The Five Ks of Sikhism - YouTube The Five Ks of Sikhism Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on May 27, 2011 Two young presenters explain the meaning and importance of each of the five Ks and how they help them to guide their everyday lives. IThe footage includes a cartoon depiction of Guru Gobind Singh and how his actions exemplified the meaning of the five Ks. Category Five Ks Five Ks Bebe Nanki Ji – Biography of Bebe Nanki Ji added under history. October 05, 2016 Singh Sabha Movement – An analysis of whether the Singh Sabha Movement was a revival or a reform movement. Home | Gurmat Five Ks The five sacred Sikh symbols prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh are commonly known as Panj Kakkar or the 'Five Ks' because they start with letter K representing Kakkar in the Punjabi language. They are: 1.

Kes or unshorn hair , regarded as a symbol of saintliness. Guru Nanak started the practice of keeping the hair unshorn. The keeping of hair in its natural state is regarded as living in harmony with the will of God, and is a symbol of the Khalsa brotherhood and the Sikh faith. Hair is an integral part of the human body created by God and Sikhism call for its preservation. The shaving or cutting of hair is one of the four taboos or Kurehats. 2. Kangha or the comb is necessary to keep the hair clean and tidy. A Sikh must comb his hair twice a day and tie his turban neatly. The Gurus wore turbans and commanded the Sikhs to wear turbans for the protection of the hair, and promotion of social identity and cohesion. It has thus become an essential part of the Sikh dress. 3. Kara or the steel bracelet symbolizes restrain from evil deeds. It is worn on the right wrist and reminds the Sikh of the vows taken by him, that is, he is a servant of the Guru and should not do anything which may bring shame or disgrace.

When he looks at the Kara, he is made to think twice before doing anything evil with his hands. 4. Kachh or the soldiers shorts must be worn at all times. It reminds the Sikh of the need for self-restrain over passions and desires. Apart from its moral significance, it ensures briskness during action and freedom of movement at all times. It is a smart dress as compared to the loose dhoti which most Indian wore at that time. 5. Kirpan or the sword is the emblem of courage and self-defense. It symbolizes dignity and self-reliance, the capacity and readiness to always defend the weak and the oppressed. It helps sustain one's martial spirit and the determination to sacrifice oneself in order to defend truth, oppression and Sikh moral values. The Five K's, along with the turban, constitute the Khalsa uniform, which distinguishes a Sikh from any other person in the world, and is essential for preserving the life of the community and fostering the Khalsa brotherhood. The Five K's are not supposed to foster exclusiveness or superiority. They are meant to keep the Sikhs united in the pursuit of the aims and ideals of the Gurus. They enable them to keep their vows made at the time of baptism.

The Sikhs have been known to face torture and death rather than cut their hair or remove any of the sacred symbols. The Khalsa cannot be anonymous. His religion is known to all. He stands out among people, and any unseemly behavior or action on his part would be noted as unbecoming of a follower of the Gurus. People would easily blame him if he deviated from the disciplinary code of Guru Gobind Singh. Along with the maintenance of the Five K's, the Khalsa is required to refrain from committing the four taboos or Kurehats. These are: 1. Trimming, shaving or removing hair from the body. 2. Using tobacco or intoxicants in any form. 3. Eating of meat. 4. Committing adultery. A Sikh guilty of committing any of these serious breaches is regarded as the fallen one (Patit or Tankhahiya). Guru Gobind Singh declared that as long as the Khalsa followed the Five K's and Sikh code of discipline, he would win glory, but if he showed indifference, his progress would be hampered. Sikhism - SikhiWiki, free Sikh encyclopedia.

Sikhism Part of a series on Sikhism Ek-Onkar, one God Sikhism (Sikhi, ਸਿੱਖੀ in Panjabi ) is one of the major world religions , primarily developed in 15th-17th century sub-continental India , or, South Asia. "Sikhi" comes from the word " Sikh ", and the word " Sikh " comes from the Sanskrit root "śiṣya" (शिष्यः) which means "disciple" or "learner". Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the founder of Sikhi. He was born in 1469 in the village of Nankana Sahib , near Lahore in present-day Pakistan . The faith system is based on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and ten successive Sikh Gurus (divine messengers or enlighteners), with the last one being the revealed sacred scripture, Guru Granth Sahib . This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as Gurmat (literally the counsel of the Gurus) or the Sikh Dharma. With around 30 million followers worldwide, Sikhism is the fifth largest organized religion in the world.

