I have gone through this research work entitled, 'Sri Guru Arjan Dev', and I feel immense pleasure to say that it will be a good edition for the readers who desire to know and study the Sikh history and culture during the times of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Dr. Dalbir Singh has prepaired this magnificent research work with great efforts keeping in view the Sikh traditions. I hope this may also be useful work for the research scholars for further studies.
The present-work seeks to examine the historicity and the achievements of Guru Argan Dev in the true historical perspective. The Muslim court historians have recorded history which pleased to their Masters, and very little space is given to the history of the Sikh faith, moreover, whatever little space is given that too is full of controversies. One sided idea soaked in the blood of hateredness have always created blasphemy and this is true for the Muslim writers also; who have not taken care about the truth in history, and why should they, while writing or recording the history of emerging Sikh faith.
It is true that sometimes Sikh chroniclers too have not followed the scientific way of writing history, therefore one has to screen these sources very carefully to find out truth in Sikh history. The historical writing on the period of sixteenth century reflects that it was the congenial and liberal environment for the origin and development of the Sikh faith. How-ever, the things changed in the early years of the 17th century Mughal emperor Jahangir, who was in dire need of orthodox Muslims for the support and safety of his throne, made covanent with them to work for the extension and expansion of Islam. Guru Arjan Dev and his mission posed a great hindrances and this was not tolerated by the leaders of the Muslim revivalist movement, particularly Saikh Ahmad Sirhindi, Mujadid-1-Alif-i-Sani, the opposition of the latter along with others poisoned the ears of the Emperor Jahangir who ordered that the Guru should be put to death under yasa-i-siyasat.
The first chapter of the present work deals with the historical background, in which what happened during sixteenth century in India, that become immediate background for the rise of Sikhism has been thoroughly discussed. Even the contemporary society and religions before and during Guru Arjan Dev's time too has been elaborated in detail, The second chapter discusses the birth and early life of Guru Arjan Dev including the family crisis, and the opposition posed by the dissident of the descendent of the Gurus' houses. The third chapter like the first one is lengthy and it covers the development of the Sikh institutions and ethical doctrines. The next chapter gives the ideas about the formation and the contents of the Adi Granth. The fifth chapter gives detail picture, how Guru Arjan Dev was given torturous death due to poisonous nature of the Guru's opponents, important being the leader of the Muslim revivalist movement. The last chatper i.e. the sixth, deals with the epilogue throwing light on how the liberal attitude of the Mugal emperor's changed, towards other faiths, especially in the early years of the seventeenth century. A period of constant opposition with the imperialists began with the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev.
Guru Arjan Dev's contribution for the completion of Harmandır Sahib and its architecture, is of course, unique and his idea for the development of urbanization is really laudable and these have been discussed in Appendix A and B respectively.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Jathedar Avtar Singh, President, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee for his personal encouragement and for valuable suggestions
I am deeply beholden to Dr Jagtar Singh, Dr. Himadri Banerji, Dr. Kırpal singh, Dr. Gurbachan Singh, Dr. Blawant Singh and especially Prof Karpal Singh Badungar, former President, S GPC for their valuable thought provoking suggestions while preparing this research work.
I also offer my sincere thanks to my colleagues in the department of history and to my research students namely Dr Daljit Singh, Jaspal Singh, Jagdeep Singh and Karmajeet Singh.
I shall like to express my sincere appreciation for my wife Dr. Sukhninder Kaur, Reader in History Department, for the most-willing co-operation extended by her throughout the preparation of this work. I harbour my affectionate feelings for my younger brother Dr Kulbir Singh, Reader, History Department for his co-operation and valuable suggestions.
Last but not least, I am thankful to the honourable employees of the S GPC, who were very much co-operative and provided me every assistance for the preparation of this manuscript, I am very thankful to the research scholars of Sikh Itihas Research Board, specially. S. Kirpal Singh and Balwinder Singh. I am also thankful to the manager and other staff members of the Golden Offset Press for publishing this manuscript within this.
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