Bhai Vir Singh, a multifaceted personality, had made a seminal contribution to the Sikh religion, its heritage and Punjabi literature. He was one of the harbingers of the Sikh renaissance and immensely contributed to rejuvenating Sikh heritage, history, literature, education, culture and commerce. Bhai Vir Singh was born on December 5, 1872, at Amritsar. He was the eldest among his six siblings. His father, Dr. Charan Singh, was a medical practitioner and an illustrious scholar. His (...) grandfather Bhai Kahan Singh was the first in the family to be sworn as a Sikh and was a forerunner of the family's literary and scholarly tradition. Bhai Vir Singh's ancestry includes Diwan Kaura Mal, the vice-governor of Multan. Bhai Vir Singh's maternal grandfather, Giani Hazara Singh, too was a renowned exegete and a man of letters. Bhai Vir Singh's upbringing in the legendary scholarly Sikh family greatly shaped his personality and works. (shrink)

An influential philanthropist, prominent peach farmer, strong political influencer, and founder of Sikh institutions and festivals at Yuba City, S. Didar Singh Bains, has been a globally renowned Punjabi-American of California, Washington, D.C., USA. Starting from scratch, but only with his consistent hard work, perseverance and faith, he rose in prominence and stature in every facet of his life. His ability and will to give back and empower others made Didar the embodiment of the American Dream.

A universal religion is a philosophical and theological concept with universal applicability regardless of culture, race, sex, religion, nationality, or another distinguishing feature [1]. A universal religion may also emphasize universal principles and inclusively accept others. Some examples of universal religions are Baháʼí Faith, Buddhism, and Christian Universalism. These religions believe in one fundamental truth that transcends the national, cultural, or religious boundaries or interpretations of that one truth. Sikhism is a religion that emerged in the Punjab province of India (...) during the 15th century. While it is not typically described as a "universal" religion in the same way that, for example, Christianity or Islam are often told, it does contain values and principles that are universal and applicable to people from all walks of life. Though there is no universally established definition of a "universal religion," some characteristics that may be associated with such a religion include Inclusivity, Universality, Tolerance, Unity, Ethical values, Spiritual Growth, Service, Education, Social Justice, and Peace. (shrink)

Professor Jagtar Singh Grewal, an eminent historian, had a pioneering interest in the historiography of medieval India. He brought the rich history of Punjab and Sikhs from the margins to the mainstream. His outstanding research works took Amritsar's name to national and international levels. Grewal, a retired national fellow of the Indian Council of Historical Research, used to say: "To understand the present, it's important to understand the past." .

The human mind is central to comprehend and manoeuvre the natural world. Though it is the crown expression of Nature in the mortal world, it is inherently inconsistent. It is often captivated by many animalistic habits. One of the animalistic habits of mind is its fickleness. Sikh theology emphasizes that one must learn how to control and transform one’s mind to come out of this condition. An individual can do so by diverting his/her mind from its feral inclinations and turning (...) it to the mind’s innate longing for spiritual enlightenment. Sikh doctrines assert that the contemplation on God (imbibing love of God in one’s life) helps restrain the mind and attain self-realization and everlasting equipoise. (shrink)

Interfaith dialogue is perceived as the best mechanism to build mutual understanding and respect among people of different faiths. Although the Interfaith movement can be traced back to the late 19th century, it gained an unprecedented prominence in the years following 9/11. In Western democracies, interfaith initiatives have been enlisted as part of wider multiculturalist responses to the threat of radicalization. -/- Despite, interfaith dialogue's recent emergence on the world stage, it has been an active component of ancient Indian religious (...) traditions. Sikh Gurus' compositions, and their way of life, reveal that they were among the pioneers of interfaith dialogue in their time. They remained in continuous dialogue with other faiths throughout their lifetimes. For them, the real purpose of the interchange was to uphold the true faith in the Almighty Creator and to make it relevant to contemporary society. With this intent, they approached the fellow Muslims and Hindus and tried hard to rejuvenate the real spirit of their respective religions. -/- Guru Nanak's travels to various religious centers of diverse faiths; his life long association with Bhai Mardana (a Muslim); Guru Arjan Dev's inclusion of the verses of the saint-poets of varied faiths, in Sri Guru Granth Sahib; Guru Hargobind's construction of Mosque for Muslims; and Guru Teg Bahadur's laying down of his life for the cause of Hinduism, are just a few examples of the initiatives taken by the Sikh Gurus in this field. Herein, an attempt is made to describe the Sikh doctrines that encourage interfaith dialogue. Besides, incidents from the Sikh history, confirming the outstanding contributions made by Sikh Gurus in this field, are enlisted. The practices in vogue currently among the Sikhs towards this cause, are also recounted. (shrink)

