Among the world’s religious texts, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji stands uniquely distinguished as the only scripture directly authored, compiled, and authenticated by the Sikh Gurus themselves. Prepared under their direct supervision, every word was preserved exactly as revealed by Vaheguru. Its structure is safeguarded through divine grammar and a sound‑weight system that ensures perfect consistency, preventing even the slightest alteration.
By contrast, the Quran was compiled years after the death of Prophet Muhammad, through a process shaped by political decisions, the destruction of variant manuscripts, and acknowledged errors from scribes. The character of its compilation, and the prophet around whom it revolves, raises serious questions about its authenticity and claim to divine origin.
This article will examine the flawless preservation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji alongside the human flaws evident in the Quran’s historical transmission, highlighting why Sikhi offers a scripture of unparalleled integrity and timeless truth.
Islam: The Quran’s Human Flaws
1. A Scribe’s Betrayal Exposes the Quran’s Fragility:
One of Muhammad’s trusted scribes, Abdullāh ibn Saʿd ibn Abī Sarḥ, abandoned Islam after realizing he could alter the supposed “divine revelations” at will, and Muhammad accepted these changes as God’s word (see Ibn ʿAbbas report in Sunan Abu Dawud). This isn’t just apostasy—it’s a glaring red flag. If Muhammad were truly a messenger of God, how could he fail to notice human meddling with divine scripture? This episode shows the Quran was never divinely guarded but vulnerable to manipulation from the very beginning.
2. Uthman’s Cover‑Up and Burning of Manuscripts:
Around 650 CE, nearly two decades after Muhammad’s death, Caliph Uthman ibn Affan ordered all variant Qurans burned to enforce a single version—the Uthmanic codex (Sahih al‑Bukhari 4987). Why? Because Muslims were reading different versions and confusion spread. If the Quran were truly perfect and divinely protected, why did it need a man to destroy manuscripts and impose uniformity? This act looks less like preservation and more like a cover‑up, exposing the Quran’s messy transmission and dependence on political intervention.
3. Muhammad’s Controversial Marriages: Aisha and Zaynab:
Muhammad’s personal life further dismantles any claim to divine character. At 54, he consummated his marriage to Aisha, a mere 9-year-old girl, a fact confirmed by Islamic sources. This isn’t just a cultural quirk; it’s the behavior of a pedophile, a man driven by lust, not holiness. Then there’s Zaynab bint Jahsh, his first cousin and the ex-wife of his adopted son Zayd ibn Harithah. Muhammad instructed Zayd to divorce her, then married her himself, with the Quran conveniently justifying it in Surah Al-Ahzab 33:37. This isn’t divine guidance; it’s a selfish act, using scripture to fulfill sexual desires. How can a man like this claim to speak for God?
4. Illiteracy as a Weakness, Not a Miracle:
Islamic tradition insists Muhammad was illiterate, presenting this as proof the Quran must be divine (Qur’an 7:157–158, “al‑nabi al‑ummi”). Yet illiteracy left him dependent on scribes, opening the door to errors and tampering—as seen with Abdullāh ibn Saʿd. If God truly chose Muhammad to deliver a flawless message, why not grant him literacy to safeguard it? Illiteracy here is not a virtue but a crippling flaw that exposes the Quran’s fragility.
5. Admissions of Sin and Forgetfulness:
Even the Quran admits Muhammad’s imperfection. Surah Muhammad 47:19 commands him to seek forgiveness for his sins. Other verses and Hadith describe him as forgetful, including his admission: “Why does anyone say, I have forgotten such‑and‑such verse? He, in fact, is caused (by Allah) to forget.” (Sahih al‑Bukhari 5039). A prophet chosen by an infallible God should embody purity and reliability, not human weakness. These admissions strip away any pretense of divine favor, revealing Muhammad as fallible, lustful, and unreliable.