The principal belief of Sikhism is faith in waheguru — represented using the sacred symbol of ik ŝaṅkĝr , the Universal God. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on the name and message of God. A key distinctive feature of Sikhism is a non-anthropomorphic concept of God, to the extent that one can interpret God as the entire creation itself. The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus , enshrined forevermore in the holy scripture entitled the Guru Granth Sahib . While compiling the scripture, the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji incorporated not only the writings of the Sikh Gurus , but also included selected works of many devotees and saints from diverse socio-economic and religious backgrounds, who believed in the unity of God and denounced caste and superstition. The text was decreed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji , the tenth and last human guru, as the final guru of the Khalsa Panth . Sikhism's traditions and teachings are distinctively associated with the history, society and culture of the Punjab region, the traditional homeland of the Sikhs and the site of the Sikh Empire .

Presently, a majority of the Sikhs live in Punjab, India, and until India's partition in 1947, millions of Sikhs had lived in what is now Pakistani Punjab. Besides Sikhi and Gurmat, Sikhism is also referred to as Aad-Matt (the primal counsel). Core Beliefs The core beliefs of Sikhism are: Belief in one God The belief in one pantheistic God . The opening sentence of the Sikh scriptures is only two words long, and reflects the base belief of all who adhere to the teachings of the religion: Ek Onkar "Ek" is One and "Onkar" is God - "There is only one God." The Teachings of the Sikh Gurus The teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus (as well as other selected Muslim and Hindu saints and scholars) are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib .

These teachings propagate the following values: to see God in everyone; understand and practice equality among all races irrespective of caste, religion, colour, status, age, gender, etc; to remember God at all times; to always engage in Simran or "remembrance of God", the primal being; virtuous, merciful, bountiful, fearless and Creator of everything; be always aware of His persona and behave accordingly; to value and respect positive ideals like truth , compassion , contentment , humility , love , etc; (a reflection of God-like features) to suppress the inner evils lust , anger/rage , greed , material attachment , ego , etc; (a reflection of anti-God features) to aspire and engage in useful, productive, honest and peaceful life of a householder; to work diligently while holding the image of God within you; ( Kirit Karni ) to engage in selfless service ( Sewa ) and help build a loving community life; to be a contributor to society whenever possible; ( Wand kay shakna ) to be ready to protect and stand for the rights of the weak among us; to fight for justice and fairness for all; to always accept the Will of God, ( Hukam ) and stay focused and in

 "Positive Spirits" ( Chardikala ), etc.

History of Sikhism Main article: History of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev ( 1469 - 1538 ), the founder of Sikhism, was born in the village of Talwandi , now called Nankana Sahib , near Lahore in present-day Pakistan . His father, Mehta Kalu was a Patwari- an accountant of land revenue in the government. Guru's mother was Mata Tripta and he had one older sister, Bibi Nanki. From the very childhood, Bibi Nanki saw in him the Light of God but she did not reveal this secret to anyone. She is known as the first disciple of Guru Nanak. Even as a boy, Nanak was fascinated by religion, and his desire to explore the mysteries of life eventually led him to leave home. He wandered all over India in the manner of Hindu saints. It was during this period that Nanak met Kabir ( 1441 - 1518 ), a saint revered by both Hindus and Muslims. He made four distinct major journeys, which are called Udasis spanning many thousands of miles.

In 1538 , Guru Nanak chose Bhai Lehna , his disciple as a successor to the Guruship rather than his son. Bhai Lehna was renamed Guru Angad and became the second guru of the Sikhs. He continued the work started by Guru Nanak. Guru Amar Das became the third Sikh guru in 1552 at the age of 73. Goindwal became an important centre for Sikhism during the Guruship of Guru Amar Das. He continued to preach the principle of equality for women, the prohibition of Sati and the practise of Langar . In 1567 , Emperor Akbar sat with the ordinary and poor people of Punjab to have Langar. Guru Amar Das also trained 140 apostles of which 52 were women to manage the rapid expansion of the religion. Before he died in 1574 aged 95, he appointed his son-in-law, Jetha as the fourth Sikh Guru. Jetha became Guru Ram Das and vigorously undertook his duties as the new guru. He is responsible for the establishment of the city of Ramdaspur later to be named Amritsar .

In 1581 , Guru Arjan - youngest son of fourth guru - became the Fifth Guru of the Sikhs. In addition to being responsible for the construction of the Golden Temple , he prepared the Sikh Sacred text and his personal addition of some 2,000 plus hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib . In 1604 he installed the Adi Granth for the first time as the Holy Book of the Sikhs. In 1606 , he was arrested and fined an enormous sum, by the newly installed Mughal Emperor Jahangir, which he refused to pay. His followers and a highly respected friend the Sufi Sant Hazrat Mian Mir attempted to intercede on his behalf, but believing he had done nothing to warrant the fine he told them he wanted no one to interfere with the workings of Waheguru. He was also asked to change some wording of the former Gurus which he had collected in the Adi Granth--this he refused to do. He was tortured severely and finally allowed to bath in the nearby river.

