Age of Sikhism
: The history of Sikhism began with the birth in 1469 CE of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Guru of the Sikhs. The initiation (baptism) ceremony and other traditions of the religion were formalized by 1699 CE.
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The earliest saint to have a major influence on Sikh thought was Sheikh Farid, born in 1173. Verses from many other saints across all socioeconomic and cultural boundaries were incorporated into Sikh philosophy without discrimination. However, the single, cohesive ideology of Sikhism can be defined entirely by the unique revelation of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Only verses that agreed with this revelation would be ultimately incorporated into Sikhism, but if they did agree, then they would not be excluded simply because the author came from a different background. Hence, Sikhism draws from the strength of countless sages across time but is ultimately a uniquely consistent and modern faith.
Some scholars mark the beginning of Sikhism with the actual moment of Guru Nanak's revelation, when he received the Divine message from God that forms the foundation of Sikhism. This occurred well into Guru Nanak Dev Ji's adulthood. Others claim the beginning of Sikhism cannot be defined, as the faith describes the attributes of the timeless God. However, the most appropriate beginning marker is likely the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji since this is the earliest event that is widely celebrated by the Sikh community every year.
Size of Sikhism
: Sikhism is the fifth largest world religion. Among all world, regional, and atheist traditions, Sikhism is the ninth largest religion. Sikhs currently number approximately 25 million across the globe, placing Sikhism below Buddhism and above Judaism in terms of size.
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Exact numbers do not accurately portray the sizes of religions because the numbers of adherents are in constant flux. Furthermore, it is impossible to obtain accurate census data simultaneously from every country on the globe, particularly when many of those countries are engaged in the active suppression of religious minorities. The best we can do is approximate the sizes of religions relative to each other.
The biggest religion in the world is Christianity, although Christianity itself has numerous divisions and subdivisions. For approximately every 100 Christians, there is 1 Sikh in the world. There are many geographic and historical reasons why the sizes of various faiths can be so lopsided. For example, Sikhism is a relatively young faith. Each of the Big Three faiths has a history dating back thousands of years. Younger faiths take time to mature, spread around the world, and blossom. When Christianity was a burgeoning faith, it too faced severe repression and potential annihilation under the Roman Empire. Today, the Roman Empire is long gone and Christianity is the world's religious hegemon.
Role of Women
: Sikhs view men and women as being completely equal. Women are expected to participate in daily and religious life in the same way as men. Barring or discouraging women from any activity or position based on sex is against the principles of Sikhism.
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The Big Three religions of Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism all discriminate against women. This discrimination can be traced back both to cultural origins and to a literal interpretation of religious texts. However, the Sikh spiritual text, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, is adamant about the rights and equality of women. There is not a single quote in this text that can be construed as placing men at a higher level than women.
Sikhism has contributed to revolutionary advances in women's rights. At a time when Hindu widows were required to burn themselves on the funeral pyres of their husbands, Sikh women were taking leadership roles in the religious sphere and even on the battlefield. A newly formed Sikh committee was the first legislative body in India to grant women the right to vote, in the first elections held for the SGPC. This sparked the change that eventually led to all women across India being granted their God-given right to vote and participate as equals in the political process.
Role of Clergy
: In Sikhism, every person is fully responsible for leading a moral life. Sikhs do not believe an intermediary can supplicate on one's behalf to God. Hence, Sikhs have no priestly class. Those educated in religious affairs or with a special insight on God are free to teach or guide others, but they cannot claim to have a monopoly on access to God. Religious services are usually conducted by a Giani, literally, one who is educated in religious affairs. However, members of the congregation are also expected to be active participants.
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Sikhs do not believe that holiness or salvation can be handed to someone automatically like an inheritance is passed from parent to child. Holiness, after all, means piety, integrity, humility, and much more. These traits must be gifted by God and cultivated through discipline and good behavior. Sikhs do not believe simply confessing sins to a clergymember on a routine basis and performing a penance ritual is enough. One must actively do good deeds to better this world. A clergymember cannot absolve your sins. Your record of deeds is between you and God, and no special treatment will be given if you happen to adopt a certain religious label.
In Sikhism, the role of clergy is to guide others, educate them, and support them. However, the clergy does not have the right to dictate the actions of the community. Sikhs believe conflating religious leaders with God makes society vulnerable to abuse. No Sikh Guru ever claimed to be God or even to hold a monopoly on access to God. Giving donations to clergy will not have any effect on washing clean your past actions. Performing rituals does not better our world. Sikhs believe we must be active thinkers and doers. The highest-ranking clergymember in Sikhism is the Guru Khalsa Panth, the collective religious community itself.
