Guide to sikhism, founded by guru nanak, including articles about sikh customs, everyday life, rites and rituals and sikh beliefs. Sikhism was founded in the punjab region in india in the 15th century by guru nanak dev. Sikhism is a faith whose followers are called sikhs. This was at a time when india was being torn apart by castism, sectarianism, religious factions and fanaticism. It is a collection of nearly 6,000 hymns of the sikh gurus religious leaders and various early and medieval saints of different religions and castes. Early hinduism was founded over 5,000 years ago in the indus river valley in india. The sri guru granth sahib also known as adi granth is more than a holy book for the sikhs. The history of sikhism started with guru nanak dev ji. In 1604 he installed the adi granth for the first time as the holy book of the.
Guru grant sahib the most sacred object in sikhism is the guru granth sahib also called the adi granth, the sikh holy book. They bow in front of the holy book or guru granth sahib. Introduction to sikhism sikhiwiki, free sikh encyclopedia. The fundamental beliefs of sikhism, articulated in the sacred scripture guru granth sahib, include. Sikhism, religion and philosophy founded in the punjab region of the indian. Although a devout sikh, he took part in religious acts with muslims and hindus as well. Sikhs dont think it pleases god if people pay no attention to others and simply devote themselves slavishly to religion. Sikhs adhere to guru nanaks teachings and those of the nine gurus who were his original followers. Every year on april th, sikhs worldwide commemorate and rejoice in remembering this crucial day in our religion the day that khalsa was created. The first nine gurus were men, and the tenth and final guru is the sikh holy book, granth sahib. The sri guru granth sahib is the holy book for sikhs, although we dont refer to it as the holy book, we call it our 11th guru.
Sikhism the history the history of sikhism begins with nanak, a son of the rulerwarrior caste, who lived from 14691538 and was born in northern india. Each major change in a persons life, common times for rites of passage, begins with the akhand path, a tradition of reading the sri guru granth sahib, the sikh holy book, from beginning to end. Summary of sikhism sikhism, founded upon the teachings of guru nanak and the ten successive sikh gurus in fifteenth century punjab, is the fifthlargest organized religion in the world. If sikhism, is the true religion, how come it was created revealed 300 years ago, and not at the beginning of time. After praying, in most gurudwaras, you are served prasad, food served and. Many bear the unmistakable marks of their oral origin and can best be. Religions and religious teachers do not exist in a vacuum. Sikh means disciple, therefore sikhs are seen as the disciples of god who follow the teachings within the guru granth sahib sikh holy book. Compared to other religions, sikhism is a religion of recent origin, founded in the 15th century ad by its founder sri guru nanak. The guru granth sahib is used to guide the everyday. Followed by over 20 million people worldwide, sikhism takes to the teachings of sikh gurus. Sri guru granth sahib ji is the central religious scripture of sikhism, regarded by sikhs as the.
The granth sahib is considered to be the 11th and the immortal guru. Sikhism doesnt ask people to turn away from ordinary life to get closer. Guru granth introduction to sikhisms holy scripture. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion, or a religion that believes in one god. Collected the hymns of previous gurus and added 2616 of his own to form the guru granth sahib, the holy book of sikhism. The guru granth sahib is the sacred scripture of the sikhs, and its bedrock is the body of compositions of guru nanak. The holy book of the sikh religion is the guru granth sahib. The sikh scripture developed in linear, pure form becoming first the adi granth and finally the. The teachings of the sikh religion were passed down from guru to guru and then written down in a very special book, the guru granth sahib. Sikhism began over 500 years ago in an area called the punjab in india. The sikhs do not regard this as their holy book but as their perpetual and current guru, guide or master.