His followers and admirers watched as he walked on his badly burned and blistered feet to the river's edge, waded in and then disappeared under the water never to be seen again, becoming the first Martyr of the Sikhs. Guru Hargobind , became the sixth guru of the Sikhs. He carried two swords; one for Spiritual reasons and one for temporal (worldly) reasons. From this point onward, the Sikhs became a military force and always had a trained fighting force to defend their independence. In 1644 , Guru Har Rai became Guru followed by Guru Har Krishan , the boy Guru in 1661 . Guru Teg Bahadur became Guru in 1665 and led the Sikhs until 1675 , when he sacrificed his life in defense the Kashmiri Hindus who had come to him for help. In 1675 , Aurangzeb ordered the public execution of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur . Sikh mythos (above) says that Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed himself to save Hindus, after Kashmiri pandits came to him for help when the Emperor condemned them for failing to convert to Islam.

This marked a turning point for Sikhism. His successor, his son Guru Gobind Rai further militarised his followers (see Khalsa ). After the treachery of his neighboring Hill chieftains (Katri Rajputs who he had expected to join him in expelling or at least putting an end to the Mughal tyranny and forced conversions of Hindus) who took the side of the Mughals and tricked him and the Sikhs, under a guarantee of safe passage, into abandoning Anandpur, many of his Sikhs including his four sons and his mother, Gobind Singh on reaching safety sent Aurangzeb a letter known as the Zafarnama (Epistle of Victory). Shortly before passing away Guru Gobind ordered that Guru Granth Sahib , the Sikh Holy Scripture, would replace the line of human Gurus and become the spiritual authority for the Sikhs and placed the temporal authority with the Khalsa Panth ; the Sikhs themselves. The first Sikh Holy Scripture was compiled and edited by the Fifth Guru, Guru Arjan in 1604 , although some of the earlier gurus are also known to have documented their revelations.

This is one of the few scriptures in the world that has been compiled by the founders of a faith during their own life time. The Guru Granth Sahib is particularly unique among sacred texts in that it is written in Gurmukhi script but contains many languages including Punjabi , Hindi-Urdu , Sanskrit , Bhojpuri and Persian . Sikhs consider the Guru Granth Sahib the last, perpetual living guru. The Gurus of Sikhism The Ten Sikh Gurus Sikhism was established by ten Gurus ; teachers or masters; over the period 1469 to 1708 . These teachers were enlightened souls whose main purpose in life was the spiritual and moral well-being of the masses. Each master added to and reinforced the message taught by the previous, resulting to the creation of the religion of Sikhism. Guru Nanak was the first Guru and Guru Gobind Singh the final Guru in human form. When Guru Gobind Singh left this world, he made the Sri Guru Granth Sahib the ultimate and final Sikh Guru. # Main article: Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib is a sacred text considered by Sikhs to be their eleventh and final Guru.

Sikhism was influenced by reform movements in Hinduism (e.g. Bhakti , monism , Vedic metaphysics, guru ideal, and bhajans ) as well as Sufi Islam . It departs from some of the social traditions and structure of Hinduism and Islam (such as the caste system and purdah , respectively). Sikh philosophy is characterised by logic, comprehensiveness, and a "without frills" approach to both spiritual and material concerns. Its theology is marked by simplicity. In Sikh ethics there is no conflict between an individual’s duty to oneself and that towards society. The Guru Granth Sahib is the eleventh and final Guru of the Sikhs, is held in the highest regard by the Sikhs and is treated as the Eternal Guru, as instructed by Guru Gobind Singh. It is perhaps the only scripture of its kind which not only contains the teachings of its own religious founders but also writings of people from other faiths.

Besides the Banis of the Gurus, it also contains the writings of saints like Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, Sheikh Farid, Trilochan, Dhanna, Beni, Sheikh Bhikan, Jaidev, Surdas, Parmanad, Pipa and Ramanand. The Granth forms the central part of the Sikh place of worship called a gurdwara . The Holy Scripture is placed on the dominant platform in the main hall of the gurdwara during the day. It is placed with great respect and dignity upon a throne with beautiful and colourful fabric. Sikh religious philosophy The Sikh religious philosophy can be divided into the following five sections: Primary beliefs and principles Main article: Sikhism primary beliefs and principles Sikhism advocates the belief in one pantheistic God ( Ek Onkar ) who is omnipresent and has infinite qualities. Sikhs do not have a gender for God nor do they believe God takes a human form. All human beings are considered equal regardless of their religion, sex or race. All are sons and daughters of Waheguru , the Almighty.