Guru Nanak was not content to remain a mystic. He undertook four long travels, called udasis, to spread his message far and wide, and to share his spiritual experiences with others. Bhai Mardana always accompanied the Guru during the missionary tours. During his four travels, Guru Nanak visited different religious places. He went to Kurukshetra, Haridwar, Joshi Math, Ratha Sahib, Gorakh Matta (Nanak Matta), Audhya, Prayag, Varanasi, Gaya, Patna, Dhubri and Gauhati in Assam, Dacca, Puri, Cuttock, Rameshwaram, Ceylon, Bidar, (...) Baroach, Somnath, Dwarka, Janagarh, Ujjain, Ajmer, Mathura, Pakpattan, Talwandi, Lahore, Sultanpur, Bilaspur, Rawalsar, Jawalaji, Spiti Vally, Tibet, Ladakh, Kargil, Amarnath, Srinagar, and Baramula. Guru Nanak also paid visits to Muslim holy places. He went to Mecca, Medina, Baghdad via Multan, Peshawar Sakhar, Son Miani, Hinglaj etc. Some accounts say that Guru Sahib reached Mecca by sea route. He also visited Syria, Turkey, and Tehran (Iran). From Tehran he set out on the caravan route and covered Kabul, Kandhar, and Jalalabad. The aim of his tours was to awaken the people, to realize the truth about God and his creation. He established a network of preaching centers of his philosophy, which were called “Manjis”. He appointed able and committed followers as their in-charges. The basic tenets of Guru Nanak's philosophy were wilfully conceived by people from all walks of life. Thus the seeds of Sikhism were sown all over India and abroad in a well-planned manner. (shrink)

The Punjabi Heritage Foundation of Canada proudly presents this trilingual publication to commemorate the 550 Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539), the messenger of harmony and peace, an advocate of social justice and moral values, and promotor of women's rights as well as a preacher of Oneness of God and Oneness of Humankind. Set in the balance of transcendental melodious hymns of Gurbani and mystic music on the Rabab that had the profound power to touch the human soul, (...) Guru Nanak travelled on foot across the subcontinent of India, and into Central Asia to spread his message of love and equality of humankind, mutual respect, and universality of God. During his four Odysseys, he was accompanied by his two devoted and trustworthy companions, Bhai Bala and Bhai Mardana. The papers in this collection have been written by university professors and academic scholars from across the world to address Guru Nanak's principles of human and gender equality, the dignity of labour, love of the environment, non-violence, and the elimination of injustice, extremism, ritualism and intolerance. (shrink)

Guru Gobind Singh was a many splendoured genius, possessed of extraordinary qualities of virtue and valour, service and sacrifice, solider and scholar. He was not only a great warrior but a prolific writer and a poet of high calibre. The brief span of forty-two years of his life is full of much activity. He wrote in many languages. It is said that fourteen maunds load of manuscripts were lost in Sirsa when the Guru was being pursued from Anandpur to (...) Chamkaur. Fortunately, some of his work survived and from this, we get a pretty clear picture of his aims and ideals. The Guru compiled a variety of poetic compositions, some of which are considered masterpieces of medieval Punjabi poetry and Braj literature. His patronage of poets and scholars at his Darbar contributed a significant addition to the storehouse of Puranic Epics in Indian literature. (shrink)

Prof. (Dr.) Balwant Singh Dhillon, a much-acclaimed Sikh-historian, a dedicated researcher, a prolific writer, and a profound scholar of religion, was born in 1950, at Village Ran Singh Wala, District Faridkot, Punjab, India. With his keen interest in learning, he received a B.A. degree from SGGS College, Chandigarh, in 1972, and an M.A. (History) degree from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur in 1974. During his younger days, he nurtured a keen interest in sports. On attaining the National Level (...) Athlete ranking, he was enthusiastic about pursuing a career in sports. Thereby, he joined Master Course for Coaching in athletics at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, in 1974. Herein, he came in contact with Prof. Labh Singh of the Institute of Sikh Studies (IOSS, now Gurmat College), who inspired him to take up Sikh studies. This interaction brought a sea change in his life motive, and he committed himself to pursue a career in Sikh studies. After receiving M.A. (Religious Studies) degree from the IOSS in July 1976, he joined M. Lit. (Religious Studies) course at Punjabi University, Patiala. Here he had the opportunity to learn from several eminent scholars, e.g., Prof. Harbans Singh, Prof. Gurbachan Singh Talib, Prof. L.M. Joshi, and Dr. A.N. Sinha, etc., which made his resolve steadfast. In January 1977, he joined the Department of Guru Nanak Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, to pursue his research activities for a Ph.D. degree. In March 1985, he was awarded a Ph. D. degree by GNDU, for his outstanding research work on "The Sikh Gurus and the Mughal State." Starting, in April 1979, as a Research Assistant at the Department of Guru Nanak Studies, he rose to the position of Professor and Head of the department. He retired in June 2010. During his tenure at the university, he had also served as Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Religious Studies, Senator and Syndic of the University. As Head of the Department of Guru Nanak Studies, he played a vital role in starting the teaching of M.A. (Religious Studies and Philosophy)at GNDU, Amritsar. Under his stewardship, the research projects on "Sikh Religion and Philosophy," "Sikh History," and "Sikh Literature" were taken up, which led to a research and development grant of Rs. 3.2 Million from U.G.C., New Delhi, during 2006-2011. Dr. Dhillon was instrumental in establishing the Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib at the university, in April 2011, and served as its founding Director till February 2015. He has also served as the Editor-in-Chief for reputed Sikh research journals, "Journal of Sikh Studies" and "Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib," published by the GNDU. In his forty years long professional career, he has been credited with authoring/publishing about a dozen books and over 100 articles in various research journals, books, and encyclopedias. Besides chairing several international seminars/conferences, he played a vital role in organizing many such events at the Department of Guru Nanak Studies and Centre on Studies in Guru Granth Sahib. He has the honour of representing India at many conferences/ seminars within Canada, America, England, Germany, and Australia. With his continuous dedication to religious studies, he has established himself as an exponent of interfaith dialogue and an eminent writer in the field of Sikh history. Through his well-researched and analytic writings, he has created an indelible mark of scholarship on his readers' minds. For his outstanding contributions in the fields of Sikh history and literature, he has been honoured by several literary and social organizations. Despite his great love and commitment to Sikh History and Religion, Dr. Dhillon subscribes to the idea that Sikh Gurus' Philosophy is perennial and universal in its approach to understand cosmology, Nature, life, and human behaviour in the present era. Furthermore, He asserts that the Sikh Gurus' ideology, its beliefs and practices, social order, worldview, and devotional pattern, as propounded in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, address the basics befitting the 21st century. His views on various aspects of Sikh history and philosophy are presented here for the benefit of readers. (shrink)