What are the top ten religions and what is the holy book for. The word sikh in the punjabi language means disciple, sikhs are the disciples of god who follow the. The main teachings of the guru granth sahib is the love of humanity. Sikhs use the gurdwara for praying to god and the 10 main gurus saints with guru gobind singh ji as the 10th. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion, and the basic sikh belief is represented in the phrase ik onkar meaning one god. Khalsas are sikhs which have undergone the sacred amrit ceremony started in 1699 by the 10th sikh guru, guru gobind singh. Sikhism, the youngest of the worlds religions, is barely five hundred years old. Sikhs believe everyone, men and women, has equal status before god, who created the universe and all faiths.
The sacred scripture of sikhism is the adi granth first holy book. Although like islam it believes in the oneness of god and is opposed to idol worship, in many respects it is an offshoot of hinduism and is much closer to hinduism. Sep 24, 2009 sikhs dont think it pleases god if people pay no attention to others and simply devote themselves slavishly to religion. It is a collection of nearly 6000 hymns of the sikh gurus religious leaders and.
Gurus started the religion and led it throughout the years up until the final guru, guru gobind singh in 1708. The sikhs fought against the great mughals between the 17th and 18th centuries and created their state in the punjab 1765 1849, india. The teachings of ten gurus can be found in the sikh holy book and living guru, sri guru granth sahib ji. Guru granth sahib the sikh holy book, seen by sikhs as a live guru to be followed. How was the sikhs holy book treated in the gurdwara answers. Sikhs should perform seva voluntary service of others while at the same time. Sikhism or sikhi is a monotheistic religion that originated in the punjab region of the indian. Despite being so young, it is the fifth largest religion in the world with over 20 million followers. Sikhism does not believe that any holy book takes precedence over all others or any religions prophet is the final messenger of god. The persecution of sikhs triggered the founding of the khalsa as an order to protect the freedom of conscience and religion, with qualities of a santsipahi a saintsoldier. The holy book of sikhism is known as guru granth saheba and is written in gurumukhi script. The life of guru nanak guru nanak 20 october 1469 7 may 1539 is the founder of sikhism and the first of the ten sikh gurus. Hinduism is the oldest of the major world religions.
Holy place, nankana sahib, where the founder of the sikh religion, guru nanak dev was born. Sikhism teaches that god is both within the creation and separate from it at the same time. It appears on the pages 917 to 922 in guru granth sahib. The holy book of sikhs, shri guru granth sahib, is a collection of bhakti songs, from various poets of the time. This document contains a short historical overview of sikhism and its founder, guru nanak. Hymns and prayers are said and then the worshipers share karah prasad which is a food offering made of sugar, butter and flour.
Nanak formed the religion of sikhism from a personal experience, which directed his sacred calling in life. Built the golden temple in amritsar as the center of the sikh world. The earliest texts from this region are extensive, but unfortunately, scholars have yet to find a way to translate the language of the texts. However, this claim is first observed only much later, in texts attributed to the 17thcentury hariji, the grandson of prithi chand. Some sikhs believe that their religion is a repurification of hinduism. The mystic branches, bhakti hindu and sufi islamic, holy men influenced him. Omkar venerated by hindus, buddhists and jains refers to the divine in sikhism. Guru nanak the first guru of the sikhs and founder of the religion. Guru nanak dev believed in a supreme being and determined that all religions used different names. The last guru, guru gobind singh, proclaimed that after him the guru of the sikhs would be the holy book of sikhism, guru granth sahib. There were 430,000 sikhs recorded int the uk in the 2011 census. The relationship between sikhism, hinduism and islam is briefly described. Its founder is the guru teacher nanak 14691539, speaking with the foundations of the dogma and establishing the continuity of sikh teachers. The name sikh signifies disciple, and in later times the strict observants or elect were called the khalsa.
