Sikhism

No, it is by no means necessary for a Sikh who is not Punjabi to learn the Punjabi language. There are Sikhs in various parts of the world, some from long-established communities whose language is not Punjabi; consequently, they either do not know it or have only a limited knowledge of it.

It is essential to learn to recite the Mool Mantar in its original language, which was recited in Punjabi. It is short and simple, but it is not necessary to learn the language in order to live as a Sikh. It is also encouraged to learn to read the Gurmukhi script so that one can read the text of the Guru Granth Sahib in His original form; however, this is by no means the same as learning a language, and it can be achieved in a relatively short time.

There are translations of the Guru Granth Sahib into various languages, and there are an increasing number of authentic online resources in different languages that help people to learn about Sikhism as it truly is.

The answer is a resounding no. The Punjabi people have a distinct social culture, just like any other people in the world, and that culture is absorbed by Punjabis from childhood, meaning that Punjabi Sikhs (the majority of Sikhs to this day) learn it intermingled with Sikhism, sometimes without being able to distinguish between what is cultural and what actually belongs to Sikhism.

It is also worth noting that certain specific practices and beliefs followed by many Punjabi Sikhs are in fact the persistence of Hindu elements within Sikh practice, a result of the enormous Hindu cultural influence in India. Some of these beliefs and practices are even contrary to Sikh principles and doctrine.

The gurdwara plays a very important role in the lives of Sikhs, although the reality is that outside India there are many places where they are few and far between or do not exist at all. Therefore, where there are none, a Sikh can live without attending a gurdwara and may even set up a dharamsala (physical or online), which is a place of spiritual gathering established by Guru Nanak and the early Gurus of Sikhism so that the faithful may come together as a community to learn the spiritual teachings of Sikhism, and even to welcome pilgrims or organise langar, the Sikh communal meal. The dharamsala is the precursor to the gurdwara and may be established by any devout Sikh of good will who respects and does not contradict the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib or orthodox Sikh tradition, regardless of whether or not they know the Punjabi language or of their nationality or ethnicity.

From Sikhism for All, we firmly support and encourage the establishment of dharamsalas throughout the world as a means of keeping Sikh spiritual and community practice alive in places where there are no gurdwaras.

In Sikhism, the Supreme Reality does not have a single proper name, and, being infinite, cannot strictly be contained within a single word. For this reason, the Guru Granth Sahib refers to God by many different names, drawn from various religious traditions, such as: Hari, Ram and Gopal from Hinduism; Allah, Khuda and Rabb from the Islamic tradition; alongside others adopted and established by Sikhism such as Satnam (True Name), Nirankar (Formless) or Ek Onkar (The Supreme Reality is One).

The Gurus of Sikhism taught that there are many names that point to the same Supreme Reality, though none can fully encompass it. However, in Sikh devotional practice, the name most commonly used to refer to and address God is Waheguru, which can be translated as ‘Marvellous Dispeller of Darkness’.

Waheguru is regarded as the Gurmantra, the principal mantra bestowed by the Guru for constant recitation and meditation on God.
Thus, Sikhism does not impose a single name for God, but recognises that all humanity invokes, in their various languages and traditions, the one and same Supreme Reality.

The Guru Granth Sahib makes no mention of homosexuality, and no such inclination in itself condemns anyone. Five vices beset the human mind when it is not united with God (lust, anger, greed, worldly attachment and pride), and the spiritual life consists precisely in not allowing oneself to be swept away by them. What each person brings with them at birth stems from their actions in previous lives and from the Divine Will: it is not a punishment, but rather the conditions under which each person must walk their path. And in Sikhism, no one is determined by that past, because Divine Grace stands above it: liberation is neither gained nor lost through the circumstances into which one is born, but is attained through that Grace.

One is held accountable for whatever one yields to and nurtures within oneself, whether in thought, word or deed. That is why a person with a homosexual inclination can also attain sainthood in that very same incarnation, just like anyone else: and this is not achieved simply by observing an external discipline, which in itself saves no one, but by remembering God continually and living with one’s heart turned towards Him. And for that very reason, no one should be singled out or mistreated for what they feel: to do so goes against the Guru’s teaching.