A great visionary, renowned scientist, a humanist and a mystic poet - Professor Puran Singh was perhaps the first eminent chemist born in Punjab. The founder head of the Department of Chemistry of forest products at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Puran Singh pioneered many chemical efforts in the utilization of forest products. He was one of the new breeds of scientists who flowered in the subcontinent at the fag end of the nineteenth century and founded the base (...) on which the edifice of today's Indian science rests. In this article, a brief account of his life and works is described. (shrink)

Some gleanings from the important utterances and historical writings about Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666-1708 A.D.) are given below to commemorate the 339th birth anniversary of the Tenth Master. Born at Patna Sahib, he founded the Khalsa Panth at Anandpur Sahib in 1699. These quote have been specially selected in order to enable the readers to form a fair idea of the vision, mission, thought and action, achievements and contribution of the achievements of the Great Guru towards the upliftment (...) of mankind and welfare of humanity in his own inimitable way. (shrink)

A renowned Sikh scholar and internationally recognized expert on Calendrical Science, S. Pal Singh Purewal's outstanding contribution to Sikh history has been the Nanakshahi calendar. In the old Bikrami calendar, some gurpurabs (Sikhs' sacred days for commemorating certain events) came twice a year, and some gurpurabs did not come even once a year. Taking cognizance of these anomalies, Pal Singh Purewal took the initiative to remedy the situation. For nearly fifteen years, he toiled hard to sort out the (...) problem. His endeavor led to the creation of the Nanakshahi calendar. Announcing its release, he opined: "All communities and faiths have their own calendar as a mark of their distinct cultural identity. So, just as the Islamic world has the Hijri calendar and Hindus have the Bikrami calendar, the Sikhs will have a Nanakshahi calendar along with the common era (CE) calendar, which is in use throughout the world.". (shrink)

Our concern in this paper lies with a common argument from racial discrimination to realism about races: some people are discriminated against for being members of a particular race (i.e., racial discrimination exists), so some people must be members of that race (i.e., races exist). Error theorists have long responded that we can explain racial discrimination in terms of racial attitudes alone, so we need not explain it in terms of race itself. But to date there has been little detailed (...) discussion of whether it is better to explain racial discrimination in terms of race or in terms of racial attitudes alone. Our goal is to offer a novel and detailed argument in defense of explaining racial discrimination in terms of racial attitudes alone, by attending to the neglected phenomenon of misperception discrimination, which involves differential treatment due to misperceived race. We argue that the discriminatory action in misperception cases must be explained in the same way as cases where (according to the realist) the victim’s race is accurately perceived. Thus, the victim’s actual race cannot provide the best explanation. The main upshot of our argument is that explanatory arguments from racial discrimination to realism about race fail. (shrink)

I consider cases of multifetal pregnancy in which one fetus with a fatal birth defect poses a risk to the survival of another healthy fetus to show that the substance view anti-abortion position leads to a contradiction. In cases of complicated multifetal pregnancy, if intervention by selective abortion to terminate the defective fetus is not performed, both fetuses will die due to the conditions created by the defective fetus’s fatal birth defect. Because abortion is wrong on the anti-abortion position, and (...) a moderate anti-abortion position cannot make an exception for selective abortion in cases of complicated multifetal pregnancy if it operates on the substance view, choosing selective abortion must be wrong, so one must let both fetuses die. However, the substance view anti-abortion position must take letting both fetuses die to be wrong, otherwise it will undermine itself as an anti-abortion position. Further, the substance view provides grounds for why letting fetuses die would be wrong anyway. Thus, the substance view anti-abortion position must take both having an abortion and not having an abortion to be wrong, which is a contradiction. Therefore, cases of complicated multifetal pregnancy show that the substance view anti-abortion position is false. (shrink)

Andrzej Waleszczyński critiques my argument for why the relationship between a pregnant person and any fetus they carry is not a relationship between a parent and a child. I argue Waleszczyński does not show that my “argument from potentiality” is inadequate, and I provide further justification for why birth marks a transformative shift into a moral relationship.