Sikh books of value contain numerous literary pieces on guru granth sahib and more valuable books of gurus and other topics of relevance. Started in western punjab, india, the sikh faith formed in constant. Many sources call sikhism a monotheistic religion, however that understanding comes from viewing the faith through christian belief system. It was called adi granth until guru gobind singh, the tenth and final guru in human form, conferred on it the title of the guru in 1708, after which it was called sri. It is, however, more than just a scripture since the sikhs treat the granth holy book as their living guru. Sikhs keep their holy book in the dabar sahib, it is the main room in the temple were the sikhs prey. Sikhism sikh in the punjabi disciple is an indian religion that developed in the northwestern regions of india in the 15th16th centuries. Oct 02, 2009 sikhism was founded in the punjab by guru nanak in the 15th century ce and is a monotheistic religion.
To learn more about sikh baby rituals, wedding ceremonies, or amrit initiation to. Jun 20, 2019 sikhism is an independent religion that emerged in the environment of hinduism and islam. However, the ritual of baptism was not created until 1699. Sikhism started in the 16 th century and continued to develop until the 19 th century into what we recognize it as today the sikh religion is a monotheistic one, believing in one god like the founder, guru nanak, did as a member of the sant saint tradition. This system of religious philosophy and expression has traditionally been known as the gurmat literally the counsel of the gurus or the sikh dharma. Sikhism as a religious movement developed at the beginning of the 16th century in northwest india. The compositions of his successors are also contained in the book, as are. First book the sacred scripture of sikhism, a religion of india. Sikhism is one of the worlds youngest religions being founded just over 500 years ago. The khalsa was founded by the last sikh guru, guru gobind singh. The sikh holy book, the guru granth sahib ks2 religious.
Sikhism, founded 500 years ago, is the fifthlargest religion in the world with more than 20 million followers. Hinduism and sikhism are dharmic religions that originated in the indian subcontinent. Originally, the religion relied on the teaching of living gurus. Sikhism preaches a message of devotion and remembrance of god at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and denounces superstitions and blind rituals. They honor this holy book as their living and perpetual guru as ordered by tenth guru guru gobind singh ji and accord it the same respect as they did their ten human gurus. After him there were nine more gurus who were the highest religious authority. Islam is an abrahamic religion founded in the arabian peninsula, while sikhism is a dharmic religion founded in the punjab region of the indian subcontinent. In 1499, while he was bathing in the bein river, he experienced the. It also contains the traditions and teachings of indian sants saints, such as ravidas, ramananda, bhagat bhikhan. Sikhs believe in the importance of marriage and family. Oct 19, 2018 did you know that sikhism s holy scripture is the everlasting guru of the sikhs. Composed the lavan marriage hymn, still used in sikh marriages. Very slowly, committees were formed, whereby sikhs created democratic institutions, to manage the gurudwaras, and the udasin babas were sidelined.
The 10th guru, gobind singh, declared that he would have no living successor, and this collection of teachings would become the ultimate guru for the sikh. There are about 20 million sikhs in the world, making it a relatively large religion. If one defines the term religion very inclusively, it is the ninth largest religion in the world, being fewer in numbers than secularists, and followers of chinese traditional religion, african traditional religions and aboriginal faiths. Some believe the british facilitated this as part of divideandrule policy. Sikh means seeker of knowledge in punjabi, the language of indias punjab region and of sikhism s holy books. The sggsj says, you have thousands of eyes, and yet you have no eyes. The history of sikhism begins with nanak, a son of the rulerwarrior caste, who lived from 14691538 and was born in northern india.
The text spans 1430 pages and contains the words spoken by the founders of the sikh religion the ten gurus of sikhism and the words of various figures from other religions including hinduism and islam. Sikhs think religion should be practised by living in the world and coping with lifes. Historians and specialists in eastern religions generally believe that sikhism is a syncretistic religion, originally related to the bhakti movement within hinduism and the sufi branch of islam, to which many independent beliefs and practices were added some sikhs believe that their religion is a repurification of hinduism. Bbc two my life, my religion, sikhism, the guru granth sahib. Sikhism preaches that people of different races, religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of god. The holy books of world religions sacred texts in world. When entering a temple, sikhs take off their shoes and cover their heads.