Followers of Sikhism are encouraged to wake in the early morning hours, before the sun has risen, and meditate on God's name. They must work hard and honestly and never live off of others, but give to others from the fruits of one's own labour. A Sikh's home should always be open to all. Sikhs believe in the concept of reincarnation . All creatures are believed to have souls that pass to other bodies upon death until liberation is achieved. Sikhs should defend, safeguard, and fight for the rights of all creatures, and in particular fellow human beings. They are encouraged to have a " Chardi Kala " or positive, optimistic and buoyant view of life. The Sikh religion is not considered the only way to salvation - people of other religions may also achieve salvation. This concept is shared with other religions. Upon baptism, Sikhs must wear the 5Ks , strictly recite the 5 prayers . Sikhs do not believe that any particular day is holier than any other and general adopt the religous day of the country within which they reside.

It is every Sikh's duty to defeat these five vices: ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lust in his/her being with contentment, charity, kindness, positive attitude and humility. Underlying values The Sikhs must believe in the following values: Equality: All humans are equal before God. God's spirit: All creatures have God's spirits and must be properly respected. Personal right: Every person has a right to life but this right is restricted. Actions count: Salvation is obtained by one's actions, including good deeds, remembrance of God, etc. Living a family life: Must live as a family unit to provide and nurture children. Sharing: It is encouraged to share and give to charity 10 percent of one's net earnings. Accept God's will: Develop your personality so that you recognize happy events and miserable events as one. The four fruits of life: Truth, contentment, contemplation and Naam , (in the name of God). Prohibited behavior Main article: Sikhism prohibited behavior Non-logical behavior: Superstitions and rituals are not meaningful to Sikhs (pilgrimages, fasting, bathing in rivers, circumcision, worship of graves, idols or pictures, compulsory wearing of the veil for women, etc.).

Material obsession: ("Maya") Accumulation of materials has no meaning in Sikhism. Wealth such as gold, portfolio, stocks, commodities, and properties will all be left here on Earth when you depart. Do not get attached to them. Sacrifice of creatures: ( Sati ). Widows throwing themselves in the funeral pyre of their husbands, lamb and calf slaughter to celebrate holy occasions, etc. are forbidden. Non-family oriented living: A Sikh is not allowed to live as a recluse, beggar, yogi, monk, nun, or celibate. Worthless talk: Bragging, gossip, lying, etc. are not permitted. Intoxication: Alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and consumption of other intoxicants is not permitted. Priestly class: Sikhs do not have to depend on a priest for performing any religious functions. They are not supposed to follow a class/caste system where the priestly class reigns highest. Everyone is equal. Technique and methods Naam Japo : - Free service ( Sewa ), meditation and prayer ( Simran ), sacred music ( Kirtan ). Kirat Karni : - Honest earnings, labor, etc. while remembering the Lord.

Wand kay Shako : - Share with others in need, free food ( langar ), donate 10% of income Daasvand , etc. Other observations ♣♣ Islam ♣♣ Hindu Dharam ♣♣ Christianity ♣♣ Jain Dharam ♣♣ Dhamma ♣♣ Judaism ♣♣ Not son of God: The Gurus were not in the Christian sense “Sons of God”. Sikhism says all humans are the children of God and by deduction, God is mother/father. All are welcome: Members of all religions may visit Sikh temples ( Gurdwaras ), but must observe certain rules: cover the head, remove shoes, no smoking or drinking intoxicants inside, and visitors must not be under the influence of any drugs, especially alcohol. Multi-level approach: Sikhism recognises the concept of a multi-level approach to achieving one's target as a disciple of the faith. For example, "Sahajdhari" (slow adopters) are Sikhs who have not donned the full 5Ks but are still Sikhs nevertheless. Note: The Punjabi language does not have a gender for God.

Unfortunately, when translating, the proper meaning cannot be correctly conveyed without using Him/His/He/Brotherhood, S/He etc., but this distorts the meaning by giving the impression that God is masculine, which is not the message in the original script. The reader must correct for this every time these words are used. Sikhs today The Five Ks Today, Sikhs can be found all over India and elsewhere in the world. Sikh men as well as some Sikh women can be identified by their practice of always wearing a turban to cover their long hair. The turban is quite different from the ones worn by the Muslim clergy and should not be confused with them. The surname or more usually the middle name Singh 1 (meaning lion) is very common for males, and Kaur (meaning princess) for women. Of course, not all people named Singh or Kaur are necessarily Sikhs, the Sikhs adopted the name Singh in 1699 during the Birth of the Khalsa. The name Singh is closely linked to the martial antiquities of North India dating back to at least the Eighth Century CE.