Conception of God
: Sikhs do not view God as a man in the clouds or any other form of human being, male or female. The concept of God in Sikhism is of oneness with the entire universe and its spirit. God is found not by searching in remote places, but by eliminating ego, which is said to allow a deeper, more accurate perspective on the nature of reality.
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A simplified Sikh definition of God is as follows: The Enlightener, The One Everlasting Reality, The Creator, Without Fear, Without Hostility, Beyond Time And Space, Not Born But Self-Originating. This basic definition is thoroughly elaborated on in Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Most of the virtues of God described above are in common with other faiths. However, the digit one included at the beginning of the above invocation is unique. It reflects that there is only one God for the whole of humanity. Just because many different names have been assigned to Him does not mean there are many different Gods. Most faiths do not believe that the Gods described by other faiths could possibly be the same Reality praised in different words due to different histories, cultures, and interpretations. They tend to believe that their particular God is the true God, and all the other Gods are separate, false gods. Sikhism does not agree, and hence from the very definition of God it begins to strongly diverge from other faiths.
Life After Death
: Sikhs believe that upon death one merges back into the universal nature, just as a drop of rain merges back into the ocean. Individuality is lost. Sikhs do not believe in heaven or hell. Heaven can be experienced by being in tune with God while still alive. Conversely, the suffering and pain caused by ego is seen as hell on earth. Sikhism views spiritual pursuits as positive experiences in and of themselves that transcend death, not as sacrifices made in order to collect a reward that is waiting until after death.
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In addition to upholding the rights of the vulnerable, the ultimate spiritual achievement in Sikhism is the complete elimination of ego. By definition, when this occurs you intuitively become one with the Soul of the universe. When someone dies, the last vestiges of separation are removed and complete union with God results. Sikhism does not agree that God would ever torture His own creations for eternity in hell. Rather, the lack of love for God and obsession with carnal desires is comparatively hell already. The permanent peace and beauty of union with God is far beyond fleeting ego-driven lusts and pleasures.
Sikhism advocates reincarnation, the idea that the same spirit may cycle through life multiple times, just as a droplet of water may evaporate many times or an atom may form part of the structure of many different beings. The Sikh concept of reincarnation should not be confused with the Hindu concept of reincarnation, which is what most people think of when they hear the word. Hindu reincarnation claims that one's status in this life is a result of one's actions in past lives, and it is therefore used to justify the caste system, a form of social discrimination. This discriminatory Hindu belief is completely rejected by the Sikh Gurus.
Sikhism emphasizes that the world we are living in is real, and it is important. There is no such thing as a Sikh convent, where religious seekers barricade themselves from the pollution of the world and live ritualistically spartan lives. Hence, Sikhism is a life-affirming faith, contradicting the older, monastic faiths that have focused on rebirth after death. Sikhism strongly encourages individuals to focus on this life instead of speculating on what may or may not happen to them after they've passed away. Life is viewed as a rare and precious opportunity not to be squandered.
Religious Texts
: The only authenticated text of the Sikhs is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, a 1430-page text containing hymns written directly by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and later Gurus. This text was ratified by Guru Gobind Singh Ji as the final authority on Sikh spiritual doctrine. Later, other texts such as Dasam Granth were incorporated into Sikhism's practice, but these texts are of much less importance and their authenticity has been disputed.
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Guru Granth Sahib Ji consists of 3,384 hymns all written in poetic verse. It was compiled by Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who organized it in a very systematic way. Guru Arjan Dev Ji also was the most prolific contributor to the Scripture, followed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Guru Amardas Ji. However, many other authors including several non-Sikhs have contributed as well.
The compilation of Guru Granth Sahib Ji was completed in August, 1604 CE, and it was installed for the first time in Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar on September 1, 1604. Ever since, it has served as a pillar of Sikhism. On October 20, 1708 Guru Gobind Singh Ji decreed that Guru Granth Sahib Ji would be the eternal guiding Guru of the Sikhs, in conjunction with the Guru Khalsa Panth. Sikhs do not worship Guru Granth Sahib Ji, just as they have never worshipped any preceding Guru. Instead, they worship through the divine message of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which is fundamentally a praise of God.
