Evie Nichols 9y3
Can Sikhism continue to exist without the Guru Granth Sahib?
The Guru Granth Sahib is the sovereign active living Guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text, with 1430 pages, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708. A collection of 5,894 hymns and 1430 pages, the Guru Granth Sahib describes the qualities of God and why you should meditate on God’s name. The hymns are arranged into 31 ragas (musical groupings). Each copy of the Guru Granth Sahib, regardless of its size, is identical with regard to the layout of the pages. Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), the tenth guru affirmed the text as his successor. It remains the holy scripture of the Sikhs and is regarded as the teachings of the ten Gurus. The Guru Granth Sahib has a pivotal role in Sikh worship, as a source or guide of prayer. It is written in the Gurmukhī script, in various dialects – including Lehndi Punjabi, Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Sanskrit and Persian – often coalesced under the generic title of Sant Bhasha. There are approximately 20 million followers worldwide, most of whom live in the Punjab province of India. The 2001 census recorded 336,000 Sikhs living in the UK. In this essay I am going to examine information surrounding the Guru, and I am going to analyse whether Sikhism could exist without it, and come to a conclusion that it could not.
Firstly, I am going to look at the history of the Guru Granth Sahib. During the Guruship of Guru Nanak (1469-1539) collections of his hymns were compiled and sent to Sikh communities for use in worship. Guru Nanak wrote 974 published hymns. His successor, Guru Angad, collected these writings. This tradition was continued by the third, fourth and fifth gurus. Guru Amar Das wrote...
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...hism and embodies all of its principles: if it was gone, Sikhism would no longer have a collection of teachings of its principles: Sikhs would have nothing to follow.
Supporting the claim in the previous paragraph, I am going to explain how the Guru Granth Sahib has a central role in Sikhism. Firstly, even to become a Sikh, the only thing which you have to do is believe in the Guru Granth Sahib and accept it as your personal Guru: following its ideology. This shows that the Guru is the main object of Sikhism, which it depends on. Also, Gurdwara means path to the Guru. Hence, if the Guru did not exist, Gurdwaras (as we know them) would not too because the Guru is their purpose of existence. In conclusion to the latter two paragraphs, without the Guru Sikhism could not exist: it has a hugely central role in the religion: guiding their way of life.
So, to conclude,
"Sikh Awareness." Sikh Awareness. © 2002-2012 THE SIKH COALITION, 12 Oct. 2001. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the Punjab area, now Pakistan, founded the Sikh faith. He began preaching the way to enlightenment and God after receiving a vision. After his death a series of nine Gurus (regarded as reincarnations of Guru Nanak) led the movement until 1708. At this time these functions passed to the Panth and the holy text. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, compiled this text, the Shri Guru Granth Sahib. It consists of hymns and writings of the first 10 Gurus, along with texts from different Muslim and Hindu saints. The holy text is considered the 11th and final Guru.
...ng religion and foreign to the people of India, yet there is a defied truth that Islam’s spread peacefully throughout India with the alliances formed between the Indian people, the Turks, and the Mongols. The encounters that the ancient Indian people had to endure with the Turks, Mongols, and Islam have had the most memorable impact and impression on Indian culture and other societies throughout the east. Ancient Indian history is often overlooked within our society, but perhaps there should be a second look at how the Indian people have became who they are today, what attributes that have given society, and what pandemonium they have overcame as a civilization to stay in existence and stand against the test of time.
...er, which is really Siddhartha himself, are the true mentors that lead him to his true enlightenment. They are the ones that had the most influence in Siddhartha’s life.
This paper was written to give you a better idea of the presence and practices of Sikhism in Canada. It will also introduce you to the controversies they face being in a religion that is meant to differentiate, and how difficult that can be for them in a country with a strong western culture. First you will learn of the statistics and demographics of Sikh’s in Canada. Secondly, a bit of history will be introduced which will give a better idea of their culture. Thirdly, a better picture of their culture and religion will be painted when their common religious practices are described. Finally, the three largest controversies facing Sikh’s in Canada will be introduced and a brief description of them are given.
Khan, H. I. 1990. Sufi Mysticism: The Sufi Message. 10th volume. Geneva: International Headquarters of the Sufi Movement.
Sikhs can pray at anytime and any place, Sikhs aim to get up early, bathe, and then start the day by meditating to God. A Sikh should get up three hours before dawn take a bath and, concentrating his/her thoughts ...
Narayanan, Vasudha. “The Hindu Tradition.” A Concise Introduction to World Religions. Ed. Willard G. Oxtoby and Alan F. Segal. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Though plenty of Muslim scholars have spoken out in favor of Sufism, the prevailing opinion among both Islamic legal scholars and Muslims as that Sufism is bid’ah, (an inauthentic innovation) that is not wholly Islamic, and therefore rejected as an acceptable way to practice Islam. Sufism has always been an ‘alternative’ discourse in the Islamic world “existing in tension with stricter, legalistic elements in the tradition, and there continue to be voices in Islam that would deny the legitimacy and the pervasiveness of Sufism in Islamic culture” (Miller 1995). In fact a fatwa (an Islamic legal opinion) was delivered by Shaykh 'Abd al-Halim Mahmud, a former Shaykh al-Azhar, the chief religious authority in Egypt against Sufism in the 1970s. His main objection to Sufism was the attempt of practitioners to take on the qualities of God, which was to compete with God instead of surrendering to him and serving him. Despite some disagreement as to the authenticity of Sufism, it continues to grow and thrive. Especially in the West (the home of many esoteric Organizations like the Free Masons, the Knights Templar and Order of the Golden Dawn) Sufism is growing in popularity alongside other mystical traditions like Kabbalah (the Jewish mystical tradition). Sufis have been “major transmitters of Islam far beyond the religion’s ‘Middle Eastern’ origin, especially in Africa, the Indian sub-continent, and the Maylay-Indonesian world” (Miller 1995).
Religion is a big part of our world, as it dictates our beliefs and how we act towards other people. Though all religions have different beliefs, it is the core values of that religion that shape the way we act as people towards other humans, plants and animals. This essay will be looking at Christianity and Sikhism and how the core values of each of these religions compare to each other. Firstly looking at a brief summary of Sikhism and Christianity and a look at their beliefs. Then looking at the core values as protrayed by Christianity and Sikhism. Finally then comparing the core values of Sikhism and the core values of Christianity.
According to the famous historian Carlyle, a worthy sovereign should be judged from a sole factor as to how he employs his sword after being victorious.
“If I were asked to define the Hindu creed, I should simply say: Search after truth through non-violent means. A man may not believe in God and still call himself a Hindu. Hinduism is a relentless pursuit after truth... Hinduism is the religion of truth. Truth is God.”
Islam the complete ‘surrender to Allah’ is a living religious tradition with the principal belief in one God – Allah. Islam has remained the same in its principle beliefs of Allah, His Angels, His Prophets, His Books, The Last Day and his complete authority over destiny and has also changed over time to ensure that Islam remains a living religious tradition. Over its history Islam has had many significant people including Al Ghazali and Aisha Bint Abu Bakr who have ensured that Islam remains living in the hearts and minds of its adherents. In addition to significant individuals participation in the Five Pillars e.g. the Hajj ensure that Islam will continue to be the living religious tradition that it is.
McLeod, W. H. (2004). Sikhs and Sikhism. Oxford India paperbacks. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Religions have always played a vital role between humans and its society especially in terms of what is good and proper in the society. In modern world, people have become increasingly dissociated from religion and spirituality.