The Five Ks Main article: The Five Ks Practicing Sikhs are bound to wear five items, known as The Five Ks, at all times. It is done either out of respect for the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh , or out of sense of duty or from understanding of their function and purpose and relevance in daily life. It is important to note that The Five Ks are not merely present for symbolic purposes. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, ordered these Five Ks to be worn so that a Sikh could actively use them to make a difference to their own spirituality and to others' spirituality. The 5 items are: Kesh (uncut hair), Kanga (small comb), Kara (circular bracelet), Kirpan (small sword) and Kacha (shorts). Sikhs around the world A Sikh man from USA A Sikh known as Yogi Bhajan brought the Sikh way of life to many young people in the Western hemisphere. In addition to Indian-born Sikhs, there are now thousands of individuals of Western origin who were not born as Sikhs, but have embraced the Sikh way of life and live and teach all over the world.

In the late 1970s and 1980s a limited political separatist movement arose in India with the mission to create a separate Sikh state, called Khalistan , in the Punjab area of India and Pakistan . Currently, there are about 23 million Sikhs in the world, making it the fifth largest world religion. Approximately 19 million Sikhs live in India with the majority living in the state of Punjab ('greater Punjab' extends across the India-Pakistan border but few Sikhs remained in Pakistan due to persecution during the split of India in 1947 ). Large populations of Sikhs can be found in the United Kingdom , Canada , and USA . They also comprise a significant minority in Malaysia and Singapore , where they are sometimes made fun of for their distinctive appearance, but are respected for their drive and high education standards, as they dominate the legal profession. Following the Indian general election, 2004 , Dr Manmohan Singh has become the first Sikh Prime Minister of India . He is also the first non-Hindu Prime Minister of India. Sikhs comprise 10% of the Indian Armed Forces. In 2005, the first Sikh General of the Indian Army was designated.

Also they have a major presence in the Transport Industry in India. Observations A Sikh woman wearing a turban The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak , was born in 1469 to a Khatri family in central Punjab (in what is present day Pakistan ). After four epic journeys (north to Tibet , south to Sri Lanka , east to Bengal and west to Mecca and Baghdad ) Guru Nanak preached to Hindus, Muslims and others, and in the process attracted a following of Sikhs or disciples. Religion, he taught, was a way to unite people, but in practice he found that it set men against one another. He particularly regretted the antagonism between Hindus and Muslims as well as certain ritualistic practices that distracted people from focusing on God . He wanted to go beyond what was being practised by either religion and hence a well-known saying of Guru Nanak is, "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim." Guru Gobind Singh reinforced these words by saying, "Regard the whole human race as equal". Guru Nanak was opposed to the caste system. His followers referred to him as the guru (teacher). Before his death he designated a new Guru to be his successor and to lead the Sikh community.

This procedure was continued, and the tenth and last Guru, Guru Gobind (AD 1666 – 1708 ) initiated the Sikh ceremony in AD 1699 ; and thus gave a distinctive identity to the Sikhs. The five baptised Sikhs were named Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones), who in turn baptised the Guru at his request. Guru Nanak's doctrinal position is clear, despite the appearance that it is a blend of insights originating from two very different faiths. Sikhism's coherence is attributable to its single central concept – the sovereignty of the One God , the Creator. Guru Nanak called God the "True Name" because he wanted to avoid any limiting terms for God. He taught that the True Name, although manifest in many ways, many places and known by many names, is eternally One, the Sovereign and omnipotent God (the Truth of Love). Guru Nanak's ascribed to the concept of maya , regarding material objects and realities as expressions of the creator's eternal truth, which tended to erect "a wall of falsehood" around those who live totally in the mundane world of material desires.

This materialism prevents them from seeing the ultimate reality, as God created matter as a veil, so that only spiritual minds, free of desire, can penetrate it by the grace of the Guru (Gurprasad). The Golden Temple is a sacred shrine for Sikhs The world is immediately real in the sense that it is made manifest to the senses as maya, but is ultimately unreal in the sense that God alone is ultimate reality. Retaining the Hindu doctrine of the transmigration of souls , together with its corollary, the law of karma , Guru Nanak advised his followers to end the cycle of reincarnation by living a disciplined life – that is, by moderating egoism and sensuous delights, to live in a balanced worldly manner, and by accepting ultimate reality. Thus, by the grace of Guru (Gurprasad) the cycle of re-incarnation can be broken, and the Sikh can remain in the abode of the Love of God. A Sikh should balance work, worship and charity - and meditate by repeating God's name, Nam japna (to enhance spiritual development). Salvation, Guru Nanak said, does not mean entering paradise after a last judgment, but a union and absorption into God, the true name.

