This work was one of the first studies of Sikhism by a European, having been published in 1812. John Malcolm served in the army of the British East India Company and later in the diplomatic service. Having made contact with the Sikhs, he began to understand the Sikh religion, beliefs and practices.
This work is described as 'not only substantially enhancing the knowledge of his contemporaries about the Sikhs but also exercising a considerable impact on the subsequent writers of Sikh history'.