Sikhism

Sikhism is a religion originally from India .It is one of the 5 Dharmic faiths or Indic Faiths which means it was originated in Indian Subcontinent and whose followers are called "Sikhs". The word Sikh means student or discipline. Their holy book is the Adi Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

It is one of the 5 Dharmic or Indic Faith's of India with Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism.
Many sources call Sikhism a monotheistic religion, According to Eleanor Nesbitt, English renderings of Sikhism as a monotheistic religion "tend misleadingly to reinforce a Semitic understanding of monotheism, rather than Guru Nanak's mystical awareness of the one that is expressed through the many. However, what is not in doubt is the emphasis on 'one'".

An estimated 180 million people are followers of Sikhism, which then makes it the fifth largest organized religion in the world just after Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and  Buddhism A popular place where this religion is practiced is in South Asia. Sikhs are usually identified by the Turban (which Sikhs call a Dastaar or Pagri), distinctive headgear which could be worn by both men and women. Sikhs arrived in North America, South Asia and in 5th June 1897 and played a pivotal role in the opening of the West and construction of the Panama Canal.

Sikhism was brought to the world around 1469 by Guru Nanak Dev, the first of the "Ten Gurus". Guru Nanak brought the Word of God to manifest upon Earth. Through his Hymns and Prayers (Shabads), he inspired and uplifted humankind to live a life of truth, righteousness and spirituality. These Hymns and Prayers were compiled into the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Unique amongst the world's major religious scriptures, while compiling the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Gurus incorporated not only their own writings, but also included the writings of other contemporary saints from Hinduism and Islam (including saints belonging to the lowest strata of untouchables in the Hindu Caste System), who believed in the unity of God and denounced superstition and caste. Further, the composition and compilation of the Guru Granth Sahib was performed by the Sikh Gurus themselves, rather than being performed by their adherents and followers.
In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Guru, established the Khalsa and gave Sikhs a distinct identity and reinforced principles taught by all Gurus. This celebration took place on Vaisakhi and is commemorated each year. One of the most important ceremonies established by Guru Gobind Singh on that day is Khande di Pahul baptism ceremony, where Sikhs are initiated into the Khalsa and are required to keep the 5 Ks, kakkars or kakke which are articles of faith. Guru Granth Sahib was bestowed the Guruship by the last of the human form Sikh Gurus, Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1708. Before passing away, Guru Gobind Singh Ji decreed that the Sikhs were to regard the Granth Sahib as their next and everlasting Guru. Guru Ji said – “Sab Sikhan ko hukam hai Guru Manyo Granth” meaning “All Sikhs are commanded to take the Granth as Guru”. So today, if asked, the Sikhs will tell you that they have a total of 11 Gurus. (10 Gurus in human form, and the eternal shabad Guru, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib).

Beliefs 

Guru Granth Sahib is not just a holy book for Sikhs, it is respected and treated as a living being as it is officially The Eternal Guru (Teachers). Shri Guru Granth Sahib is not written by one human but by saints from all across societies and religions. It is a universal teacher for all religions giving the message of one God and respect to all humans of every religion.

Some basic beliefs 
 There is nothing that is beyond or outside the one God. So, therefore there is nothing being created or destroyed, as the creation and destruction are still only part of the one.
 The goal of life is to focus on being at one with God. This is attainable by meditation, prayer, and being in the company of others who share a similar goal.

God 
Sikhism teaches that God lasts forever, cannot be seen, and has no body. Therefore, God has no gender. It is taught that God created the universe  and keeps it running. God is considered to be infinite, Alpha and Omega, no beginning and no end. Sikhs worship God, and meditate on God’s name through intense (passionate) repetition. They believe everything is a part of God and God is a part of everything. Good, bad, neutral are not applicable to God and are meant only for human beings, as Sikh philosophy indicates that human beings are born innately good. Since god created the world he could destroy it whenever he wants.

