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Introduction
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Guru Nanak
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Beliefs and Practices
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Holy Scripture
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Sikhism is the
religion professed by approximately 20 million Indians called
Sikhs who live mainly in the East Punjab (India). The word “Sikh”
is a Hindi word which means “disciple”. The Sikhs believe in One
God who is the creator of the universe and who has never been
incarnate in any form. They also believe in the equality of all
human beings and are strongly opposed to caste system. The Holy
Book of the Sikhism is the Guru Granth Sahib and founder of
Sikhism is Guru Nanak. It is perhaps the youngest religion of the
world which came into existence in the 16th century
A.D. Some people regard it as a sect or branch of Hinduism.
The Sikhs have no
country of their own. When British India was partitioned in 1947
A.D. into Hindu Bharat and Muslim Pakistan, Sikhs opted to live
with Hindus in Bharat. The Sikhs soon realized their mistake when
they were persecuted, terrified and maltreated by Hindu majority.
So they started an active movement for independence of Punjab from
India. However, their movement was ruthlessly crushed by the
Indian army which entered into their Golden Temple at Amritsar.
After murder of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh
security Guards, there was an outburst against the Sikh community
in India in which Hindu fanatics killed thousands of Sikhs.
Presently the Sikh movement for independence is not active.
Guru Nanak, the
founder of the Sikhism and its first guru (teacher) was born in
1469 A.D. at the village of Talwandi about 30 miles from Lahore in
the West Punjab (Pakistan) and died in 1538. His parents were
Hindus who belonged to Hindu caste of Khattri (ancient Kashatriya
caste) of fairly high social rank. He was married in young age and
had two children. He was employed in a granary by the government
of Muslim rulers of the Punjab and served at Sultanpur. He had an
associate and friend of his young days Mardana, a Muslim of
Talwandi, who was to play an important role in the future career
of Nanak.1
Nanak from the
very young age was given to meditation and religious speculation.
In his thirties he left his family and job to become wandering
preacher. He set out on a long tour of northern and west India in
company of Mardana. Legend says that late in life, Nanak along
with Mardana also visited Makkah and entered into Holy Kaaba in
the traditional dress of Muslim pilgrims. Later they visited
Madinah and then went to Baghdad. From this journey Nanak is
reported to have received a great spiritual and religious
experience which was destined to influence his teachings as a
religious preceptor.2
From about 1520
A.D. to 1538 A.D. till his death Nanak settled in Punjab village
of Kartarpur, surrounded by his disciples teaching his newly
discovered beliefs. One of his disciples was Angad whom Nanak
named as his spiritual successor after his death. Many legends
concerning Nanak’s life and deeds which grew up after his death
were collected in anthologies.
Nanak had studied
both Hinduism and Islam and was influenced by Hindu reformers
particularly by Sant Kabir. Guru Nanak emphasized fundamental
truth of all religions and his mission was to put an end to
religious conflict. He condemned the formalism both of Hinduism
and Islam and believed in the unity of Godhead. He designated the
one God, in whom he believed, as Satnam (the true name) who had
created all men equal. He denounced caste differences and insisted
upon the dignity of labour. He reacted against rituals and placed
individual conduct before them. The core of his beliefs was Hindu
but he was also greatly influenced by Islam. This mixture of faith
is evident throughout Sikhism, although it contains some
strikingly original elements also. Nanak retained Hindu doctrine
of the transmigration of souls, together with its usual corollary,
the law of Karma. He believed in and preached the sovereignty of
the One God, the creator. Guru Nanak called his God Satnam (the
true Name) and taught that the True Name is manifest in manifold
ways and in manifold places and is known by manifold names; but He
is eternally One – the Sovereign and Omnipotent God. If any name
is to be used, let it be Hari (the kindly). In this article of