Paath-Bhed Gatha Sri Guru Granth Sahib by Giani Jagtar Singh Jachak is an exceptional work that delves into the intricate and profound historical and textual aspects of the Sikh holy scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Authored by a distinguished figure with extensive credentials in the Sikh community, this book offers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the textual variations in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Giani Jagtar Singh Jachak brings a wealth of experience and reverence to his work. (...) As a former Granthi at the Sri Darbar Sahib in Amritsar, he has a deep-rooted understanding of the spiritual practices and liturgical traditions associated with the Sikh faith. His role as an Honorary International Sikh Missionary for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), an Ambassador for Peace with the Universal Peace Federation in New York, and the Director of the Guru Granth Institute of Melbourne further enhanced his credibility and the depth of insight presented in this book. (shrink)

The Sikh community, with its rich history and profound spiritual teachings, stands at a critical juncture in the 21st century. Today, more than ever, Sikhs need visionary leadership to navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing world. Visionary leaders are known for their foresight, creativity, and strategic thinking, which allows them to anticipate future trends and opportunities while guiding their organization or team in that direction. For Sikhs, such leadership entails guiding the community through contemporary challenges and ensuring that the (...) foundational principles of Sikhism, justice, equality, service, and humility, are upheld and promoted. (shrink)

The Chinese rites controversy is typically characterized as a religious quarrel between different Catholic orders over whether it was permissible for Chinese converts to observe traditional rites and use the terms tian and shangdi to refer to the Christian God. As such, it is often argued that the conflict was shaped predominantly by the divergent theological attitudes between the rites-supporting Jesuits and their anti-rites opponents towards “accommodation.” By examining the Jesuit missionary Kilian Stumpf's Acta Pekinensia—a detailed chronicle of the papal (...) legate Charles-Thomas Maillard de Tournon's 1705–6 investigation into the controversy in Beijing—this article proposes that ostensibly religious disputes between Catholic orders consisted primarily of disagreements over ancient Chinese history. Stumpf's text shows that missionaries’ understandings of antiquity were constructed through their interpretations of ancient Chinese books and their interactions with the Kangxi Emperor. The article suggests that the historiographical characterization of the controversy as “religious” has its roots in the Vatican suppression of the rites, which served to erase the historical nature of the conflict exposed in the Acta Pekinensia. (shrink)

This essay argues that the concept of ‘racial capitalism’ can help us understand the connections between seemingly disparate parts of Voltaire’s extensive corpus of work. It contends that even though the Enlightenment’s racial politics abounded with contradictions and ambivalences, Voltaire stood out from his contemporaries. While the connections between his polygenism – the theory that humans of different races were created separately – and material investments in colonial commerce have long been debated by radical historians, this essay suggests that Voltaire’s (...) views about race’s relationship to labour were transformed by France’s colonial losses during the Seven Years’ War. (shrink)

Guru Gobind Singh was a versatile genius, a unique personality of contrasting qualities of virtue and valour, the spirit of service and sacrifice, solider and scholar. He was not only a great warrior but also a prolific writer and a poet of high calibre. The brief span of forty-two years of his life is vibrant with activity. He wrote in several languages. It is said that fourteen maunds load of manuscripts were lost in Sirsa when the Guru was being (...) pursued from Anandpur to Chamkaur. Fortunately, part of his work survived and they afford a pretty clear view of his aims and ideals. The Guru compiled a variety of poetic compositions, some of which are considered masterpieces of medieval Punjabi poetry and Braj literature. His patronage of poets and scholars at his Darbar contributed a significant addition to the storehouse of Puranic Epics in Indian literature. (shrink)

A renowned Sikh scholar and internationally recognized expert on Calendrical Science, S. Pal Singh Purewal's outstanding contribution to Sikh history has been the Nanakshahi calendar. In the old Bikrami calendar, some gurpurabs (Sikhs' sacred days for commemorating certain events) came twice a year, and some gurpurabs did not come even once a year. Taking cognizance of these anomalies, Pal Singh Purewal took the initiative to remedy the situation. For nearly fifteen years, he toiled hard to sort out the (...) problem. His endeavor led to the creation of the Nanakshahi calendar. Announcing its release, he opined: "All communities and faiths have their own calendar as a mark of their distinct cultural identity. So, just as the Islamic world has the Hijri calendar and Hindus have the Bikrami calendar, the Sikhs will have a Nanakshahi calendar along with the common era (CE) calendar, which is in use throughout the world.". (shrink)

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, was a divine preceptor and crusader for noble cause of human welfare. He was a great religious leader, a poet and a mystic, a true scholar and philosopher. He was also a fearless warrior and a military commander, who always fought against tyranny and oppression, to establish a just and benign state. In his hymns of 'Bachitar Natak', he proclaimed his mission as 'to protect the righteous, oppressed and downtrodden people and to (...) destroy the evil-doers'. He stressed on the unity between humans, rejected all sorts of discriminations and preached equality and goodwill. Being a prolific writer and a poet of rare sensibility, Guru Gobind Singh greatly enriched the literary heritage of India. His poetic vision depicts the glorious epitome of medieval Indian literary traditions. Through his compositions, he enunciated a doctrine of armed struggle for the protection of truth and justice. The fusion of the devotional and martial, of the spiritual and the heroic ethos is the most important feature of his literary work and his charismatic leadership. With his spiritual dynamism, he attempted to reconcile the transcendent with the immanent through his creation of the Khalsa. The commonwealth of the Khalsa was founded based on all round equality and total dedication to one Supreme Reality. Guru Gobind Singh was a pioneer Indian leader to introduce republican set up and democratic institutions. His teachings have great relevance for the modern man to build a global society with a commitment to peace and goodwill across all sorts of constraints and geographical boundaries. (shrink)