Salvation 
Followers are all trying to reach salvation, meaning they are trying to break the process of rebirth and become one with God. The thing that is keeping people from reaching union is bad karma. Bad karma is taught to be caused by pride, anger, greed, attachment and lust. Sikhs try to stay away from these things. Sikhs also believe that a piece of God resides within everything in the world. Once an individual discovers the God within and stops searching else then can he reach salvation.

Temples 

A Sikh temple is called a Gurdwara (meaning "the house of Guru"). It is the place of worship in the Sikh religion. Birth, death, baptism and marriage ceremonies are held in the temple. There are four doors for all religions. When a person enters the temple, their head must be covered. There are no chairs in the temple so people sit on the floor.

The temple also serves as a kitchen. The kitchen is where festival food is donated, prepared and cooked by volunteers. All the food that has been made there is shared with all the community who visit the temple on that day. The meal is vegetarian and is called the Langar.

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is the most famous temple in all of the Sikh faith. It is covered in gold.

In a Gurdwara, no special place or seat may be reserved or set aside for any dignitary, as all are considered equals. The service consists of singing of the liturgy, as well as the exposition of Sikh history, tradition, and theology.  In traditional Indian society, people of high and low caste were rigidly segregated. To combat this social problem, the Sikh community kitchen, or langar, requires everyone to sit side by side and eat together, thereby teaching the concept of equality by shattering all barriers of caste and class. Every major city in the United States and Canada has Sikh gurdwaras and they are open to all Sikh people go to Gurdwara to worship God.

Vaisakhi 

Vaisakhi is an important festival celebrated by Sikhs. Vaisakhi is also known as Basaki. It is the harvest festival in the Punjab region. Vaisakhi is celebrated on the first day of the Basak month, in the Sikh calendar.

Gurus and religious authority 
The term guru comes from the Sanskrit gurū, which means teacher, guide, or mentor. The traditions and philosophy of Sikhism were made by ten gurus from 1469 to 1708. Each guru added to and reinforced the message taught by the previous one. This resulted in the creation of the Sikh religion.

And the eternal Guru is the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which is a not just a book but contains the writings of each Guru.

In addition to the above, Sikhs also believe in fifteen bhagats or saints, including ones from other creeds, whose words and deeds have been adopted into Sikhism by the great ten Gurus. Most notable of these bhagats is the Punjabi Sufi saint, Hazrat Baba Farfood

Food Banks

Sikhs believe in equality therefore they have food banks to go and get food for free.

Extra facts

It is said that Sikhs have to give 10% of their earnings to charity.

Sikhs believe in equality therefore the are all equal in money. Nobody is poor and nobody is rich. There is a Sikh alphabet. Sikhism, religion and philosophy founded in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent in the late 15th century. The Sikhs call their faith Gurmat (Punjabi: “the Way of the Guru”). According to Sikh tradition, Sikhism was established by Guru Nanak (1469–1539) and subsequently led by a succession of nine other Gurus.

5 Ks 
Khalsa is the military community of Sikhism. A Sikh must follow the 5 Ks:

 Having unshorn/uncut hair. This is called a Kesh. Whether male or female, a person is required to keep their Kesh covered. People usually cover their Kesh with a turban, or a scarf (Chunni).
 A wooden comb in their hair. This is called a Kanga. This symbolizes cleanliness which is an important part of Sikhism.
 A steel bangle. This is for protection and physical reminder that a one is bound to the Guru. This is called a Kara. This is to show that God has no beginning and no end.
 Cotton underwear that has to be always worn. This is called a Kachera. It is a reminder to stay away from lust and attachment.
 A sword. This is worn to defend one's faith and protect the weak. This is called Kirpan. It is only to be used in self-defense. Many of these are now welded shut.

References

Other websites 

 Sikhs.org
 Sikh Missionary Society (UK)—Non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Sikh religion, culture and history
 Religious Tolerance
 BBC
 Siknet
 Sikhism
 What is Sikhism
 Sikh Wiki
 Sikh Karsewa
 English translations of sacred texts