Born on 16 January 1630, Guru Har Rai revered as the seventh Nanak, was the seventh of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. Guru Har Rai became the Sikh leader at age 14, on 3 March 1644, after the death of his grandfather and the sixth Sikh leader Guru Hargobind. He guided the Sikhs for about 17 years, till his death at age 31.  

The sixth Guru and a distinguished general, Hargobind, was Guru Har Rai's grandfather. While visiting the Malwa region, Guru Har Rai converted the native Brar tribes to Sikhism. His grandfather had collected a substantial army of standing forces, which he continued to command, but he persistently strove to establish friendly ties with the ruling Muslim Mughal dynasty. Peace was threatened when the Mughal prince Dr. Shikh, who had a favourable attitude toward non-Muslims and had ostensibly once received assistance from Guru Har Rai in some capacity (perhaps being treated for poisoning), lost the succession battle to his brother, Aurangzeb.

Guru Har Rai dispatched his son Ram Rai to speak on his behalf when he was asked by the new monarch to describe his relationship with Dr. Shikh. Ram Rai made an effort to placate Aurangzeb after the emperor questioned him on a passage in the Adi Granth (the Sikh scripture) that he believed insulted Muslims. Ram Rai claimed that the passage had been incorrectly transcribed. Ram Rai was condemned by Guru Har Rai for doing this. The Guru chose Hari Krishen, his five-year-old son, to succeed him rather than Ram Rai, shortly before he passed away.

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