Voices of Faith: Sikhs show their faith in daily traditions

The United States of America is a beautiful mosaic of people from a variety of different continents and faith traditions. As a Sikh-American with a turban and beard, I am often mistaken for being either Hindu or Muslim.

It is important for all of us to understand each other’s faith traditions and identities in this region of Northeast Ohio, including the greater Akron and Cleveland areas, which we proudly call “home.” Such understanding helps us realize the numerous aspects and commonalities of our respective faith traditions which bind us together as collective and common humanity.

Sikhism, known as Sikhi in native parlance, is the world’s fifth largest religion, distinct from either Hinduism or Islam − two other beautiful faith traditions. Sikhs number about 27 million, 90% of whom live in India mostly in the state of Punjab. There are nearly three million Sikhs in the diaspora, including about 750,000 in the United States. Sikhism is one of the world’s least understood and youngest religions, tracing its origins back less than 600 years. The term “Sikh” translated literally means “student” or “learner.”

Sikh religious belief centers around the concept of Vahiguru − the great guru or sovereign, which is the most frequently used epithet for God.

Vahiguru is viewed as the creator and sustainer of the world, but is beyond creation, gender or other human attributes. In fact, Vahiguru is characterized as being nameless and formless (nirankar), and is universal in its existence. The concept of Vahiguru is coupled with that of Ek Onkar (the oneness of God) which emphasizes the interconnectedness of all humanity and the world. As such, Sikh theological belief rejects hierarchy such as caste and emphasizes gender equality. There is no inherent discontent between faith and science in Sikhism because science is viewed as a tool for unlocking the wonders of the world that Vahiguru created. Sikhs never proselytize, but rather respect other religions as different paths to the amorphous concept of Vahiguru.

Sikhism emerged in the fertile Punjab region of contemporary India and Pakistan, during a time when the main religions in the area were Hinduism and Islam. Sikhism founder was Guru Nanak (1469-1539), and it developed over several centuries under the guidance of nine other gurus (spiritual teachers or leaders). This line of gurus culminated in the tenth and last living guru named Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708). Before his passing, Guru Gobind Singh gave the mantle of guru to the Guru Granth Sahib, a holy text which contains the teachings and philosophy of most of the previous Sikh gurus and those of numerous Hindu and Muslim holy men who lived during that period. The Guru Granth Sahib is at the center of Sikh gurdwaras (temples) worldwide even today.

Each living guru made his own distinct contribution to the evolution of Sikhism and the Sikh community. For example, Guru Nanak began the institution of langar (a free community kitchen) open to all irrespective of caste, creed, or status. The second guru Angad Dev (1504-1552) devised a unique linguistic script called Gurmukhi, the fourth Sikh guru Ram Das (1534-1581) founded the holy city of Amritsar, and the fifth guru Arjun Dev (1563-1606) constructed the holy shrine of Durbar Sahib (commonly known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

The tenth Sikh guru Gobind Singh left a particularly important imprint on Sikh identity by initiating a formal baptism ceremony called amrit sanchar and creating the Khalsa (community of the pure). Anyone, irrespective of caste or gender, could join the Khalsa by becoming baptized. All baptized Sikhs were instructed to wear five articles of their faith − kesh (uncut hair representing respect for the creator), kanga (a wooden comb representing cleanliness), kirpan (a short sword representing the willingness to confront injustice), kara (a steel bracelet representing oneness with God), and kacchera (short breeches representing self-control). The turban, which represents human nobility and honor, also become a part of the Sikh identity. All Sikhs accept the Guru Granth Sahib as their guru, but those who are not baptized vary in their personal adherence to the physical markers of Sikh identity.

According to Sikh theology, the route to salvation and avoiding the cycle of rebirth is hard and honest work (kirat karo), sharing with those less fortunate (vand ka chakho), and always remembering Vahiguru (nam japo). Thus, asceticism is not a part of Sikh philosophy, but rather one can live a worldly life tempered with reflective spirituality, and a strong sense of social responsibility to others and society. As such, Sikh theology becomes a personal philosophy on life, and one’s existence within a community of fellow human beings and mother nature which sustains and nourishes all of us, including in our beloved home of Northeast Ohio.

Jugdep S. Chima, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Political Science, Coordinator, International Studies Major, Koritansky Hall, Hiram College

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Voices of Faith: Sikhs show their faith daily with visible traditions