When it comes to behaviour, the situation is different, and here there is a single rule that applies equally to everyone: sexual relations belong within the sphere of marriage, and in Sikh doctrine, marriage is the union of a man and a woman, regardless of the legal form in which it is celebrated. This is laid down in the Sikh Rehat Maryada, the orthodox Sikh code of conduct, which describes the Anand Karaj (the Sikh marriage proper) solely as the union of a man and a woman.

The Ten Gurus never officiated at anything other than this, and this has been the understanding within the Sikh community ever since. In 2005, in response to the ongoing debate in Canada, the Akal Takht (the highest institutional authority within Sikhism) was compelled to make a public statement declaring that same-sex marriages were prohibited in any gurdwara worldwide, and it reiterated this position in 2009. It did not establish anything new at that time: it merely publicly reaffirmed what had always been the case, in the face of pressure from contemporary Western moral standards.

Here it is necessary to draw a distinction between Sikhs who have not taken initiation into the Khalsa and those who have, as the level of discipline expected differs.

For those who have been initiated into the Khalsa, there is a clearly defined code of conduct known as the ‘Sikh Rehat Maryada’ (although certain specific schools have their own codes of discipline). Among other things, this code sets out certain prohibitions designed to ensure a disciplined life consistent with the teachings of the Sikh Gurus. These include a ban on the use of tobacco or other intoxicating substances, the consumption of alcohol, the eating of meat prepared through ritual slaughter (kutha), and cutting one’s hair, as well as the obligation to maintain responsible sexual behaviour within marriage between a man and a woman.

However, Sikhism does not present itself as a path based on a long list of prohibitions. Its teachings emphasise living a righteous and mindful life. In this regard, Sikhism rejects practices such as the caste system, idolatry and superstition, and condemns any form of contempt for human life, such as infanticide and other practices that undermine human dignity. It also encourages the avoidance of exploitation, deceit, corruption and injustice.

Instead, it promotes a way of life based on remembering God (Naam Japna), earning an honest living (Kirat Karni) and sharing with others (Vand Chhakna).

Absolutely not; Sikhism does not support India’s caste system; in fact, it condemns it.

India’s caste system stems from Hindu traditions, a blend of religions that has been the dominant faith for millennia across much of the Indian subcontinent. This religious hegemony of Hinduism has had an enormous influence on the region’s culture, making it so deeply ingrained that many Muslims and Sikhs in the area practise and support a caste system of their own, even though these two spiritual paths have nothing to do with any caste system.

Guru Gobind Singh, with the aim of counteracting India’s caste system, decreed that Sikh men should adopt the name ‘Singh’ and Sikh women the name ‘Kaur’ after their first names, so that all Sikhs would share a common identity based on equality, thereby eliminating surnames associated with caste distinctions.

The most commonly used symbol to represent Sikhism is the Khanda (☬), which is also the symbol representing the Khalsa. The Khanda consists of a central double-edged sword, symbolising divine truth and justice, surrounded by a circle called the chakkar, which represents eternity and the oneness of God, and by two curved swords called kirpans, which symbolise the balance between spiritual authority and worldly responsibility.

The Khanda also appears on the Sikh flag known as the Nishan Sahib, which is found in gurdwaras. This orange or saffron-coloured flag indicates the presence of a gurdwara and symbolises Sikh identity and community.

Another symbol recognised as belonging to Sikhism is the Ek Onkar ( ੴ ), which is written in Punjabi and means ‘God is One, pervading all’.

It could be said that Sikhism is, amongst the major theistic spiritual and religious paths, the most tolerant and inclusive. Whilst other major religions or spiritual paths claim to hold a monopoly on truth and/or salvation, and indeed, some of the major ones even condemn believers of other religions to eternal punishment in their doctrines, Sikhism completely rejects the idea that God has a chosen few or that salvation is available only to those who belong to a single, specific religion.

The teachings of Sikhism proclaim that God helps and blesses all sincere believers, that there are genuine saints in different religions and spiritual paths, and that salvation does not belong to any particular religion or people.