The Sikh and Sikhism brings forward some of the salient features of Sikhism. The chapter on “Who is a Sikh” is an answer to the latest controversy about the identity of a Sikh. Sikhism is entirely a new faith meant for the whole of mankind. To call it an offshoot of one or the other religion is a misnomer. The main emphasis of this religion is on the Name of God, which is also called the Word of True Guru. This spiritual discipline results in the Unity of the soul with Brahman, which is the chief objective of human life.
The book also includes a new subject “Sikh Theology”. Truth is the cornerstone of Sikh Theology. It is the highest of all virtues, but still higher is truthful living. “Sikh Martyrs” is another subject of importance—the fifth and the ninth Gurus of the Sikhs were the first two martyrs who sacrificed their lives, but not their creed. Short biographies of these two Gurus follow the chapter on “Martyrdom in Sikhism” in this book.
The Sikh Scriptures is most modern in its outlook. Besides the higher mystical vision and teachings, it contains several scientific truths accepted by modern science. A brief survey in this regard is included in the last chapter of this book. The book is marked for its brevity and economical use of words. It is scholarly and thought-provoking. The author has amply illustrated his points by suitable quotations from the Sikh Scriptures.
Prof. Surinder Singh Kohli, the first and senior most Professor of Punjabi Language and Literature, served as Head of the Department of Panjabi, Panjab University, Chandigarh, for 17 years before he retired from service. He is an authority on Sikh religion and philosophy, and has not only made a significant contribution as a Punjabi poet, writer, editor, critic, and researcher, but also done a distinct service to the realm of Comparative Religion in general and Sikhism in particular by his works, like A Critical Study of the Adi Granth, Outlines of Sikh Thought, Sikh Ethics, Philosophy of Guru Nanak, Sikhism and Guru Granth Sahib, Travels of Guru Nanak, The Sword and the Spirit, Life and Ideals of Guru Gobind Singh, etc. His work is marked by clarity, brevity, and sound scholarship. He has made a thorough and critical study of the Sikh Scriptures in a dispassionate and scholarly manner. His work entitled A Conceptual Encyclopaedia of Guru Granth Shaib is a landmark in the domain of Comparative Religious Philosophy. As a post-graduate teacher Prof. Kohli has guided research in Punjabi literature for doctoral theses with devotion and exceptional academic commitment and flung open the portals of research in Punjabi.