View of Other Religions
: Sikhs believe they have no right to impose their beliefs on others or even to cajole members of other religions to convert. Such practices are strictly forbidden in Sikhism. Sikhs are required to defend the freedom of worship of other religions just as they would their own. Sikhs do not believe that followers of other religions are doomed in the eyes of God regardless of their personal character and behavior, nor does being born into a Sikh family guarantee salvation. However, this does not mean Sikhs view all religions as being similar. The philosophy, practice, and history of Sikhism are unique and seen as clearly distinct from any other religion.
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Like most other religions, Sikhism has its own religious dress, its own marriage and initiation ceremonies, its own religious Scripture, and its own philosophy, history, and culture. Unlike most other religions, Sikhism does not claim that all the followers of other religions are doomed to hell. Many religious scholars agree that Sikhism is the most nonconforming religion in the world, in that it repudiates the practices of other religions rather than building on top of them. The Sikh belief that religious bigotry is wrong, far from undermining the uniqueness of Sikhism, emphasizes its distinctiveness. For example, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the supreme head of Sikhism from 1665 to 1675 CE, voluntarily sacrificed his life to protect the right of worship of a different religion. No supreme head of any other religion has ever made such a contribution to the defense of a different faith.
Eligibility for Participation
: All individuals, regardless of race, gender, or nationality, are free to become Sikhs. Young children who are not yet capable of understanding the philosophy of Sikhism and making their own decisions are not eligible to be initiated into the faith until they have grown older. One does not have to be a Sikh to participate in Sikh religious services and activities. Members of other religions are welcome.
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Persons initiated into Sikhism are known as Amritdharis. Only Amritdharis are eligible to be elected to authoritative Sikh offices. However, non-Amritdharis are free to attend worship services at any Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) in the world. Langar, the free community kitchen that is a major component of Sikh religious services at every Gurdwara, provides free meals to all regardless of background. Typically, the majority of people taking advantage of Langar are non-Amritdharis.
Outlook
: Like the Jewish faith which has been subject to extreme historical persecution, Sikhs have faced extreme pressure from a variety of groups. Being a small but vocal minority, they were subjected to widescale oppression by Muslim invaders on multiple occasions and again later by the British Raj during the colonization of India. More recently, they have suffered a great deal from attacks by Hindu fundamentalists. However, they have always seemed to rebound strongly and overcome such horrors. Sikhs played the leading role in ending both the Mughal imperial rule and the British Raj of India. Sikhs today are thriving and remain one of the fastest growing religions in the world. Practitioners of Sikhism can now be found in every major city in the world.
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The region where Sikhism originated, Punjab, is bounded by two warlike faiths - Islam in the west and Hinduism in the east. Both of these faiths have repeatedly tried to obliterate Sikhism, sometimes even in concert with one another. During this period, Sikhs were repeatedly persecuted, massacred, and even legally hunted. The attempts to destroy Sikhism failed, and by 1800 CE Sikh rule over Punjab was firmly established. However, by this time the British had already launched plans to colonize India. They methodically conquered all other Southeast Asian states, and eventually managed to destroy the Sikh state as well.
The British encouraged artists to make paintings of the Sikhs, because they claimed that by the time they were done with them, no Sikhs would be left in India. Government-sponsored missionaries were brought in by the British Empire to begin the mass conversion of Sikhs to Christianity. The attempted conversion drastically backfired, leading to the overthrow of the British colonization of India. Overwhelming responsibility for the end of British rule belongs to the Sikhs. Some of the government missionaries sent by the British to convert them even ended up becoming admirers and promoters of Sikhism.
When the British were to leave, the Muslims and the Hindus decided that they could not live with each other and needed separate countries. The interests of the Sikhs, who were a small minority, were totally disregarded. The Sikh homeland of Punjab was split down the middle, with the western half given to the Muslims to form Pakistan, and the eastern half given to the Hindus to form part of India. The Sikhs were left with nothing. Most of them were forced to move to India during Partition, with many being robbed and even killed along the journey. The west Punjab Sikhs lost all their land along with many of their historic religious sites.
The Hindus at that time promised the Sikhs that adequate safeguards for their human rights would be provided, but these promises were later broken. A Hindu nationalist movement rose up, known as Hindutva. The goal of this fascist movement is to preserve India as a land only for Hindus. Organized under the aegis of the R.S.S., this terrorist group committed many terrible crimes, including the assassination of Mohandas Gandhi for being too moderate, even though Gandhi himself was a Hindu fundamentalist.
To this day, Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians living in India are routinely attacked and discriminated against. However, while Sikhism is now facing troubling times in India, it grows ever more popular elsewhere in the world. In free countries like the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, it is flourishing. Therefore, Sikhism as a whole, despite the massive blows dealt to it, is still on the rise.
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