Instructions: Take Turns Reading the Sections out Loud. When You See the Arrow Symbol

Sikhism Instructions: Take turns reading the sections out loud. When you see the arrow symbol, stop and discuss what you just read. Sikhism is a religion that originated in India. There are about 20 million Sikhs (followers of Sikhism) worldwide. The majority of Sikhs live in the northwest Indian state of Punjab. There are also sizable Sikh populations outside of India, particularly in Canada, Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and countries in East Africa. Sikhism is a monotheistic faith—that is, Sikhs believe in one God. According to Sikhism, God is formless, all-powerful, without gender, and beyond human understanding. Sikhs believe in the reincarnation (rebirth) of the soul. The goal of each living being is to achieve liberation from this cycle of death and rebirth, and reach union with God. The main obstacle to union with God is humai, a combination of ego (the conscious self) and selfishness, with which all people are born. To become free of humai, one must lead a life focused on God and meditate on God's name. This kind of meditation, called Naam Simran, is a central teaching of Sikhism. Sikhs also must practice honesty, charity, and community service.

The holy book of Sikhism is the Guru Granth Sahib, also called the Adi Granth (First Book). It contains the teachings of the human Sikh gurus (spiritual teachers) and others and is considered the final guru. As such it is just as honored as the human gurus who came before it. It serves as an eternal guide for Sikhs and as the basis of all worship. The Guru Granth Sahib is kept in a house of worship called a gurdwara, meaning doorway to the guru. The gurdwara, at the heart of any Sikh community, is a place to meditate, spend time with fellow believers, and listen to readings from the Guru Granth Sahib. It is also a place where Sikhs practice langar (free kitchen), which involves members of a Sikh community preparing vegetarian food for their congregation or any visitor who cares to dine with the community. Sikhs stress equality, so every who shares a meal at the langar sits on the floor together to eat.

Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469 in a village called Talwandi, in Punjab (now Nankana Sahib, in Pakistan). According to tradition, when he was about 30 years old, he received a revelation from God while bathing in the River Bein. Nanak undertook long and difficult journeys to spread God’s word. He taught the oneness of God and the equality of all human beings. Upon his death, Nanak chose a successor, to whom he gave the title guru, to continue his work. In all, there were 10 human gurus, each having equal status. Most Sikhs believe Guru Nanak’s spirit passed from guru to guru. They often refer to the gurus as Nanak I, Nanak II, and so on. In 1526, northern India was conquered by Muslims from what is now Afghanistan, who founded the Mughal Empire. The 10 human gurus lived under Mughal rule, a period of persecution for Sikhs. Mughal authorities killed the 5th guru in 1606 and the 9th guru in 1675. In 1699, in response to continued persecution, the 10th guru, Gobind Singh, created the Sikh military community known as the Khalsa, meaning fraternity of the pure. He instructed Sikhs to be baptized and dedicate their lives to spiritual progress, service, and fighting oppression. He introduced the symbols of Sikhism known as the five k's—the Kara (steel bracelet that represents eternity), kirpan (a small sword which represents freedom, liberty and justice), kes (uncut hair which serves to identify Sikhs devotion to god), kangha (a wooden comb which is to keep their uncut hair neat and tidy), and kachh (special under shorts which represent modesty and chastity). Sikh men (and women if they choose to) wear a turban to keep their uncut hair out of the way. They are also proud of the turban because it identifies them as Sikh.