Sikhs believe in neither heaven nor hell. They strive for the grace of the Guru during the human journey of the soul. Political pressure from surrounding Muslim nations forced the Sikhs to defend themselves and by the mid-nineteenth century , the Punjab area straddling modern-day India and Pakistan , Afghanistan and Kashmir was ruled by them. The Sikh's Khalsa Army defeated the invading British army and signed treaties with China . All are welcome Graphic from the animation film "Rise of the Khalsa" Members of all religions may visit Sikh temples (gurdwaras = the Guru's door) but are asked to observe the following rules out of respect for sikh sensibilities: To cover one's head (there will be bandana-like rumaals available there) To take off one's shoes To not smoke or indulge in the consumption of alcoholic or tobacco-related materials (even in the vicinity of the gurdwara) Not to bring or possess any alcoholic or tobacco-related items, or be under their effects when entering the gurdwara. Multi-level approach Sikhism recognises the concept of a multi-level approach to achieving your target as a disciple of the faith.

For example, Sahajdhari (slow adopters) are Sikhs who have not donned the full Five Ks but are still Sikhs nonetheless. The Khalsa Main article: Khalsa A baptised Sikh becomes a member of the Khalsa or the "Pure Ones". When a Sikh joins the Khalsa, he/she is supposed to have devoted their life to the Guru, and is expected not to desist from sacrificing anything and everything in a struggle for a just and righteous cause. The word "Khalsa" has two literal meanings. It comes from Persian . One literal meaning is "Pure" and the other meaning is "belonging to the king". When the word "Khalsa" is used for a Sikh, it implies belonging to the King, where the King is God himself. To become a Khalsa, a Sikh must surrender themselves completely to the supreme King or God and obey God's will without question or delay. Followers of Sikhism A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. The word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit word shishya which means disciple or student. In the Punjabi language the word Sikh also means humble follower.

So a Sikh is a disciple of the Ten Gurus and a follower of the teachings in Sikhism's holy scriptures who they regard as a living guru, the Guru Granth Sahib . Sikhs and Punjabis Since Sikhism originated in the region of Punjab , most Sikhs trace their roots to that region (though in recent times, with the spread both of Sikhism and Sikhs, one might encounter Sikhs belonging to other geographical locations across the world). With the revisions of the state boundaries in 1966, 65% of the population in Punjab is now made up of Sikhs, whereas Sikhs comprise only 2% of the population in India as a whole. Consequently, and also because the Guru Granth Sahib is written in Gurmukhi , a script of the Punjabi language, most Sikhs are able to speak, read or write the language, or are at least familiar with it. Sikh names Main article: Sikh names A Sikh man almost always bears the surname of Singh, which means 'lion', and a Sikh woman can be identified with a second name of Kaur, which means 'princess' ('Kaur' being an exclusively Sikh name).

Additionally, except only a very few cases, the same first names as used for men are used for women. In other words, though one may not be able to tell the sex of a Sikh person from his/her first name, the second name of Singh or Kaur makes the distinction completely clear. Unisex first names are a salient example of the complete equality between men and women. See also See Wikipedia article on Sikhism for more information An index of the most important pages on Sikhism, can be found at the Sikh pages . Brief Summary of Sikhism A short summary of the main features of Sikhism SIKHISM Sikhism: Conflict over carrying a ceremonial knife Sponsored link. Overview: About 10% of the estimated quarter million Sikhs in Canada are orthodox and follow "the five Ks" -- clothing practices which include the wearing of a ceremonial knife, called a kirpan. Gurbaj Singh, 12, was one. 3 A school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada prohibited him from wearing his kirpan on school property, fearing the possibility of violence. Others schools in Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia allow the wearing of a kirpan, which orthodox Sikhs believe is compulsory for all baptized members of the faith.

The Supreme Court of Canada delivered a unanimous ruling in this memorable case on 2006-MAR-02. Like so many past decisions, the court attempted to strike a balance between two conflicting concerns. In this case, it is religious freedom vs. public safety. The Court overturned the ban. Justice Louise Charron wrote that religious tolerance is" "...a very important value of Canadian society....If some students consider it unfair that Gurbaj Singh may wear his kirpan to school while they are not allowed to have knives in their possession, it is incumbent on the schools to discharge their obligation to instill in their students this value that is...at the very foundation of our democracy." 9 The event: Gurbaj Singh Multani, was a pre-teen, aged 12, who attended an elementary public school operated by the Commission Scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys (Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Board or CSMB)) in Montreal, Quebec. In 2001-NOV-19, he accidentally dropped his kirpan when playing at recess. This triggered a dispute with the board over his right to wear the knife.

