I hope you learned something new today.Sikhism is a religion which believes in and preaches "One God". I could probably go on and on, but I’m going to stop here and list some other sites where you can learn more about Sikhism for those who want to. Keep God in heart and mind at all times.Sikhs believe that the way to lead a good life is to: Just as fragrance is in the flower, and reflection is in the mirror, in just the same way, God is within you. Sikhs believe that God is inside every person, no matter how wicked they appear, and so everyone is capable of change.Truth is the highest of all virtues, but higher still is truthful living.Every human being is a creation of god, irrespective of race, colour, skin, caste, creed, religion, or gender. One of the foremost beliefs of Sikhism is equality.Empty religious rituals and superstitions have no value.A good life is lived as part of a community, by living honestly and caring for others.“If the sun shines on my house, it can shine on my neighbors.” This eludes any confusion about reality and truth because I know that it happened and was recorded so recently. When Sikhism originated, documentation had begun in India, so all facts are documented and proven. What I like best about my religion is that since it is so new, the approach is modern and flexible. Langar is open to Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. At the langar, only vegetarian food is served, to ensure that all people, regardless of their dietary restrictions, can eat as equals. In the Sikh religion, “langar,” is the term used for the common kitchen/canteen where food is served in a Gurdwara to all the visitors (without distinction of background) for free. A Gurudwara is also a community center and offers food, shelter, and help to those who need it. It’s a place where we pray and have all our religious ceremonies. At a Gurudwara you learn the Sikh way of life. The consumption of meat slaughtered in the name of God and intoxicants like alcohol and smoking is forbidden.Ī sikh place of worship is called a Gurudwara. I will not go into detail about this, but I shall post a link that will inform you further on why Sikhs cannot cut their hair. Other religions have also preached the benefits and importance of uncut hair. Sikhs are not allowed to cut their hair, not only due to identification, but also due to the fact that hair is scientifically proven to have high importance in many ways. Sikhs were regarded as the protectors, and the turbans meant that anyone in need could identify them as a Sikh. This was when India was still ruled by the Mughal Empire.
This was necessary because at the time when Sikhs were given their identity, India was going through turmoil and oppressive rule, including forcible conversions to Islam when they introduced the convert or die policy. A Sikh can therefore always be identified. In Sikhism, all the men have the surname, “Singh,” (meaning lion) and all women have the surname “Kaur,” (meaning princess). Sikh men wear turbans and Sikh women have long hair. Our holy book is called the Guru Granth Sahib, and it is treated as “the last living guru.” In the religious museum in Washington D.C (USA), where all the holy books are kept on beautiful shelves, the Guru Granth Sahib is kept on a bed. They were highly spiritual masters that taught us the way of life. These gurus did not call themselves prophets, gods, or incarnations or forms of god. Sikhs follow the teachings of the 10 Sikh gurus. It is a monotheistic religion, meaning that we believe in the existence of one universal god, to which all religions are paths of approach. “A progressive religion well ahead of its time when it was founded over 500 years ago.” Sikhism first originated in the North of India in the 15 th century, making it one of the youngest religions of the world. It’s quite surprising that not a lot of people know about it in South Africa, but then again, South Africa isn’t a country where we are very prominent. So, what is Sikhism? Sikhism is one of the five most followed religions of the world, with an approximate population of 30 million followers worldwide. I promise I’m going to try my best to make it as interesting and understandable for you as I can. I know most of you reading this blog probably expect a long lecture on a religion that you’ve never heard of.