Interfaith harmony isn’t just an idea; in Sikhism, it is a lived discipline

At Sirhind, history sits in layers.
On one side, Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and the Thanda Burj (The Cold Tower) – the site of the Chhotey Sahibzaadey’s imprisonment and ultimate sacrifice on 26 Dec 1704. Just a short walk away, the Masjid Rauza Sharif (since 1563), a place of deep Muslim spiritual reverence, remains intact.

In an era where hatred spreads with a click, this proximity reminds us of a core Sikh value: Universal Brotherhood. It is the practice of seeing the Light within everyone, refusing to let history’s tragedies turn into today’s bitterness.

Interfaith harmony is often spoken about like a ‘nice’ idea. In Sikhism, it shows up more like a lived discipline — the habit of seeing the Divine in every human, before we see labels.

I reproduce the below, the text from a book by Sant Baba Iqbal Singh ji:

C.H. Loehlin, in his book The Sikhs and Their Scriptures, writes that at the time of the partition of India in 1947, Sikhs vigorously defended the Muslim state of Malerkotla, and any Muslim wishing to go there from elsewhere in Punjab was safely escorted to his destination. The Sikhs made sure that no Muslim – man, woman, or child – in Malerkotla came to any harm, nor was any Muslim property destroyed.

They did so in gratitude to the brave gesture shown by a former Nawab of Malerkotla more than two centuries ago.
In 1704, Nawab Sher Mohammed Khan had spoken out against Wazir Khan, the governor of Sirhind, when the latter ordered the execution of the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh – Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh – for refusing to embrace Islam.

That act was not forgotten; it became part of Sikh collective memory, to the point that a Gurdwara, “Haa da Naara,” stands there to commemorate it. Long years have passed, but this noble act remains fresh in the collective memory of the Sikhs, and to this day, they continue to offer protection to the Muslims of Malerkotla.

— Excerpt from: Sikh Faith – An Epitome of Inter-Faith for Divine Realisation

What makes this even deeper is that Sikh pluralism isn’t just social – it’s scriptural. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib holds the voices of only 6 Sikh Gurus, but 24 Hindu Bhagats and 5 Muslim Sufi Saints – almost like a curriculum in Universal Brotherhood

If we want interfaith to survive beyond conferences and slogans, maybe we take this Sikh lesson seriously: remember good, repay good, and protect human dignity—especially in the hardest times.

-Author : RavinderPal Singh