VIRGINIA: AdHoc committee of the Sikh Foundation of Virginia (SFV) proudly but humbly declares that Sri Akal Takhat Sahib is the Undisputed ultimate supreme religious and temporal authority of the Sikhs. It is the duty of Sikhs all over the world to give wholehearted unconditional commitment to Sri Akal Takhat Sahib. All Sikhs must accept honor and obey every Aadesh (order) issued by Sri Akal Takhat Sahib irrespective of whether it pertains to religious political or any other matter. Orders issued by Sri Akal Takhat Sahib cannot be questioned challenged. or altered in any form or fashion.

Commissioners hearing in the Ongoing dispute at the Sikh Foundation of Virginia between the Ad Hoc Committee and the Trustees was held on May 2& May41994 in Fairfax Virginia. The underlying issue is whether the Sikh Foundation of Virginia Gurdwara is a Hierarchical/Connectional church which owes allegiance and thus is under the authority of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib or is it a congregational church which is completely independent of the authority of Sri Akal

Takhat Sahib The position taken by Adhoc Committee is that all Gurdwaras including SFV Gurdwara are Hierarchical/Connectional because of our allegiance to Guru Granth Sahib Sri Akal Takhat Sahib Rehit Maryada Panj Payaras and Sadh Sangat Whereas Trustees believe that they should abide by Bylaws only rather than the above mentioned authorities/institutions.

Decision of Professor Manjit Singh Jathedar Sri Akal Takhat Sahib (as reported by World Sikh News on April 22 1994) was hailed and humbly accepted by the Ad Hoe Committee on March 241994 See copy published). Whereas the Trustees balked und refused to accept the referenced decision (see Jeter published in World Sikh News: on April 22, 1994) It should be noted that both parties had given a written commitment to Sri Akal Takhat Sahib that they would comply with their order even though Sri Akal Takhat Sahib did not need such a commitment for issuing an order.

Professor Gerald Barrier of University of Missouri while testifying ns second expert witness on behalf Of SFV Trustees also acknowledged that Sri Akal Takhat Sahib is the ultimate temporal and religious authority of the Sikhs. Then he further stated that SFV is a Congregational church and therefore is not subject to the authority of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib. According to him SFY is not hericrarchical/Connectional church which means again that it is not under the authority of Sri Akal Takhat.

 In his deposition before the court he testified that Sri Akal Takhat Sahib did not have any responsibility authority or Connection with any Gurdwara outside of India. He further testified that Sri Akal Takhat Sahib could issue an order only if it concemed Guru Granth Sahib or the Sikhi nation and for nothing else and that would be the only order from Sri Akal Takhat Sahib he would personally obey and none other He also Stated that at present there were three Jathedars of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib and Professor Manjit Singh was only one of those three. Dr. Ranbir Singh Sandhu of Dublin Ohio appeared as an expert witness on behalf of the Ad Hoc Committee on May 4.1994. Dr. Sandhu made a very strong argument that Sri Akal Takhat Sahib is the ultimate religious and temporal authority of Sikhs and that Sikh Rehit Maryada as published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and approved by Sri Akal Takhat Sahib should if it already doesn’t control and govern Gurdwaras. He also stated that SFV Gurdwara is a Hierarchical/Connectional church since Sikhs owe allegiance to Sri Akal Takhat Sahib regardless of wherever they live on the globe. Moreover we Sikhs already have a mechanism in existence for re solving our disputes ourselves. Our Gurus have used institutions of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib Panj Payaras and Sadh Sangat to resolve disputes and these decisions have never been challenged. If we can follow the same mechanism that our Gurus have used we wouldn’t have to Waste Tremendous amount of money and time in the local courts in re solving our disputes

Adhoc Committee of the Sikh Foundation of Virginia like all other devout Sikhs all over the world bows to Sri Akal Takhat Sahib and con siders every order issued by Sri Akal Takhat Sahib as an order of our Gurus.

The hearing will resume on June 8.1994.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 13, 1994