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._001.jpg) Sikhism originated from the word Sikh,
which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root śiṣya
meaning disciple or learner. It is the world’s fifth largest
religion, with approximately 27 million adherents. The majority of Sikhs live
in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan; however Sikhs live all over the
world with more than 336,000 in the UK alone. Sikhism was founded in the 15th century by Guru Nanak and is based on his teachings, and those
of the nine Sikh gurus who followed him.
Guru Nanak
was born into a Hindu family at a time in history, not unlike our own when
Hindu’s and Muslims where in a state of extreme conflict. He felt compelled to
form the Sikh religion stating, “"There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim,
so whose path shall I follow? I shall follow the path of God." Guru Nanak and those who followed him rejected the Hindu caste system
and went to great lengths to eradicate it from their thinking. Because the
caste system was, at one time identifiable by surname, all male Sikhs use the
name Singh, meaning lion, and the women the name Saur, meaning princess.
Nine enlightened men followed Guru Nanak
and together they became known as the ten gurus. The word guru is from
the Sanskrit language and means, teacher, honoured person, religious person or
saint. Sikhism adds a very specific definition to the word guru - the descent
of divine guidance to humankind through the ten enlightened ones. The
establishment of the Sikh religion began with Guru Nanak in 1469; the divine
spirit was passed through each guru.
After the death of the tenth Guru, Gobind
Singh in 1708, the Sikh Holy Scriptures were called Guru Granth Sahib. The Granth
was compiled by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev ji. He undertook the
enormous task of collecting, compiling, and scrutinizing the hymns and
compositions of Guru Nanak and his predecessors. He decided to include not
only the hymns of the Gurus but also that of other righteous men including both
Muslims and Hindus. It is not clear whether the Guru Granth Sahib is considered to be
revelation or inspiration from God however its teachings are practised in
three ways: Chanting the Holy Name and thus remembering God at all times,
making a living honestly, and sharing with others and helping those in need. Thus,
with this in mind, a very simplified form
the teachings of Sikhism could be described as follows,
1. There is
only one God. Worship and pray to the one God and to none other
2. Remember
God, work hard and help others
3. God is
pleased with honest work and true living
4. There is
no rich, no poor, no black and no white, before God. Actions make you good or
bad.
5. Men and
Women are all equal before God
6. Love
everyone and pray for the good of all
7. Be kind to
people, animals and birds
8. Fear not,
Frighten not.
9. Always
speak the truth.
10. Be simple
in your food, dress and habits.
Unlike most other religions, Sikhs wear
the five articles of their faith. These are, known as the five Ks. Kesh,
un cut hair kept very clean and considered to be God given. Kangha, a
small wooden comb to keep the hair tidy and act as a reminder to keep well
ordered lives. Kirpan is a short sword, about 15 cm long. It signifies
honour, dignity, bravery and the Sikh duty to defend the weak and oppressed,
and uphold truth. The Kirpan should never be drawn in anger, but once drawn it
should not re-sheathed without shedding blood. The Kara is a steel bracelet
worn on the right wrist (unless the wearer is left-handed). The circle of the
bracelet is a symbol of God and unity, and the steel symbolises strength and
fighting for right. Kachs are short underpants tied with a drawstring allowing
ease of movement in battle. They also symbolise purity and modesty, and are a
reminder of the necessity to remain faithful to their spouses.
The most widely recognised symbol of
Sikhism is the turban worn by men. It symbolizes discipline, integrity,
humility, and spirituality, and is a mandatory part of Sikh faith, not a social
custom. The long uncut hair is covered by approximately 15 feet of cloth. Both
men and women cover their heads in public as a sign of respect for the gurus
and God.
Sikhs worship in a building known as a Gurdwara
(the door of the Guru) and it is usually also a community centre
consisting of two halls, one a prayer hall, and a room in which the Guru Granth
Sahib is kept when not in use in the prayer hall. Sikhs have no particular day
of devotion however there are usually daily services, often several times a day
in the larger centres. A saffron and blue Nishan Sahib (flag) flies outside
the gurdwara to indicate a place of hospitality. No one is allowed to bring
tobacco, alcohol or intoxicating drugs inside. Worshippers leave their shoes
outside and respectfully cover their heads when entering.
Inside the Gudwara the Guru Granth sahib
is usually on display and worshippers bow to the ground before it and make
offers of food and or money. Most often men and women usually sit separately
but this is a cultural, not religious requirement. An important feature of the
service is the distribution and sharing of Kara parshad, a mixture of semolina,
sugar and ghee. This mixture is blessed near the end of a service by stirring
with the small sword known as the kirpan. In the large gudwaras, where
services are offered throughout the day Kara pashard is distributed as
worshippers either enter or leave the building.
In part two
we will look at the Sikh concept of God and compare some of the Sikh beliefs
with Islam.
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