Sikhism, the fifth-largest organized religion [1] in the world, was founded in the fifteenth century in Punjab, India. Guru Nanak Dev and his successor Sikh Gurus established this system of religious philosophy. The sacred scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib [2-3], is the present Guru of the Sikhs. The religious philosophy of Sikhism is traditionally known as Gurmat. Sikhism originated from the word Sikh, having the Sanskrit root śiṣya meaning "disciple" or "learner." With about 27 million followers or 0.39% of the (...) world population [4], approximately 83% of the Sikhs live in India. Islam is the religion articulated by the Holy Quran [5-6], a religious book. Its adherents consider it the verbatim word of the one incomparable God (Allah). Muslims live by following the demonstrations of the Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad, and real-life examples (Sunnah). The Sunnah has been collected through the narration of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad's companions in the Hadith collections. Islam means submission to God. The word Islam is derived from the Arabic word "Salam," which means peace. With about 1.7 billion followers, or 23% of the global population [7-8], Islam is the second-largest religion by the number of its adherents. Despite being different religions, Sikhism and Islam share many similarities. Most of these similarities center around the notion of a single, all-powerful, and loving God. Both faiths share similar normative, social, and environmental ethics. Some of these similarities are described in this article. (shrink)

Bobier and Omelianchuk argue that the Birth Strategy for addressing analogies between abortion and infanticide is saddled with a dilemma. It must be accepted that non-therapeutic late-term abortions are either, impermissible, or they are not. If accepted, then the Birth Strategy is undermined. If not, then the highly unintuitive claim that non-therapeutic late-term abortions are permissible must be accepted. I argue that the moral principle employed to defend the claim that non-therapeutic late-term abortions are morally impermissible fails to do so. (...) Furthermore, the principle that people have a right to bodily autonomy can be used as an argument for the conclusion that non-therapeutic late-term abortions are permissible and is intuitively stronger than the intuition for the opposite of this conclusion. This is because people having a right to bodily autonomy explains the impermissibility of rape and sexual assault. Consequently, the posited dilemma is defused and does not undermine the Birth Strategy. (shrink)

Patience: Patience (or forbearance) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances. It means persevering in the face of provocation without acting in anger or exhibiting tolerance when under stress. It is also a character trait of being steadfast. Almost everyone recognizes a need for more patience at times. It is a fruit of God's grace and an essential key to better relationships with God and fellow man. Patience not only helps to protect our minds and emotions, but it can (...) also guide us to think and view the struggle of life in a proper manner. Ibnul Qayyim [24-25], a noted Islamic scholar, has opined that our happiness in the present life and our redemption in the Hereafter depends on patience. In Islam, the importance of patience by disciples is never underestimated. The Holy Quran says, "Verily! I have rewarded them this Day for their patience; they are indeed the successful ones." (HQ, 23:111); "...to be firm or patient in pain or suffering, and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing." (HQ, 2:177); "Allah surely loves those who are the Sabireen (patient)." (HQ, 3:146); "And be patient; indeed Allah is with the patient ones." (HQ,8:46) Similarly, in Sikhism, the significance of patience has been emphasized time and again. Describing the attributes of a God-Conscious being, Guru Arjan Dev reports in his hymns. That such a person is ever in a state of steady patience and bliss. "The God-conscious being has steady patience." (Mehl 5, SGGS, p 272); "One whom He blesses with patience becomes blissful."(Mehl 5, SGGS, p 887). Shaikh Farid, a saint-poet of SGGS, stresses that one must imbibe patience in one's life to live it perfectly. "Let patience be your purpose in life; implant this within your being." (Shaikh Farid, SGGS, p 1384); "Make patience the arrow, the Creator will not let you miss the target." (Shaikh Farid, SGGS, p 1384). (shrink)

Equality for All: Islam articulates equal rights for all living beings, including animals and birds, and refers to these as communities. “The earth He has assigned to all living creatures” (HQ, 55:10); "There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you...then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered” (HQ, 6:37); "And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women." (HQ, 2:228) (...) Muslims’ main pillar of worship, Ibadah, is prayer. Congregational prayer is performed in rows where all men stand before God as equals. There is no special place for the rich or powerful; the meek and poor are not relegated to the back lines. Each man bows his head in humility, knowing that his brothers on either side of him are equally important in the sight of God. (shrink)

We are living in a world full of turmoil and tribulations. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, humanity is facing severe challenges to its very existence. The ever-increasing environmental pollution and the prevalence of large-scale corruption at all levels in society threaten its ecological and social fabric. The monsters of drug menace and Covid-19 pandemic are trying to snuff out the very life-breath of human beings. Moreover, the rise of terrorism and the political rivalries among nations are threatening world (...) peace. In such a dismal state of affairs, the clouds of destruction are looming large over humankind. But, there is a ray of hope in the form of Sri Guru Granth Sahib for the salvation of humanity from its present ills. Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) [1-4], a unique religious and philosophical treatise, is a sublime blueprint for establishing a reign of peace and prosperity on Earth. It contains many divine messages unmistakably addressed to all humanity, which remain uniquely significant for all times and have a crucial relevance to the contemporary times. (shrink)

Dr. Devinder Singh Sekhon served as a Chemistry/Educational Administration professor at various colleges/Universities in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. Presently, living in Windsor, Canada, he is actively contributing to the fields of Science, Religion, and Literature. Despite being a noted chemist and educationist, he is interested in sharing his insights about religion and science. Due to this keen dedication to sharing his understanding of Sikhi doctrines with all, he authored seven books on various aspects of the Sikh way of (...) life. In addition, his about three dozen stories and two dozen articles have been published in various newspapers and magazines in India, Canada and the USA. His writings, laced with his rationalistic approach and logical outlook, have been well appreciated by his readers. Presently, he is entirely devoted to preparing an English translation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. In one of my recent meetings with him, I had a chance to learn more about his contributions and insights into Sikhism. A brief write-up of the interview is being shared for the benefit of the readers. (shrink)

