Sikhism

The Khanda, one of the most important symbols for Sikhs, is found on the Sikh flag

QUICK FACTS

Brief explanation:
Sikhism is a religion based on the teachings of Guru Nanak, borne out of the Hindu religion in the 15^th century. A Sikh (meaning ‘disciple’ or ‘learner’) believes that in relation to God, the divisions between people are irrelevant. What matters is true devotion to God, and all people are equal in His creation.

Sikhists believe:
There are three types of Gurus:
0 Sat Guru: The One who is truly God
0 Guru Nanak & the 9 human Gurus: Introduced the Sikh religion and were the Sat Guru’s messengers to humanity
0 Guru Granth Sahib: Holy Scripture in which the teachings of the Gurus and other inspired teachers are gathered

Guru Nanak’s Teachings:
0 Naam japna: Meditate
0 Kirat karna: Earn an honest living
0 Vand chhakna: Share your earnings with needy people

A person must learn to control the Five Evils:
0 Lust
0 Anger
0 Greed
0 Attachment to worldly wants
0 Ego

Followers:
Sikhism is generally accepted as the fifth largest major religion in the world with over 20 million followers worldwide. The vast majority of Sikhs are still found in India, but in the United States alone there are almost 200,000 Sikh converts.

Worship:
Sikhs go to a gurdwara twice a day to offer morning and evening prayers. They believe that concentration on the Name (Nam) of God in devotion and love brings you directly into contact with God. Therefore, there is no need for rituals or intermediaries such as priests or prophets. Many Sikh festivals begin with the Akhand path, a ceremonial reading of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Visit this web site for tips when visiting a Gurdwara for the first time.

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HISTORY

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QUOTES
“All of us as sinners are among the least worthy, but the True Guru has drawn us into a union of bliss.” – Guru Granth Sahib

“There is no Hindu or Muslim, so whose path shall I follow? I shall follow the path of God.” – Guru Nanak

“Hari dwells in the east, they say, and Allah resides in the west: search for him in the heart of your heart, for that is where he dwells, Rahim-Ram. All men and women ever born are nothing but forms of God. Kabir is the child of Allah-Ram, He is my Guru and my Pir.” -Kabir, one of the greatest Sants

“We obtain salvation by loving our fellow man and God.”

“You must spend 10 percent of your time in praying and 10 percent of your time in doing sewa [volunteer work]“ – Guru Nanak

“How can you say bad things about the personality that has given birth to the king of kings?” – Guru Nanak

“God first created light. Then God created all the living creatures, and from the Divine light the whole creation sprang. Why then should we divide human creatures into the high and low classes?” – Guru Nanak

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TIMELINE OF THE GURUS

1499 | Guru Nanak (1469 – 1539): Began Sikh religion, started precedent of not appointing his son to be his successor
1539 | Guru Angad (1504 – 1552): Began a collection of Nanak’s hymns that would become the Adi Granth
1552 | Guru Amar Das (1479 – 1574): Made Sikh community less distinct by worshiping on Hindu days of celebration
1574 | Guru Ram Das (1534 – 1581): Founded spiritual center, first known as Guru ka Chak, now Amritsar
1581 | Guru Arjan Dev (1563 – 1606): Built Harimander, the Golden Temple, completed in 1601. Also decided to make authoritative collection of hymns that became the Adi Granth. Died after prolonged torture by the Mughal emperor.
1606 | Guru Har Gobind (1595 – 1644): Organized Sikhs to defend themselves, built fortress in Amritsar
1644 | Guru Har Rai (1630 – 1661): Backed away from militant policy
1661 | Guru Har Krishan (1656 – 1664): Died of small pox after curing many at the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib
1664 | Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621 – 1675): “hero of the sword”: Peaceful man, beheaded on 11/11/1675 for not converting to Islam. Composed more than 50 hymns in the Adi Granth while in captivity.
1675 | Guru Gobind Singh (1666 – 1708): Born Gobind Rai, declared all Sikh men should become Singh (“Lion”) and all Sikh women Kaur (“princess”). Brought Khalsa (the order of the pure) into being and introduced the idea of a war of righteousness. Before his death in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh declared that there would be no more human Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib would be the Guru to stay with the people.

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IMPORTANT HOLY DATES

There are two main types of holy days and celebrations in the Sikh religion, Gurpurbs and Jorhmela. The dates of these celebrations vary each year because the Sikh calendar is lunar.

Gurpurbs: Celebrations related to Gurus

Guru Nanak’s Birthday: October/November
Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday: December/January
Guru Arjan’s martyrdom: August/September
Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom: June
Installation day of the Adi Granth (holy scripture): November

Jorhmela: Gatherings and Fairs

Baisakhi: April 13&14: The spring harvest festival of Northwest India. All Punjabis celebrate this festival, and Guru Gobind Singh used this day to form the Khalsa Brotherhood.
Divali: The Festival of Light, celebrated every year by Sikhs and Hindus in October/November. Sikhs remember when the sixth Guru, Guru Har Gobind, came to Amritsar (the holy city) after his release from Gwalior Jail. They celebrate by lighting up Harmandir Sahib (The Golden Temple) and the people’s homes.
Hola Mohalla: “attack”/”place of attack”: In 1680, Guru Gobind Singh asked Sikhs not to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi and, instead, spent time teaching them martial arts and military exercises. This has transformed into a national sports day for the Sikhs.

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CONNECTION TO OTHER BELIEFS

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BEYOND FACTS

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