Since the tragedy at the gurudwara, or Sikh temple, in Oak Creek, local friends have been asking me questions about Sikhism and want me to summarize its teachings. Although my wife, Mona, and I were brought up in Sikh families, I’m not an expert in Sikh holy scriptures. But here are our views, based on our experience with the religious philosophy throughout our life’s journey and the sea of published literature.
On the Sikh religion: Sikhism was started in India about 500 years ago and is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. Sikhism doesn’t have priests; it has custodians (granthi) of Guru Granth Sahib. A guru is a teacher who gives knowledge and removes ignorance; “granth” means “book of knowledge” and “sahib” indicates respect.
Sikhism emphasizes that people of different races, religions or gender are all equal. For example, scriptures are explicit about women as equal in the eyes of God. Women or men can participate in any religious function or perform any Sikh ceremony or lead the congregation in prayers. A community kitchen serves langer (a community meal) at no cost to all people of all faiths and they sit together, no matter what their status is in the society.
On the 10 gurus: Sikhism developed over a period of about 200 years, all during the Mughal (Islamic) rule of India. The first guru (Guru Nanak) began his “ministry” in about 1499 and laid the foundation of Sikhism. The 10th guru (Guru Gobind Singh) ended the ministry in 1708, declaring that Sikhs no longer needed a living guru and appointed the 1,430-page holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, as his physical successor. The wisdom of teachings in this book is universal in its appeal to all mankind.
All 10 gurus played important parts in Sikhism’s development, including language, social and spiritual principles, structure and beliefs. Two of them are considered martyrs because they were put to death by Mughal emperors.
On who is a Sikh: Sikh (pronounced as Si-khe, not See-khe) means a disciple. In Punjabi language, the word also means “to learn.” A Sikh is a person who takes his spiritual guidance from the Sikh gurus through the holy book Guru Granth Sahib and believes in three main things: meditation on the holy name (remembering the one God), working diligently and honestly (living by one’s honest labor) and sharing one’s fruits (sharing wealth with the needy).
A Sikh at all times repels the inner five evils: lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego. His weapons of defense against them are contentment, charity, kindness, positive energy and humility. A Sikh also believes in equality of all beings, selfless service to humanity, protection of the weak, preservation of peace, and the promotion of personal qualities of truth, love and compassion. Although it’s reported that the use of intoxicants like drugs, alcohol and tobacco is prohibited, I know many Sikhs who drink alcohol and rarely have seen Sikh farmers smoking. I have never seen a Sikh beggar.
Sikhs do not consider themselves to be special or to be the chosen people of God. They respect all religions and believe that many paths lead to God.
On who is a Khalsa: Khalsa means “pure” or “flawless.” A Sikh who has taken Amrit (holy water; similar to baptism) becomes a member of the Khalsa Institution. The Khalsa must surrender himself or herself completely to God and obey his will completely, fighting for the just cause of ensuring safety and welfare of the entire humanity.
The Khalsa must follow strict rules and must wear five items of faith. Because all five start with the letter K, they’re known as the five Ks: kesh (uncut hair), kanga (a small comb), kara (a wristband generally made of steel), kirpan (a small sword) and kacha (a pair of undershorts). Khalsas also wear turbans over their uncut hair.
The 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, after enduring the sacrifice of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, his mother and all four of his sons at the hands of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb for not converting to Islam, created the first five Khalsas, called Panj Pyare (five dear ones) in 1699. He dressed them with the five Ks, plus turbans, and gave men the middle names “Singh” (lion) and later gave women the middle names “Kaur” (princess). Some Sikhs use Singh and Kaur as their last name.
On turbans: A turban is a headdress. Different colors and quality of the cloth may indicate the status, religion, political affiliation or dress code of the wearer. Turbans can be a symbol of holiness and spirituality, honor and self-respect, responsibility, high moral values, or zeal and courage. They can also act as an identifiable trademark.
I can generally tell what part of the world the wearer comes from. I may sound biased, but I feel the Sikh turbans are neat and tidy. They’re generally made of thin muslin cloth that’s one yard wide and five yards long. Turbans are worn chiefly by Sikhs worldwide and certain sects in Arab countries, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
Turbans and beards are the most “visible” items of the Sikh faith for men. Sikhs stand out in a crowd, wherever they are.
On the Golden Temple: Also called Hari Mandir or Harmandir (Temple of God), it’s the most holy temple of the Sikhs. It’s in the city of Amritsar in the state of Punjab in north India. The temple is in the middle of a huge water pool, connected to the land by a long walkway.
The construction of the temple began in 1589 and was completed in 1601. Later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of extended Punjab, provided the funds to clad the upper half of the Temple with gold and the lower half with Indian marble and semi-precious stones. Thus, the name Golden Temple.
The architecture of the Golden Temple is a blend of Hindu and Muslin artistic traditions. All visitors are welcome. Tours, meals and lodging are available free of charge to all, irrespective of caste, creed, gender, religion or nationality.
On the Sikh community: The world population of Sikhs is about 24 million. The top five countries of concentration are India (21.5 million), the United Kingdom (840,000), the United States (700,000), Canada (500,000) and Malaysia (100,000).
My comments: I’ve found that the philosophies and teachings by all religions are basically similar. The problem is in the interpretation and implementation of the teachings. We all have focal points. Some have God as their focal point and some have given it another name. No matter what pathway you’ve chosen, the aim is to be sure that you arrive at your successfully and safely. Be thankful, kind and helpful to others. Respect their beliefs. Live and let live.
It’s not what you look like; it’s what you think and do that counts. For example, shortly after I started working at the Institute of Paper Chemistry, I was promoted to be one of the youngest directors of a division by then-President Harry Posner.
I thanked him for the opportunity and asked, “Why me? I’m a Sikh with a turban and a beard and some senior management of paper companies and labor may have reservations connecting with me.”
He replied, “Doug, if I don’t give you a chance, someone else will. And as far as your turban is concerned, I don’t worry about it. To me, the important thing is what you possess underneath the turban. Go ahead and show me what you can do.”
Things are changing worldwide. The exposure of cultures through the visual media has increased understanding and acceptance. More minorities are taking part in our society and have begun to occupy places of higher responsibilities.
We must accept changing times without compromising our values. We must take in religious and scientific knowledge and try to accommodate and understand each other. We must hope for love and peace.
Nature loves diversity. It assures the continuation of life on Earth.
— Doug Dugal is an Appleton resident. He can be reached at [email protected]