The Sikh Gurus established [Sikhism]] from over the centuries beginning in the year 1469. Sikhism was founded by the first guru, Guru Nanak, and subsequently, all in order were referred to as "Nanak", and as "Lights", making their teachings in the holy scriptures, equivalent. There are a total of 11 gurus, of which the current, and everlasting, Sikh Guru is the integrated Sikh scriptures known as the Adi Granth or, Siri Guru Granth Sahib.

Sikhism was established by Guru Nanak and ten other Sikh Gurus starting in 1469. Guru Nanak was the first Guru and Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru bestowed the Guruship forevermore to the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib the 11th Guru, the living word. Sikhs follow the teachings of the Gurus, which is believed upon remembering, leads to salvation.

The name "Nanak" was used by all the subsequent gurus who wrote any sacred text in the Sikh holy scripture called the Guru Granth Sahib. The second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev is also called the "Second Nanak" or "Nanak II". Sikhs hold that all subsequent Gurus carried the same message as that of Guru Nanak and so they have used the name "Nanak" in their holy text instead of their own name and hence are all referred to as the "Light of Nanak."

Zakir Abdul Karim Naik (Urdu: ذاکر عبدالکریم نائیک; born 18 October 1965) is an Indian public speaker on the subject of Islam and comparative religion. He is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), a non-profit organisation that owns the Peace TV channel based in Dubai, UAE. He is sometimes referred to as a televangelist. Before becoming a public speaker, he trained as a doctor. He has written two booklets on Islam and comparative religion. He is regarded as an exponent of the Salafi ideology; he places a strong emphasis on individual scholarship and the rejection of "blind Taqlid", which has led him to repudiate the relevance of sectarian or Madh'hab designations, all the while reaffirming their importance.

Zakir Abdul Karim Naik was born on 18 October 1965 in Mumbai, India. He attended St. Peter's High School in Mumbai. Later he enrolled at Kishinchand Chellaram College, before studying medicine at Topiwala National Medical College and Nair Hospital and later the University of Mumbai, where he obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS). His wife, Farhat Naik, works for the women's section of the IRF.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇਗ਼ ਬਹਾਦੁਰ [ɡʊru teɣ bəhɑdʊɾ]; 1 April 1621 – 24 November 1675) became the 9th Guru Ji of Sikhs on 20 March 1665, following in the footsteps of His Grand-Nephew, Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji was executed on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji was the Youngest of the Five Sons of Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji. He was born in Amritsar in the early hours of 1 April 1621. The name Tegh Bahadur (Mighty Of The Sword), was given to him by Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji after He had shown H is valour in a battle with the Mughals.

Amritsar at that time was the centre of Gursikh faith. Under Guru Hargobind, it had become even more renowned. By virtue of being the seat of the Guru, and with its connection to Sikhs in far flung areas of the country through the chains of masands it had developed the characteristics of a state capital.

Tegh Bahadur was brought up steeped in Sikh culture. He was trained in the martial-arts of archery and horsemanship, and was also taught the old classics. Prolonged spells of seclusion and contemplation are said to have given him a deep mystical temperament.

Guru Nanak (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; Hindi: गुरु नानक, Urdu: گرونانک [ˈɡʊɾu ˈnɑnək] Gurū Nānak) (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539 at Talwandi (present-day Pakistan)) was the founder of the religion of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.

The Sikhs believe that all subsequent Gurus possessed Guru Nanak’s divinity and religious authority, and were named "Nanak" in the line of succession.

Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469, now celebrated as Prakash Divas of Guru Nanak Dev, into a Hindu Khatri family in the village of Rāi Bhōi dī Talwandī, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, Pakistan. Today, his birthplace is marked by Gurdwara Janam Asthan. Some are of the opinion that 20 October is his enlightenment day rather than his birthday. His father, Kalyan Chand Das Bedi, popularly shortened to Kalu Mehta, was the patwari (accountant) of crop revenue for the village of Talwandi in the employment of a Muslim landlord of that area, Rai Bular Bhatti. Guru Nanak’s mother was Tripta Devi and he had one elder sister, Bibi Nanaki who became a spiritual figure in her own right.

Punjab had gone through an era of Sikh persecution under the Mughal governor of Lahore Zakriya Khan from 1726 to 1745 A.D. The Sikhs of Punjab had taken refuge in the deserts of the Rajputana.

In 1740, the governor of Lahore put Massa Ranghar or Musalul Khan, a Chaudhury of Mandiala as the incharge of the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple). Sikhs were not allowed to visit the Harmandir Sahib or to take a dip in the holy waters of its tank (sarovar). Massa Ranghar persecuted the Sikhs and looted the shops and home of Hindus. He watched the dancing girls perform, drank alcohol and smoked hookah inside the Harminder Sahib.

Two residents of Amritsar Tej Ram, a Hindu and Bulaka Singh took this news to a band of Khalsa in the deserts of Bikaner under the leadership of Sardar Sham Singh. Tej Ram and Bulaka Singh narrated their stories to the congregation of Sikhs. After listening Sardar Mehtab Singh Bhangu volunteered to bring Massa Ranghar's head back to Bikaner. Another Sikh, Sardar Sukha Singh of Mari Kamboki also stood up and asked to accompany Mehtab Singh.