The Harminder Sahib was completed in 1601, Guru Arjan Dev Ji the fifth Guru of the Sikhs decided to enshrine the spiritual wisdom of the Gurus and saints in a holy scripture which would be installed in the Harminder Sahib. This was to strengthen the faith and to provide a source of inspiration. the other reason to do so was because Prithi Chand the Guru Ram Das Ji's bitter son was composing hymns of his own and claiming them to be compositions of Guru Nanak Dev ji and his successors. Guru Arjan Dev Ji collected the compositions of the first three Gurus which were held by Baba Mohan at Gowindwal. Guru ji then collected the hymns of the fourth Guru and selected some of the devotional hymns of Hindu and Muslim saints. To these Guru Ji added his own hymns. In 1603 when all the compositions were collected the Guru selected a quite and shaded place at the banks of the sarovar Ramsar in Amritsar to complete his work. While Guru Ji dictated the sacred hymns, Bhai Gurdas Ji inscribed them in Gurmukhi script. The Granth Sahib was completed in july 1604.

The greatest glory of Guru Granth Sahib Ji is its universal scripture free from bias and prejudice. It is the only scripture of its kind which enshrines in it the hymns of saints without distinction of race, religion, caste or creed. In the Guru Granth Sahib are enshrined the hymns of six Gurus, thirteen Hindu bhagats (saints - Trilochan, Naamdev, Ramanand, Surdas, Baini, Sadna, Kabir, Ravidas,Parmanand, Ravidas, Sain, Dhanna, Pipa and Jaidev), five muslim divines (Sheikh Farid, Bhikhan, Mardana, Satta and Balwand), a Sikh devotee (Sundar) and twelve bards.

A Total of 5894 hymns are enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

The 1430 pages of Guru Granth Sahib Ji are divided into 33 sections. The first section up to page 13 consists of three prayers : Japji - the Sikh morning prayer, Sodar - the evening prayer and Sohela - the bedtime prayer. The next 31 sections from pages 14 to 1352 are named after well known classical Raags based on musical measures or modes e.g - Sri raag, raag Majh, raag Bilawal etc. The final section from pages 1353 to 1430 is a selection of salokes or verses. These salokes include Sanskrit salokes by Bhagat Kabir and Baba Faridand svaiyay (quatrains) by the bards as well as additional salokes by the Gurus.

Within each raag there is a secondary sub-division each being arranged according to the length of the composition. First comes the chaupads (four verses and a refrain), then ashtpadis (eight stanzas and refrain), then the chhant (normally four to six stanzas but appreciably longer in length). Next comes the works of the Gurus, that are in the appropriate measure but of greater length. Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Dakhani Onkar and Sidh Gosht are examples , both in raag Ramkali, or Guru Arajan Dev Ji’s masterpiece Sukhmani Sahib in raag Gauri. Still in the same raag we have the vaars, followed by the Bhagat bani, the most prolific of whom is Bhagat Kabir Ji.

All the Gurus merge their identity by signing themselves as Nanak, but the bani of Guru Nanak Dev Ji is preceded by the form Mahala I, Guru Angad Dev Ji’s by Mahala II and so on. Just as the organisation of the scriptures is a model of clarity so too is the message it communicates wholly consistant throught the entire work, the message of spiritual liberation through meditation on the divine Name.

The compilation of Guru Granth Sahib marked an important landmark in the history of the Sikhs. It became the sacred scripture of the new faith which engendered in the Sikhs the consciousness of being a separate community and faith. The hymns establish a deep spiritual unity between man and God.

In 1605 the emperor Akbar visited Guru Arjan Dev Ji at Amritsar, he was very pleased with the majestic beauty of the Harmindar. He was charmed by the sweet voice of the Guru and the delightful melodies to which the Guru sang the compositions. He requested the Guru secure peace for his soul. Guru Ji blessed him and told him to dwell on the name of the Divine.

Nothing has made the Sikh faith more alive and dynamic then the fact that its scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib is in the simple language spoken by the people and is available to all men and women.

The Guru Granth Sahib of Kartarpur was received by Guru Har Rai Ji in inheritnce from Guru Hargobind Sahib. The former passed it on to Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji. After Guru Harkrishan ji ascended to heaven the Granth Sahib remained in that family in the custody of Dhir Mal.

Sodhi Dhir Mal was the son of Baba Gurditta Ji, the eldest son of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and the uncle of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Therefore Dhir Mal was Guru Gobind Singh Ji's cousin.

In 1706 Guru Gobind Singh Ji the tenth Guru of the Sikhs had reached Sabo Ki Talwandi or Damdama Sahib as it is known today. Guru Ji had had to vacate his beloved Anandpur Sahib, his two younger sons had been martyred at Sirhand and his two eldest sons had died in the midst of battle at Chamkaur, he had suffered heavy losses in men, but still Guru Ji was in buoyant mood. Guru Ji addressed the congregation that had gathered one day "I wish to recite the Gurbani which Guru Arjan Dev Ji had compiled with the help of Bhai Gurdas Ji. To see it, to read it and to think over what is written therein. That sacred volume is now lying with the descendents of Sodhi Dhir Mal in the town of Kartarpur, we have to bring it with due respect."

Some Sikhs were despatched to Kartarpur and went straight to the Sodhi household. The Sodhis thought that the Guru was trying to snatch away the scriptures from them and refused to part with them. Dhir Mal had died in 1677 and had he been alive he may have agreed, out of mature thought, but his grandsons had other ideas. Inspite of repeated requests theSodhis were adamant, "If Gobind Singh calls himself Guru, let him compile his own Granth just as Guru Arjan Dev Ji once did" they taunted.

Whether to re-write the Aadh Granth or not was the question that the Sodhis had raised before Guru Sahib Ji. There is no doubt that guru Gobind Singh Ji was the tenth Guru Nanak in whom the same jote (spirit) prevailed. He had ascended the Guru's throne in regular line of succession after Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji. Had Guru Gobind Singh Ji not re-written the Aadh Granth his Guruship may hav been doubted the the Sikhs. Moreover, he himself had written in Bachittar Natak that all ten Gurus should be deemed as having the same jote. The challenge thrown by the Sodhis had therefore to be accepted in order to confirm the belief in the Sikhs in the competence of the Guru, particulary after so many sacrifices had taken place. Had he not done so, then the descendents of Dhir Mall would easily had mis-led the Sikhs.

Guru Ji announced his decision to re-write the Granth Sahib. A separate tent was set up and arrangements made to collect paper and ink. According to historical records, Guru Ji, after morning ablutions, would enter the tent and dictate the bani from memory to Bhai Manni Singh for nearly six hours a day. This strenuous but inspiring practice continued for three months until the whole 1430 pages were complete from begining to end. The compilation of the new Granth Sahib at Damdama Sahib was indeed an achievement of great significance. It gave Guru Ji the opportunity to include the compositions of the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.

Guru Ji was very pleased when the task was completed and he arranged for an Akhand Path (continuous reading) of the Guru Granth Sahib.

It has been said by some that Guru ji must have collected copies of the Aadh Granth beforhand, but there is no evidence for this. Guru Ji had left behind all the literature he had at the time of leaving Chamkaur. The fact that Guru Ji had sent his Sikhs to Kartarpur shows that he had to copies available. It is therefore safe to say that Guru Gobind Singh Ji re-wrote the Aadh Granth Sahib through his spiritual powers.