Nanak’s creed, a strong Islamic element is evident. He is said to
have summarized his religious view – point in the statement: “I
have appeared in this age to indicate the way unto men. I reject
all sects, and know only One God Whom I recognise in the earth,
the heavens and in all directions.”3
Nanak is regarded
first Guru of Sikh religion who was succeeded by nine gurus as
official heads of the Sikh religion, namely: Angad (1538 – 1552),
Amardas (1552 – 1574), Ramdas (1574 – 1581), Arjan Mal (1581 –
1606), Har Gobind (1606 – 1645), Har Rai (1645 – 1661), Har Kishan
(1661 – 1664), Teg Bahadar (1664 – 1675) and Gobind Singh (1675 –
1708). The fifth Guru Arjan Mal or Arjan completed the artificial
lake of Amritsar and the Golden Temple on its island. He also
completed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of the Sikhs, which
contains devotional hymns and sayings of Guru Nanak, and sayings
of Kabir and other saints. The last Guru Gobind Singh abolished
class distinction and transformed the Sikhs into a military
organization by instituting the ceremony of the Khanda – di –
Pahul” (Baptism of Sword). Now the Sikhs formed the militant group
of the Khalsa (or Pure), bore the name of singh and swore to bear
the five ks’. The Guru was assassinated in 1708 and since then the
Guru Granth Sahib has taken the place of a Sikh Guru.4
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As mentioned
earlier, Nanak tried to unite Hinduism and Islam by adopting
beliefs from both these great religions although he was a born
Hindu. Therefore, the religion founded by him combines in itself
some outstanding features of Islam and Hinduism. For example,
Sikhism includes the Islamic belief in one God and, like Islam,
forbids the worship of idols and images. Like Islam it also
believes in equality of human beings and rejects Hindu caste
system and class distinctions. However, like Hinduism, it believes
in doctrine of reincarnation and doctrine of Karma. Doctrine of
Reincarnation says that after the body dies, the soul is reborn in
the body of an animal or of another human being; whereas doctrine
of Karma prescribes that a person’s actions determine what kind of
animal or human being the soul will enter in the next life.5
The daily prayer
is important in Sikhism and Gurdwara is religious as well as
social center of its followers. The Khalsa (community of the,
‘pure’) wear the five k’s: the Kes (long heir on head and chin);
the Kangha (comb); the Kachcha (short trousers); the Kara (steal
bracelet) and the Kirpan (Sword or dagger). Sikh men generally
like to take the last name “Singh” (lion) and women “kour”
(princess). The Sikhs avoid stimulants especially alcoholic
liquors and tobacco. They eat meat and their main devotion is
service to family, to Sikhism, to mankind and finally to God
through martyrdom. God is worshipped as cause of causes and
relation to him is mystical and highly personal. Daily prayers are
generally offered in private and service takes place of both
ritual sacrifice and ritual purity. The Akali (Sikh holy man) is
an itinerant fighter and the ideal man is the saint – warrior.6
The holiest Sikh
shrine is the Golden Temple at sacred city of Amritsar, India.
Ramdas the fourth Sikh Guru founded the city in 1577 while the
fifth Guru, Arjan, completed the lake and the Golden Temple. The
symbol of Sikhism consists of two carved swords, a double edged
dagger, and discus. The symbol stand for bravery and spiritual
power.7 Town of Nanak (Nankana), the birthplace of Guru
Nanak, and Panja Sahib in Hasanabdal, another sacred place of
Sikhs are situated in Pakistan, and therefore, Sikh pilgrims come
in thousands to Pakistan from all over the world particularly from
India to visit these places.
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The Granth or the
Adi Granth is the religious scripture of Sikhism. It is also
called Guru Granth Sahib as it has taken the place of a Sikh Guru
after assassination of Guru Govind Singh, the last Sikh Guru, who
told his followers to regard the Granth as their Guru as there was
no need of other leadership than that of teachings of the Granth.
The Granth
contains devotional hymns and traditions of Guru Nanak and sayings
of Kabir and other saints.
The Granth
receives the honours of a divine at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
1,2,3-
Islam and World Religions
4,5,6-
Encyclopedia Americana
7- World Book Encyclopedia
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