The real sikhism web site estimates that about 21 million 89% sikhs live in the punjab, india. They have a guru granth sahib, the sikhs holy book, like the american bible. Dec 17, 2019 the religion of sikhism was created in 1469, by the first of ten gurus, guru nanak. Some sikhs believe that their religion is a re purification of hinduism. Hinduism is an older religion originating from the vedic period around bce, while sikhism was founded in the 15thcentury by guru nanak. In addition to the above, sikhs also believe in fifteen bhagats or saints, including. It is said that the person who recites this holy bani daily with dedication, attention and comprehension, will achieve anand bliss in life. Sikhs pronounced sicks believe there is one god who is all good, all knowing, and embodies truth. There are over 25 million sikhs all over the world, although most still live in india. It was founded by a man called guru nanak and is based on what he taught people. Sikhism is open to all through the teachings of its 10 gurus enshrined in the sikh holy book and living guru, sri guru granth sahib.
Guru grant sahib religionfacts just the facts on religions. A sweet holy drink, sometimes called thewater of life or the drink of the gods. During the span of 239 years, the sikh gurus laid down within the sacred scriptures, the principles that outline the way of living that was to be followed. Thus, the guru granth sahib, in spirit, is more than a holy book for the sikhs, for the sikhs accord the guru granth sahib the same respect and reverence as they did to the human form gurus. Human beings are encouraged to develop their moral character through generosity, humility and selfreliance. Guru nanak dev believed in a supreme being and determined that all religions used different names for the same deity, which he. The hymns included range from the omnipresence of nature and basic day to day lessons. Sikhs believe in one god who guides and protects them. He was the first guru of the fifteenth century in the punjab region in the northern part of the indian subcontinent. It is written in the form of poetry rather than prose, setting it apart from many scriptures around the world. It is given to sikhs when they join the khalsa brotherhood. First book also called granth or granth sahib, the sacred scripture of sikhism, a religion of india. His parents, mehta kalu and matta tripat, were hindus and belonged to the merchant caste. Sikhism broke from hinduism due, in part, to its rejection of the caste system.
The founder of the sikh religion was guru nanak who was born. The followers are called sikhs, and their holy book is the guru granth sahib. Sikhism, the religion of a warlike sect of india, having its origin in the punjab and its center in the holy city of amritsar, where their sacred books are preserved and worshipped. In christianity this is described as the trinity consisting of god the father, jesus christ and the holy spirit,three aspects of a single deity. Sikhism for ks1 and ks2 children sikhism faith homework. Sep 04, 2018 guru granth sahib, the holy book of sikhism encapsulates the philosophy of the 10 gurus. The word sikh is derived from a sanskrit word meaning disciple, or one who learns. The word sikh in the punjabi language means disciple, sikhs are the disciples of god who follow the writings and teachings of the ten sikh gurus.
His followers dug the pool that became the holy lake surrounding the golden temple. Unlike the bible or the bhagavadgita, which are often carried around, dogeared and placed on a shelf with other books, there. The religious practices were formalised by guru gobind singh ji on april. When the tenth guru died they believed the guru spirit transferred itself to the sikh holy scriptures, which are referred to as guru granth sahib. So, one can see in sikhism the influence of both onelife book religions, as well as karmic religions. This resulted in the creation of the sikh religion. Mar 17, 2015 founded amritsar, the holy city of sikhism.
Women can participate in any religious function or perform any sikh ceremony or lead the congregation in prayer. Origins although the sikh religion was founded by guru nanak dev ji, he passed on his teachings to nine gurus, who along with guru nanak dev ji became known as the ten gurus, these are in order. Where do sikhs keep their holy book during worship in the. Asked in sikhism where do sikhs keep their holy book. Sikhism simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Which religion was created at the beginning of time. If sikhism, is the true religion, how come it was created. Their holy book is the sri guru granth sahib ji many sources call sikhism a monotheistic religion. Guru nanak who established sikhism was its first guru.
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