Sikhism is a vibrant and profound religious tradition. Its rich history, spiritual depth, commitment to equality, emphasis on selfless service, and devotion to God provide a strong foundation for inspiring the next generation to embrace this profound and enduring tradition. To ensure the continued growth and vitality of Sikhism, it is crucial to inspire and engage young people in the faith. By fostering a sense of understanding, community, and spiritual connection, we can ensure the future of Sikhism remains strong. In (...) this article, various ways are explored to inspire and encourage young individuals to embrace Sikhism. (shrink)

Sikhism, a vibrant and inclusive religion, provides a rich tapestry of teachings and traditions. Introducing children to Sikhi through interactive learning and play not only enhances their understanding but also fosters a deep connection with the values and principles of Sikhism. This holistic approach engages children actively, making the learning journey enjoyable, memorable, and impactful. Given the dire need to engage in such a holistic approach, various such activities and their specific examples are described here.

Prof. Devinder Singh Chahal, an international microbiologist, having worked at various prestigious universities in India and the USA, migrated to Canada in 1975. In Canada, firstly, he worked at the University of Waterloo, Ontario and later on at Institut Armand‐Frappier, Université du Québec, Laval, Québec. He retired as a Professor of Industrial Microbiology in 1996. In his long career as a microbiologist, he is credited with the discovery of two new species of fungi, three scientific books, numerous research articles (...) and five patents. He has published 6 books and several articles on the scientific and logical interpretation of Gurbani. He played an instrumental role in establishing the Institute of Understanding Sikhism, Laval, Quebec. Presently, he is working as honorary Editor‐in‐Chief of "Understanding Sikhism: The Research Journal." Besides, he is a member of the Advisory Committee of SGGS Study Centre, G.N.D. University, Amritsar since 2011. He has been honoured for his services to Sikhism by several Sikh organizations e.g., SGPC, Amritsar; DSGMC, New Delhi and SGGS World University, Fatehgarh, Punjab. A renowned microbiologist and a noted Sikh theologian, Prof. Chahal, is a founder member of the School of Scientific and Logical Interpretation of Gurbani. He is committed to bringing out the truth of Gurbani, logically, rationally and scientifically. With his scientific training and devotion to Gurbani, he is eminently qualified to do so. Prof Chahal adheres that Nanakian Philosophy is perennial and universal in its approach to understand Cosmology, Nature, life and human behaviour in the present era. In his works, he portrays intellectually courageous and authentic attempts to interpret Guru Nanak's verses logically and scientifically, to create an accurate understanding of the Guru's messages. His scientific background and professional life as a scientist have undoubtedly influenced his choice of paradigm and perspective. Prof Chahal asserts that Guru Nanak, his philosophy, his bani, his Sikhi, and the Guru Granth Sahib delineate the basics befitting the 21st century. His views on various aspects of Nanakian Philosophy are presented here for the benefit of readers:. (shrink)

Electrochemical assisted abrasive flow finishing is a newly developed hybrid finishing process which is used to finish the internal parts of work piece having complicated geometry to large extent. In electrochemical assisted abrasive flow machining higher abrasion of the material was detected due to the combine effect of ECM and AFF processes. In Electrochemical aided abrasive flow machining a electrolyte is added to the prepared media .This media consist a kind of polymeric carrier and abrasive particles that are hydrocarbon gel, (...) Al2O3, Silicon based polymer, and NaI Sodium iodide as electrolytic salt. In this experimental research different process parameters such as voltage, abrasive concentration, Number of cycle, molal concentration and diameter of rod were considered at different levels for response characteristic of surface roughness Ra and material removal MR based on Taguchi method using standard L27 orthogonal array OA for the plan of experimentation. To determine the contribution of each parameter analysis of variance was used. Sandeep Singh | Sunil kumar "Experimental Research Work to Optimize Process Parameters into Electro Chemical Abrasive Flow Machining using Taguchi Methodology" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-1 | Issue-4 , June 2017 . (shrink)

Artificial Intelligence refers to developing computer systems and machines that can perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. AI is an evolving field, and researchers and engineers continue to explore and develop new techniques and technologies to enhance its capabilities. The impact of AI on religions is not entirely predictable. AI is likely to affect religions or be affected by them in various ways, some of which are already becoming apparent. As with any new technology, it is up to individuals (...) and religious communities to decide how to incorporate AI into their beliefs and practices. It is worth mentioning that the mutual relevance of Sikhism and AI is likely to be complex and multifaceted. It will depend on how AI is developed, implemented, and used and the attitudes and beliefs of individual Sikhs and the Sikh community. (shrink)

