The Sikh Rehat Maryarda is the official Sikh Code of Conduct, created by Panthic scholars and published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar after approval by its general body. The Maryada serves not only as a valuable guide but as the actual law regarding Sikh conduct. The Rehat Maryada requires a disciple to recite Gurbani (pray) regularly. Instructions are provided on how to conduct religious ceremonies - securing the participation of women and rejecting meaningless rituals. Sikhs are directed not to drink alcohol or use any other drug. Sikhs are required to volunteer in their local communities, and to show humility before God. Gambling, prostitution, and discrimination against members of other religions are all strictly forbidden. The goal is to make all Sikhs into saint-citizens.
Three very significant questions related to the Rehat Maryada that are frequently asked by Sikhism.com visitors are dealt with below:
Why are there so many different versions of the Rehat Maryada?
Guru Gobind Singh Ji verbally explained the Rehat Maryada on Baisakhi Day of 1699, when the Khalsa was initially founded. We do not have a complete set of systematically written directions regarding the Rehat Maryada from him. Of course, many Sikhs, some contemporaries of the Guru and others descendent of those who attended the Guru, have written their observations and instructions regarding the conduct to be practiced by the Khalsa. When these writings are compared, they contradict each other (both directly and by omission). In a few cases, the instructions go against the principles of Gurmat (permanently recorded and authenticated Gurbani in Sri Guru Granth Sahib). Sikh scholars, therefore, realized that some sections of the Rehat Namas were not written by the persons whose names are associated with those writings. They were modified later on.
Hence, when the Rehat was explained to new members of the Khalsa during later Amrit ceremonies, changes were unintentionally made to the spoken instructions originally given by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. A popular school exercise demonstrates that even if one were to whisper a sentence from person to person within a single classroom, by the time the message reaches the last person, it is completely changed from the original. In the specific case of the Rehat Maryada, each new Amritdhari had to learn and repeat not just a sentence, but a philosophy and a way of life. This easily resulted in people creating their own interpretations of the message, even when attempts were made not to do so. One can only imagine the changes which took place when some people tried to create a Maryada "better and holier" than the one practiced by other Sikhs.
This situation was exacerbated by recent Sikh history. During the 18th century, Muslim rulers continuously attempted to liquidate the Khalsa. Amritdharis had to leave the Gurdwaras and move to the forests in order to evade the occupying army and police units. This situation prevailed for more than 50 years. During this time, the Sehjdharis (without unshorn hair) were in charge of the Gurdwaras. Later, the Gurdwara management slipped into the hands of Mahants, who became hereditary custodians of the Gurdwaras. They tried to force many Hindu rituals into the Gurdwaras. Even during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh no effort was made to crystallize the Rehat Maryada from the rituals of other religions.
It was only during British rule that Sikhs, having lost all political power, thought of their religious principles to get guidance for their future. Gurdwara management under the Mahants had deteriorated so much during the previous 100 years that, to increase their income, the Mahants introduced the worship of Hindu gods in the Gurdwaras, an act which attracted many Hindus but was strictly prohibited for the Sikhs. There was no lawful control, and women visiting the Gurdwaras were often harassed or even molested. This irreligious and immoral behavior of the Mahants gave birth to the Gurdwara Reform Movement.
Sikh academics and Sikh religious leaders both supported the movement. They all got together to protest the anti-Sikh and non-Sikh rituals forced on them by the Mahants managing the Gurdwaras. The British Raj supported the Mahants in order to weaken the Sikhs, the greatest threat to their continued occupation of India as a colony. After enduring a long struggle and paying a heavy price in blood and money, Sikhs won back control of their religious places in 1925. The first and one of the best actions they took was to appoint a committee to decide and put in writing the Sikh Rehat Maryada to be followed by all Sikhs. The committee, supported by the work of dozens of highly regarded Sikh scholars and spiritual leaders, spent nearly a year and sifted through all the available scriptures and writings of the times of Guru Gobind Singh. They finally presented the results of their research to everyone for analysis and improvement. After receiving input from all sections of the community, including over twenty Sikh organizations along with many individuals from around the world, the final form of the Sikh Rehat Maryada was approved and published by the Gurdwara Committee, Amritsar. It is this booklet which we should popularize and follow, even if we, individually, have different opinions.
The SGPC version of the Rehat Maryada is the only version recognized by the Akal Takht, the seat of supreme temporal authority for the Sikhs. In other words, the SGPC version is the official version, while all other versions are unofficial. The version of the Rehat Maryada provided on Sikhism.com is the official version, along with an English translation of the official version.
Are Sikhs allowed to eat meat?
Yes. A Sikh can eat any kind of meat at any time, with the following two exceptions:
1. Kutha meat is prohibited. Kutha meat is meat prepared specially according to Muslim rites. It involves facing the animal in a specific direction, saying a Muslim prayer, and slicing its throat causing it to slowly bleed to death. Sikhs are not permitted to eat this meat because eating such Muslim meat could be considered by some as accepting the Muslim faith (becoming a Muslim). Sikhs are not permitted to eat any food prepared by religious rites and prayers of a different faith, because there should never be a question that Sikhs will always maintain their distinctive religion.
2. All meat of any kind is totally forbidden in Langar. Use of meat in this case is prohibited because many religions have their own method of sanctifying it or not eating it at all. Some people are strict vegetarians at all times. Muslims prepare Halal meat but cannot eat pork. Most modern-day Hindus don't eat beef. Jews and Christians have their own restrictions on which kinds of meat can be eaten on which days. Although Sikhs have no such rules, langar is meant not just for Sikhs, but for people of all beliefs. A particular kind of meat or a particular method of preparation would suit only a limited number of people and not all of society. Many of the people in the Sangat, therefore, would not be able to eat Langar if meat were served there. In many Indian Gurdwaras, for example, it is not unusual for the majority of those attending Langar to be non-Sikh, including tourists and the poor who just want a meal. To welcome all people on all the days, only vegetarian Langar is permitted. Eggs and fish are considered meat by some, and hence, are also not allowed in Langar. All people have to be served without any discrimination and without any obligation to anyone. All are entitled to equal distribution. Special foods cannot be reserved for specific people in the Sangat or in the organization, so it is not possible to serve meat to some and not to others (this would also create inefficiences in the distribution of food on a large scale). Thus, the prohibition of meat in Langar cannot be used as a basis for the claim that Sikhs in particular are prohibited from consuming meat.
Is the Sikh Rehat Maryada perfect or immutable?
No. Like any modern law, it will always have room for improvement and it is open to revision in the future. In general, however, the official Sikh Rehat Maryada is a strong document. We endorse it and hope to promote it.
Some Sikhs want to enact certain changes/additions in the Sikh Rehat Maryada booklet. This is understandable. The suggestion to such Sikhs is to present their evidence to the general Sikh body for review and acceptance, rather than publishing their own personal versions of the Maryada, which can only undermine the value and legitimacy of the real document (imagine if every citizen of a country that disagreed with the Government Constitution started publishing his or her own version). Sikhs should always be wary of individuals who seem to be using minor issues as an excuse for dissolving Panthic unity in pursuit of their own political agendas.
