The Cloud of Witnesses

Sikh

Guru Nanak

1469–1539, Punjab

Founder of Sikhi. After three days submerged in the Bein river, returned saying: "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim." Traveled the udasis with his Muslim companion Mardana and the rabab. Composed the Japji Sahib. Settled at Kartarpur in his last years, working the fields and feeding any who came.

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Sikh

Guru Gobind Singh

1666–1708, Punjab

Tenth Guru of the Sikhs. Son of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who was beheaded in Delhi for defending the Kashmiri Pandits' right to wear their sacred thread. Called for the Panj Pyare on Vaisakhi 1699 and gave the Sikhs the Khalsa, the Five Ks, and the names Singh and Kaur. Lost his four sons to the Mughal wars. Wrote the Zafarnama to Aurangzeb. Named the Guru Granth Sahib his eternal successor before his death at Nanded.

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Sikh

Guru Angad

1504–1552 CE, Punjab

The Second Sikh Guru. Guru Nanak chose him over his own sons because he saw in him perfect obedience and selfless service. He standardized the Gurmukhi script so that scripture could be accessible to ordinary people. He served the langar — the community kitchen — before attending to anything else.

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Sikh

Guru Arjan

1563–1606 CE, Punjab

The Fifth Sikh Guru. He compiled the Adi Granth, the Sikh scripture, incorporating the hymns of the first four Gurus, his own compositions, and the writings of Hindu and Muslim saints. He built the Harmandir Sahib — the Golden Temple — with doors open on all four sides. He was the first Sikh martyr, executed by Emperor Jahangir on a hot iron plate for refusing to alter scripture or convert.

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Sikh

Guru Tegh Bahadur

1621–1675 CE, Punjab and Delhi

The Ninth Sikh Guru. He was martyred by Emperor Aurangzeb for refusing to convert to Islam and for defending the right of Kashmiri Hindus to practice their own faith — people who were not even his own. He is called "Hind di Chadar" — the shield of India. His poetry in the Adi Granth meditates on impermanence, detachment, and the peace of the Name.

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Sikh

Bhai Gurdas

1551–1636 CE, Punjab

Scholar, poet, and scribe of the Sikh tradition. He penned the original Adi Granth under Guru Arjan's dictation in 1604. He was present at the compilations, the building of the Harmandir Sahib, and five of the ten Gurus' lives. Guru Arjan called his Vars (ballads) "the key to the Guru Granth Sahib."

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