Dr. Karminder Singh Dhillon is a much-acclaimed administrator, a renowned theologian, a profound scholar of comparative religious studies, a prolific writer, and a Sikh thinker. During his 32 year long professional career in the Malaysian Civil Service, he has served the country in several important positions. Since 1985, as a devout Sikh, he has been involved in Kirtan, Katha, and Parchar activities. Besides his marvelous professional achievements, Dr. Karminder Singh has made remarkable contributions toward the authentic understanding of (...) Gurbani through reform-oriented writings and videos. His theological enunciations are particularly noteworthy due to their originality and rational description. Dr. Dhillon is committed to bringing out the truths of Gurbani, logically, rationally, and authentically. With his excellent professional and academic training – coupled with his devotion to Gurbani - he is eminently qualified to do so. He adheres to the belief that Sikh Gurus' Philosophy is perennial and universal in its approach to understanding cosmology, nature, life, and human behavior in the present scientific era. He emphasizes that Sikh Gurus' philosophy, bani, and Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) delineate the basics of life befitting the 21st century. Keeping in view his outstanding contributions to the propagation of Sikhi, his views on various aspects of Sikh Philosophy are presented here for the benefit of readers. (shrink)

The elections and political parties are necessary ingredients of democratic governance. Elections are a necessary condition of representative democracy. In representative democracy citizens participate in politics primarily by choosing political authorities in competitive elections. Elections, hence, are a necessary and crucial instrument to make democracy work. In India, free and fair elections are held at regular intervals as per guidelines of the constitution and the Election Commission. To make them free of flaws it is essential to reform them from time (...) to time. Electoral reform means introducing fair electoral systems for conducting fair elections. It also rejuvenates the existing systems to enhance and increase the efficiency of the same. Following the demands of electoral reforms several committees were being set up. Some of the measures like reduction of voting age and anti defection law are appreciable but there are other vital areas in election field completely neglected. This paper will evaluate about different attempts made for electoral reforms in India. Different challenges before the Election Commission are also been discussed, also how it can be made effective as suggested by Commission in India will be presented. A comparative analysis with other democratic countries like U.S.A and U.K. is added to it. (shrink)

We study the question of how to decompose Hilbert space into a preferred tensor-product factorization without any pre-existing structure other than a Hamiltonian operator, in particular the case of a bipartite decomposition into "system" and "environment." Such a decomposition can be defined by looking for subsystems that exhibit quasi-classical behavior. The correct decomposition is one in which pointer states of the system are relatively robust against environmental monitoring (their entanglement with the environment does not continually and dramatically increase) and remain (...) localized around approximately-classical trajectories. We present an in-principle algorithm for finding such a decomposition by minimizing a combination of entanglement growth and internal spreading of the system. Both of these properties are related to locality in different ways. This formalism could be relevant to the emergence of spacetime from quantum entanglement. (shrink)

The adventurous Indian spirit , took Indians to unknown lands, where they had to face untold miseries and hardships. Despite that , the soaring spirit of these pioneer immigrants was never subdued. They toiled hard, made these new lands their home and contributed to their growth and development in multifarious ways. This is also the story of human evolution. In this chain of events, the story of Komagata Maru has a special historical significance. it resonates beyond 1914, linking to freedom (...) movements in India and the right to vote for South Asians in Canada. It has helped the North Americans to move on from the insecurities of "Hindu Invasion" to the blooming of "Multiculturalism". (shrink)

Basic Argument forms Modus Ponens , Modus Tollens , Hypothetical Syllogism and Dilemma contains ‘If –then’ conditions. Conclusions from the Arguments containing ‘If –then’ conditions can be deduced very easily without any significant memorization by applying Raval’s method. Method: In Raval’s method If P then Q is written as P (2$) – Q (1$) and viewed numerically, in currency form i.e. P is viewed as 2$ and Q is viewed as 1$ and implications from this notations are valid conclusions. If (...) one has 2$ then he definitely have 1$. If one do not have 2$, he may not have 1$. If one is having 1$, he may not have 2$. If one do not have 1$, he definitely doesn’t have 2$. (shrink)

We present three experiments that explore the robustness of the _authentic-apparent effect_—the finding that participants are less likely to attribute knowledge to the protagonist in apparent- than in authentic-evidence Gettier cases. The results go some way towards suggesting that the effect is robust to assessments of the justificatory status of the protagonist’s belief. However, not all of the results are consistent with an effect invariant across two demographic contexts: American and Indian nationalities.

Science and Religion represent two great systems of human thought. For most people on our planet, religion is the predominant influence over the conduct of their affairs. When science impinges on their lives, it does so not at the intellectual level but practically, through technology. The British astronomer, Sir A. S. Eddington, insists that religion has become possible for a man of science because the philosophic trend of scientific thought has been startlingly redirected by the discoveries of men like Einstein, (...) Heisenberg and Bohr in the fields of relativity and quantum physics. Some of the greatest scientists have succeeded in synthesizing the two disciplines inwardly, on a personal level. Religious experience is then seen as an extension of scientific activity. (shrink)

In this essay, I develop an account of belief as commitment to the truth of a proposition. On my account, to believe p is to represent p as true by way of committing to the truth of p. To commit to the truth of p, in the sense I am interested in, is to exercise the normative power to subject one’s representation of p as true to the normative standard of truth. As I argue, my account of belief as commitment (...) of the truth explains a variety of features of belief that separate it from attitudes like acceptance, supposition, and imagination. Most importantly, it explains the distinctive connection between belief and evidence. Moreover, my account helps solve three further puzzles about belief, regarding doxastic voluntarism, the aim of belief, and Moore’s paradox. (shrink)