Sikhi: Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s Timeless Beauty
1. Divinely Authored and Authenticated by the Gurus Themselves:
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the only religious scripture in existence directly written, compiled, and authenticated by the founders of its faith—the Sikh Gurus themselves. This divine process, initiated by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and completed under the guidance of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, ensures that every word is a direct revelation from God, untouched by external influences or later interpretations. Unlike other scriptures, which were often compiled long after their founders’ time, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji embodies the living voice of the Creator in His form as the Ultimate Eternal Guide – Satguru, making it the ultimate and unadulterated expression of divine truth.
2. Infallible Numbering and Sound-Weight System (Pingal):
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is safeguarded by a divinely inspired numbering system and the science of sound weight, known as the Pingal system. Each line of Gurbani is meticulously structured, with every word, letter, and vowel sound assigned a specific weight, creating harmonic and mathematical precision that locks the scripture’s integrity (Prof. Sahib Singh, Gurbani Vyakaran). This system renders any attempt at alteration or tampering impossible, as even the slightest change would disrupt the divine balance of the text. No other scripture in the world employs such a sophisticated mechanism to preserve its purity, affirming Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s divine origin and unmatched authenticity.
3. Pristine Preservation Free from Human Corruption:
The direct involvement of the Sikh Gurus in the compilation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji ensures its freedom from human interpolation or distortion. From its inception to its final form, the scripture was meticulously preserved under the Gurus’ divine guidance. Unlike other traditions that relied on later scribes or councils prone to error, Sikhi’s scripture was finalized by its own Gurus. This singular process of systematic preservation sets Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji apart as a scripture that remains exactly as God intended—a flawless and eternal guide for humanity.
4. Grammar (Vyakaran) as a Shield Against Adulteration:
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is composed in a unique grammatical system, divinely ordained, that serves as a built‑in mechanism to detect any adulteration. This science of grammar (Gurbani Vyakaran, Sahib Singh) ensures that every verse adheres to a precise linguistic structure, making deviations immediately apparent. Such a divine safeguard is unparalleled in any other scripture, underscoring Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s authenticity as a text directly revealed by God, immune to human manipulation.
5. Uniformity Across Authorized Manuscripts:
Every authorized manuscript of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, as sanctioned by the Gurus, contains the same Gurbani, unchanged and consistent across time. This divine uniformity allows Sikhs to easily identify and reject any additions or alterations, such as the spurious shabad attributed to Mira Bai, which the Sikh community unanimously recognizes as non‑Gurbani. No other scripture maintains such absolute consistency across its original texts, proving that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji remains exactly as it was revealed—a pure, divine revelation untouched by human hands.
Questioning the Quran’s Source and Credibility
The Quran’s origin rests entirely on the claims of one man, Muhammad, who presented himself as a prophet. His questionable moral conduct — such as marrying Aisha at nine years old (Sahih al‑Bukhari 5134) and marrying Zaynab bint Jahsh, the divorced wife of his adopted son, with the Quran itself justifying the act (Surah Al‑Ahzab 33:37) — undermines the credibility of his prophetic authority. A messenger of God should embody flawless moral character; Muhammad’s actions raise serious doubts.
Unlike the Sikh Gurus, who were God‑revealed on earth and lived perfectly moral and exemplary lives, Muhammad never saw or heard God directly. Islamic tradition itself admits he only encountered what he believed to be an angel (Sahih al‑Bukhari 3:17). This indirect and uncertain experience contrasts sharply with the Gurus, whose revelation was direct and whose lives were transparent examples of divine truth.
Even more troubling are reports of the so‑called “Satanic Verses.” Islamic sources acknowledge that for a period Muhammad was deceived by Satan, who influenced him to recite verses later retracted (al‑Tabari, Tafsir; Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah). Qur’an 22:52 itself admits: “Never did We send a messenger or a prophet before you but when he desired, Satan threw some falsehood into his desire…” If Muhammad could be confused by Satan for years, why did the angel not warn him? This undermines the reliability of the very words later compiled into the Quran.
By contrast, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji was revealed through Gurus who lived lives of perfect integrity, authenticated their own scripture, and safeguarded it with divine grammar and numbering systems. There is no doubt in the credibility of Gurbani, for it is both divinely revealed and flawlessly preserved.