Initially, lower level officials at the CSMB allowed him to wear his kirpan as long as it was placed in a scabbard with a flap sewn securely shut so that the knife could not be removed. However, more senior levels of the CSMB overturned that decision and prohibited Multani from wearing a kirpan under any circumstances. They would have allowed a symbolic kirpan -- perhaps a non-functional piece of jewelry -- but not a real knife. Multani's famly sued. The trial and appeal: On 2002-MAY-27, the trial judge overturned the SCMB's decision and allowed him to wear a kirpan, but only if he followed six restrictions established by the court. On 2004-MAR-04, the Quebec Court of Appeal overturned the Superior Court's ruling, thus once again preventing Gurbaj Singh from wearing his kirpan. His parents had withdrawn him from the public school, and enrolled him in a private school where he was permitted to wear his kirpan. A five-year legal battle resulted, ending at the Supreme Court of Canada.

The appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada: The factum written by the Canadian Human Rights Commission -- an intervener in the case before the Supreme Court -- stated: "This appeal therefore involves conflict between two fundamental rights: 1. the right of every person to attend public school and express his or her religion without discrimination; and 2. the CSMB�s right and duty to establish safety policies to protect the persons for whom it is responsible." 4 They concluded that: "The CSMB has the right and a duty to ensure safety in its schools. However, to maintain its policy prohibiting the kirpan, it had to show that it carefully analysed the magnitude of the risk caused by the presence of a kirpan at school and that that risk is incompatible with the standard of safety necessary in schools.

It had a duty to show, if applicable, that it considered and reasonably rejected any accommodations that would reduce the risk by making the kirpan reasonably inoffensive.....For all these reasons, we respectfully submit that the Court of Appeal erred in not compelling the CSMB to consider all possible accommodations before upholding its ban on the kirpan." 4 The legal fight culminated in an 8 to 0 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada that any school board's blanket ban on the wearing of a kirpan is unconstitutional in Canada. The ruling allows schools to place reasonable restrictions on the wearing of a ceremonial knife. For example, the Peel public school board in Ontario requires the student to: Make a formal request of the school principal. Be a Khalsa Sikh (baptized member of the Sikh faith). Wear a kirpan no greater than 17.8 cm (7 inches) in length. Secure the kirpan in a sheath. Wear the kirpan under clothing so that it is not visible.

Justice Louise Charron wrote on behalf of the unanimous court: "...not a single violent incident related to the presence of kirpans in schools has been reported....Although it is not necessary to wait for harm to be done before acting, the existence of concerns relating to safety must be unequivocally established for the infringement of a constitutional right to be justified. A total prohibition against wearing a kirpan to school undermines the value of this religious symbol and sends students the message that some religious practices do not merit the same protection as others." The court ruled that the board's actions had "deprived him of his right to attend a public school." They stated that accommodating the kirpan "demonstrates the importance that our society attaches to protecting freedom of religion and to showing respect for its minorities." The court's decision will probably not impact on the prohibition of kirpans on airplanes, in some court rooms, etc. Justice Charron wrote: "Each environment is a special case." 3 During the court case, the school board had argued that "the kirpan is a weapon designed to kill, intimidate or threaten." This argument did not impress the court.

Justice Charron wrote that this was factually wrong and "disrespectful to believers in the Sikh religion." She noted that students have access to other items that can be used in violent acts "...and that are much more easily obtained by students, such as scissors, pencils and baseball bats." Sikhism prohibits the use of a kirpan as a weapon. Its use bears some similarity to an athame, a doubled sided knife used by Wiccans in their rituals. Athames are not used to actually cut anything. Reactions to the Supreme Court's ruling: One of Multani's lawyers, Jean-Philippe Desmarais, said: "The Supreme Court has recognized that this fear (over security) should not be used to violate fundamental freedoms like the freedom of religion." The lawyer who represented the World Sikh Organization, Palbinder Shergill, said "There is a clear distinction between a religious requirement or a belief of a religious requirement to wear something versus something that someone wears for casual attire....This decision does assist, I believe, in an interpretation that would permit the hijab in schools as well." A hijab is a type of head scarf worn by many observant Muslim women who view it as a religious duty.

Female students are not allowed to wear hijab in public schools in France. Some private schools in Quebec also prohibit Muslim girls from wearing the hijab in spite of an opinion from the Quebec Human Rights Commission which upheld their right to wear the hijab. David Wright, vice-chairperson of the Ontario Bar Association's constitutional, civil liberties and human rights section, said: "It's a case-specific application of some fairly well-established principles." 1 The plaintiff, Gurbaj Singh Multani said that he is not bitter over the legal battle. He said: "People are getting more interested in our religion. Ignorance is going away because of this case." He described the kirpan as "...an article of faith...we don't use it, we keep it as it is." 1 He admitted that the five-year battle was stressful: He said: "I was a little scared but the community supported me a lot, they stood by me shoulder by shoulder.