Sikhism is the world's fifth-largest religion. It was founded during the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. Its adherents are known as Sikhs. Currently, there are about 30 million Sikhs worldwide. Most of them live in the Indian state of Punjab. As per Sikh tradition, Sikhism was established by Guru Nanak (1469–1539) and subsequently led by a succession of nine other Gurus. Before his death, the tenth SikhGuru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), bestowed the status (...) of Guru to the sacred scripture of Sikhs, Adi Granth, which is presently known as Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) [1]. The Adi Granth was first compiled by Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, in 1604. Its second and final version has been the handiwork of Guru Gobind Singh, who added the hymns of his father, Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru [2], at Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Punjab, in 1705. The holy Sikh scripture, SGGS, contains 1430 pages of text in poetry form. In addition to the hymns of the six Sikh Gurus and four Sikhs, it includes hymns composed by fifteen saints (Bhagats) and eleven poet laureates (Bhats) of the Guru's court. Muslims and Hindus, Brahmins, and "untouchables" all come together in one congregation to create a universal scripture. It is a compendium of mystic, metaphysical and religious poetry written or recited between the 12th and 17th centuries in the Indian sub-continent [3]. Sri Guru Granth Sahib, through its comprehensive worldview, offers a perfect set of values and an applicable code of conduct. Its cardinal message is addressed to the welfare of all humans irrespective of their caste, color, creed, culture, gender and religion. SGGS emphasizes love, respect, empathy, and acceptance of others' existence. It prohibits us from infringing on the freedom and rights of others. The life and works of the Sikh Gurus exemplify the practicability of these ideas. Their inter-faith dialogues highlighted that human unity and oneness could be achieved through tolerance, communication, and respect for others [4]. Besides a matchless elaboration of spirituality, Sri Guru Granth Sahib enshrines a powerful expression of the message of revolutionary ideals of social welfare, human rights, multicultural distinctness, and religious freedom. In the present era, when the threats and fear of interfaith conflicts, military aggression, terrorism etc., have overpowered human sentiments, the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib are even more relevant to resolving all these problems. (shrink)

In this paper, I defend an account of the reasons for which we act, believe, and so on for any Ф such that there can be reasons for which we Ф. Such reasons are standardly called motivating reasons. I argue that three dominant views of motivating reasons (psychologism, factualism and disjunctivism) all fail to capture the ordinary concept of a motivating reason. I show this by drawing out three constraints on what motivating reasons must be, and demonstrating how each view (...) fails to satisfy at least one of these constraints. I then propose and defend my own account of motivating reasons, which I call the Guise of Normative Reasons Account. On the account I defend, motivating reasons are propositions. A proposition is the reason for which someone Ф‐s when (a) she represents that proposition as a normative reason to Ф, and (b) her representation explains, in the right way, her Ф‐ing. As I argue, the Guise of Normative Reasons Account satisfies all three constraints on what motivating reasons must be, and weathers several objections that might be leveled against propositionalist views. (shrink)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technology that enables machines or computer systems to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. AI systems can understand and interpret information, make decisions, and solve problems based on patterns and data. They can also improve their performance over time by learning from their experiences. AI is used in various applications, such as enhancing knowledge and understanding, helping as voice assistants, aiding in image recognition, facilitating self-driving cars, and helping diagnose diseases. The appropriate usage of (...) AI can help in the promotion of Sikhism. However, awareness of the pitfalls of using AI for religious purposes is essential. So, we must use AI with caution in spiritual matters. (shrink)

It is now standard to distinguish between two kinds of rationality: substantive rationality, which consists in holding attitudes that are substantively reasonable or justified, and structural rationality, which consists in holding attitudes that fit together in the right ways. What, if anything, unifies these two kinds of rationality? In this paper, I propose that norms of rationality arise because we are epistemically limited beings who cannot directly ensure the correctness of our attitudes. Substantive and structural rationality represent two different ways (...) of manifesting a fundamental commitment to getting things correct, given our epistemic limitations. Correspondingly, substantive and structural irrationality are distinct rational failures. Substantively irrational attitudes involve a failure to live up to the commitments that constitute those attitudes. Structurally irrational combinations of attitudes are constituted by inconsistent commitments, which guarantees that we will fail to live up to at least some of our commitments in holding these attitudes. (shrink)

Today the whole world is facing a very difficult time due to corona virus which initially originated in Wuhan city of China. In China an unusual pneumonia was noticed earlier which later recognized as a pandemic. There have been two events in the past wherein crossover of animal corona viruses to humans has resulted in severe disease, one was SARS-CoV and the other was MERS-CoV. The genetic sequence of the COVID19 showed more than 80% similarities to SARS-CoV and 50% to (...) the MERSCoV. Corona viruses are enveloped positive sense single-stranded RNA virus belongs to a large family in which all strains of the family do not have virulent capacity. World Health Organisation has classified COVID-19 as a β CoV of group 2B. Structurally, SARS-CoV-2 has four main structural proteins and several accessory proteins through which it enters into the cell. This virus enters the through ACE2 receptors, which are found on various organs in human body. After entering into one body, it enters to another body via transmission through sneezing, coughing etc. People who have had diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, or even high blood pressure and cancer are at higher risk of coronavirus. (shrink)

Violence risk assessment tools are increasingly used within criminal justice and forensic psychiatry, however there is little relevant, reliable and unbiased data regarding their predictive accuracy. We argue that such data are needed to (i) prevent excessive reliance on risk assessment scores, (ii) allow matching of different risk assessment tools to different contexts of application, (iii) protect against problematic forms of discrimination and stigmatisation, and (iv) ensure that contentious demographic variables are not prematurely removed from risk assessment tools.