Early Sikh engagements with Islam and classical Sufi thinkers

Satnam Singh is an intellectual historian and the author of The Road to Empire: The Political Education of Khalsa Sikhs in the Late 1600s. His research explores early modern intellectual history and the construction of knowledge and authority within Sikh ranks.

This lecture seeks to explore how Sikh scholars engaged deeply with Islamic and classical Sufi philosophy through translation, commentary, circulation, and interpretation. Moving beyond narratives of political conflict, the presentation examines Sikh participation in a wider Persianate cosmopolis of mystical and ethical thought.

The lecture also aims to examine intellectual exchanges involving figures such as Rumi, Imam al-Ghazali, Hafez, Rabia al-Basri, Hallaj, and others, alongside Sikh scholars including Bhai Nand Lal Goya and Seva Ram.

Practicalities

Please complete the registration form to express your interest to attend either in-person or online. The deadline is 10 June. (Your data will be held within the University of Cambridge.)

This event is organised by the Cambridge University Sikh Society and supported by a small grant from the Cambridge Interfaith Research Forum.