As the birth of Sikhism lies thousands of miles away from North America, the year 1890 acquired a special significance in the annals of Sikh history in North America. This year a ..read more

By Harbans Lal, Ph.D., D. Lit (Hons) Listen to this article as a podcast Sikh women were among the brave Sikhs who raised slogans of India’s freedom and their sacrifices for the freeing of their Gurdwaras from under the control of corrupt mahants of the time. The level of commitment and self-sacrifice of Sikhs deeply impacted the British. They sensed a potential threat to India’s rule from this small community of lions, as the Sikhs were known then. Expectedly, the British directed their terror machinery against the Sikhs. The British forces arrested and confined thousands of Akalis and their ..read more

By Harbans Lal, Ph.D., D. Lit (Hons) Review of: 1. Understanding Nitnem: Jup, Sodar, and Sohela. 308 pages. 2. Understanding Sidh Goshat. 271 pages. 3. Understanding Anand. 162 pages. 4. Understanding Asa Di Vaar. 289 pages. 5. The Hijacking of Sikhi. 420 pages. Listen to this article as a podcast Any review of new books that translate the verses of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) must first describe the vacuum they fill. An in-depth look at the most recent Gurbani translations gives rise to several concerns, issues, and approaches. Most render Guru Nanak’s messages as regurgitations of th ..read more

By Harbans Lal, Ph.D., D. Lit (Hons) Listen to this article as a podcast Guru Nanak described Guru as a spiritual teacher who transforms humans into angels/gods. By god, I mean a tinier replica of God, a human god with all god-like characters from an angel. Such a transformation is a metamorphosis. The dictionary describes metamorphosis as a change in the form or the nature of a living entity, transforming that entity into an entirely distinct entity by a natural or a supernatural means. When its done right, it is like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. The transformation of a human into ..read more

Author: Gurcharanjit Singh Lamba, New York, USA Published by: Sant Sipahi LLC (USA) Distributors: Singh Brothers, S.C.O. 223-24. City Center. Amritsar- 143001 – INDIA – Price – Indian rupees 550 and US Dollars 15. Reviewed by: Bhai Harbans Lal, Ph.D.; D.Litt. The University of North Texas Health Science Center. Sakhi Sikh Rehat Maryada Ji Ki contains narration, extensive commentary, and day-to-day accounts of how the present version of the Sikh Rehat Maryada was brought into existence. For readers unfamiliar with the term, the Sikh Rehat Maryada is a code of conduct and conventions for current ..read more

Interviewed by:Dr. Devinder Pal SinghCenter for Understanding Sikhism, Mississauga, L5A 1Y7, ON, Canada Dr. Harbans Lal, born in 1931, at Haripur, the North-West Frontier Province, and named at Punja Sahib Gurdwara both now in Pakistan, is an internationally recognized pharmacologist cum neuroscientist. He is also a profound scholar of Sikhi-sm. After receiving his B.Sc. degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Punjab University, Chandigarh, India, he migrated to the USA in 1956. Therein, he completed his Master’s Degree from the University of Kansas in 1958 and received a Ph.D. degree in Medica ..read more

Author: By Doctor Dalvir Singh Pannu, San Jose, California, USA. Published by: Pannu Dental Group, 2019 Printed by: Copy well, Canada. Hard Bound Edition, Pages 416; Price: $95 Reviewed by: Bhai Harbans Lal, Ph.D.; D.Litt. The University of North Texas. Purchase Book Here: www.thesikheritage.com It has been many years since I had first met Dr. Dalvir Singh Pannu during a trip to California. During our first conversation, I found that my new acquaintance was fired up and ready to serve his faith as well as his community. He was proud of his family’s affiliation with Guru Nanak, and was inspired ..read more