I'm thankful to them." 3 The school board stated that it would change its regulations to allow kirpans, "but not without some disappointment." Reaction among some Canadian religious groups concerning the court decision: Reaction was highly diverse: The Supreme Court's ruling was carried by all of the secular news outlets in Canada and by many in Australia, China, India, UK, U.S., and other countries. It was discussed on many non-Christian religious news outlets in Canada, including Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, and Wiccan web sites. For example: A spokesperson for the Canadian branch of the World Sikh Organization -- an intervener in the case -- said that the ruling "...paves the way to ensure that fundamental rights, religious freedoms are protected in this country." 1 The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) welcomed the decision. Riad Saloojee, the Executive Director, said: "Today's Supreme Court decision is a strong statement protecting religious freedom in educational settings.

This decision gives hope to many Muslims who have also faced restrictions on their religious practices in schools." CAIR-CAN's human rights coordinator, Halima Mautbur, said: "We hope that this decision - a strong commitment to upholding religious freedom - will resonate throughout Canada and cause educational and other institutions, both public and private, to respect the religious practices of minorities." 2 The Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) also welcomed the decision. Their National President Ed Morgan said: "The Supreme Court reaffirmed that freedom of religion is a fundamental value. It is important that the Court has recognized that individuals are entitled to have their religious practices accommodated unless there is a compelling reason not to do so, so long as there is a sincere belief that the practice is a requirement of the faith....This decision is another example of the Supreme Court playing its invaluable constitutional role of carefully balancing legitimate, competing rights; in this specific case these are freedom of religion and safety. A multicultural democracy like Canada requires an ongoing healthy tension between the particular claims of minorities and overall societal interests.

Out of necessity, this kind of debate can only be resolved by the courts on a case-by-case basis." 10 A wall of silence among Christian information sources: Although this court decision is considered by many commentators as the most important ruling on religious freedom and tolerance in Canada for many years, Christian denominations and para-church organizations remain strangely silent on this development. On 2006-MAR-07, five days after the court decision, a search of: The Focus on the Family Canada web site ( ) turned up no entry for "kirpan." The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada's web site turned up two archival items. One was an article more than a year old in the Fellowship's magazine "Faith Today." The other was over five years old, and referred to an old statement by Stockwell Day that he believes in "Jesus Christ as Lord and master of the Universe" and that Sikhs in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) should not be allowed to wear turbans. Ironically, Day was sworn in on 2006-FEB-06 as the new federal Minister of Public Safety -- a position which makes him responsible for the RCMP.

The Religious Freedom Project of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada whose web site is at revealed a brief discussions of a court case involving a kirpan in 1991 and a reference to a lower court's decision in the Gurbaj Sing's case. LifeSiteNews is a Canadian pro-life web site that carries an amazing quantity of religious news on a very wide range of topics. But they also ignored the Supreme Court decision. The entire Internet using Google and the search string sikh kirpan "supreme court" found 2,240 hits. A scan of the top 100 hits revealed that none were from a Christian information source. We are at a complete loss to understand why Christian groups in Canada have ignored this court decision. It is, in our opinion, the most important ruling on religious freedom in years. It has the potential of impacting other religious controversies, such as the refusal of some Quebec schools to allow Muslim female students to wear hijab (a scarf to cover women's hair). Non-Christian religions have reacted with strong support, as indicated above. However, the Christian press remained silent.

We have written to a number of church organizations and para-church groups including the Anglican Church of Canada, Focus on the Family, Life Site, the United Church of Canada, etc. asking why they have ignored this decision. References used: The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today. Sean Gordon, "Ban overturned: Top court okays kirpan in schools. Religious freedom at stake, justices say," The Toronto Star, 2006-MAR-03, Page A6. "CAIR-CAN welcomes court ruling on religious freedom. Ruling gives hope to Muslims for accommodation of religious practices," American Muslim News Briefs, 2005-MAR-02.

Jim Brown, "Top court quashes Sikh dagger ban," CNews, 2006-MAR-02, at: The text of the Canadian Human Rights Commission factum is at: The text of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association factum is at: "Court of Appeal" decision, 2004-MAR-04, at: "Supreme Court of Canada -- Appeal heard," 2005-APR-12, at: "The Kirpan Website," Sikhs.ca, at: "Canada Sikhs kirpan win," The Telegraph, Calcutta, India, 2006-MAR-02, at: "CJC welcomes Supreme Court of Canada judgement in kirpan case," Canadian Jewish Congress, 2006-MAR-02, at: Copyright � 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance Latest update 2006-MAR-07

Question: The five ‘K’s feature in which religion?
Answer: Sikhism