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Islam is anAbrahamic religion founded in theArabian Peninsula, whileSikhism is anIndian religion founded in thePunjab region of theIndian subcontinent. Islammeans 'submission to god'.[1][2] Sikhism, despite its monotheism, is categorised by hardline Muslims scholars askafir mushrikun due to rejection of Islamic prophecy by Sikhism.[3]
The wordSikh is derived from a word meaning 'disciple', or one who learns.[4]Sikhs believe that the 'creator and creation are one and the same thing'.[5] Most Muslims, on the other hand, believe God is separate and distinct from his creation.[6] Islam believes thatMuhammad was the lastprophet, to whom theQuran was revealed by God in the 7th century CE. Sikhism was founded in the 15th century CE byGuru Nanak.Guru Granth Sahib is the scripture followed by Sikhs as "The Living Guru."[7][8]
In Islam, the legal system based on the Quran and the Sunnah is known asSharia; there is no such legal system mentioned inGuru Granth Sahib.Daily prayers are one of thepillars of Islam, and they are mandatory for all Muslims.[9] Baptized Sikhs read the fivebanis as part of their daily routine,Nitnem. Islam requires annualzakah (alms giving) by Muslims.[10]Kirat Karna (doing an honest livelihood — earning honestly without any sort of corruption);Naam Japna (to chant and meditate on Naam, read and follow "The One"); andVand Chhako (selfless service [sewa] and sharing with others) are fundamental to Sikhism given by[tone] Guru Nanak Dev Ji. TheHajj is a religious pilgrimage to Mecca that is an important part of Islam, while Sikhs do not believe in pilgrimages. However, many Sikhs do frequently travel toHarmandir Sahib inAmritsar.[11]
There has been a history of constructive influence and conflict between Islam and Sikhism. The Sikh scriptureGuru Granth Sahib includes teachings from Muslims, namelyBaba Farid andKabir.[12][13][14]
The first convert to Sikhism was a Muslim,Mardana, who was Guru Nanak's lifelong friend and companion on his journeys. He is believed to have played therebab while Guru Nanak recited the sacred hymns that would later form theAdi Granth.
The first major interaction between the two religions happened when Guru Nanak spent two years inMecca and theMiddle East. He learned about Islam and had detailed discussions with Muslim sheikhs.
Sikhism believes thatGod is formless (nirankar).[7][15] It is amonotheistic religion in that it believes in a single God (Waheguru),[7] and it has also been seen as a form ofpanentheism. God in the nirgun aspect is without attributes, unmanifest, not seen, but all pervading and permeating,omnipresent. God in the sargun aspect is manifest and has attributes, qualities, and is seen in the whole of creation.
There is only one God, He is the eternal truth, He is without fear, He is without hate, immortal, without form, beyond birth and death
Islam is also amonotheistic religion as Muslims believe one God (Allah) and particularly in the concept oftawḥīd.[16][17] This Islamic doctrine is a part of itsShahada.[17][18]
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; (1) Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; (2) He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; (3) And there is none like unto Him. (4)
The Islamic theosophical belief in wahdatul wujud has many similarities to Sikhpanentheism.[19][20][21][22]
Sikhism reveresGuru Nanak as the first Sikh Guru of the faith who taught of the one divine creator,WaheGuru. TheGuru Gaddi, the symbolic seat of the Guru, has been filled by the tenSikh Gurus, who have guided the Sikh people (Panth), and is now occupied by the Sikh holy text,Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhism accepts that there were other messengers—includingMoses,Jesus, andMohammed—in other religions.[7]
Islam believes that there were many messengers of God, with thelast messenger beingProphet Mohammed, who received theQuran as the last revelation of God.[23][24] This conflicts with Sikhism whose first guru came around 800 years after the Prophet Mohammed.
Sikhism has an ambivalent attitude towards miracles and rejects any form of discrimination within and against other religions.[25] Sikhism does not believe in rituals, but is permissive of traditions.[8] Sikhism rejectsasceticism andcelibacy.[26] The Sikhism founderGuru Nanak adopted theIndic ideas on rebirth, and taught the ideas ofreincarnation.[26]Adi Granth of Sikhism recognizes and includes spiritual wisdom from other religions.[8][27][page needed]
Islam considers itself to be a perfect and final religion,[27] and warns against innovation (bid‘ah) to what is revealed in the Quran and theHadiths.[8] Islam believes in miracles and a final judgment day (Yawm al-Qiyāmah).[28]
Sikhism allows freedom of conscience and choosing one's own path.[29] It teaches that many religious traditions are valid, leading to the sameWaheguru, and it rejects that any particular religion has a monopoly regarding absolute truth for all of humanity.[30]
Islam teaches that non-Islamic religious traditions have been distorted by man to suit their desires.[31][32] Accordingly,apostasy—that is abandonment of Islam by a Muslim and conversion to another religion or atheism—is a religious crime in Islam punishable with death.[33][34] According to theHadiths, states John Esposito (2003), leaving Islam is punishable by "beheading, crucifixion or banishment," andsharia (Islamic legal code) traditionally has required death by the sword for an adult sane male who voluntarily leaves Islam.[33] However, adds Esposito (2003), modern thinkers have argued against execution as penalty for apostasy from Islam by invokingQuranic verse 2:256.[33]
Sikhism believes inpredestination within God's will, and what one does, speaks and hears falls within that will; one has to simply follow the laid down path per God'shukam.[35]
Islam, particularlySunni Islam, believes inpredestination, or divine preordainment (al-qadā wa l-qadar), whereinGod has full knowledge and control over all that occurs.[36][37] According to Islamic tradition, all that has been decreed by God is written inal-Lawh al-Mahfūz, the 'Preserved Tablet'.[38][full citation needed]
Sikh practices are outlined in theSikh Rehat Maryada. These include the following:
Additionally,Amritdhari Sikhs who belong to theKhalsa Panth wear the 5 articles of faith, known as theFive Ks:
The Khalsa was created onVaisakhi in 1699 by the tenth Sikh Guru,Guru Gobind Singh. The Khalsa Sikhs have a set of seven Sikh prayers, calledNitnem, which are to be recited daily duringAmrit Vela.[citation needed]
TheFive Pillars of Islam are duties incumbent on everyMuslim:
These 5 practices are essential toSunni Islam;Shi'a Muslims subscribe to 8 ritual practices which substantially overlap with the five Pillars.[40][41]
TheKhalsa Panth among Sikhs are guided by thefive Ks. They keep their head hair long (kesh) and men weardastar (turban). They carry a wooden comb, wear an iron bracelet, wear a cotton underwear, and carry akirpan (steel sword).[42] Non-baptized Sikh women are free to dress as they wish in Sikhism.[43] Sex segregation is not required in public places or Sikh temples by Sikhism.[43]
Muslim males are encouraged to grow their beards and trim the moustache.[44] Men in some Muslim communities wear turban (head cap).[45] Muslim men, as well as women, must dress modestly. Muslim women are required to cover their bodies in public,[46] with some Islamic scholars stating that theHadiths require covering the face too; it is also highly recommended to cover their hair.[47][48] Islam encourages gender segregation in public, and Muslim men and women do not usually mix in public places such as mosques. These restrictions are part ofAdab.[44]
Sikhism does not requirecircumcision of either males or females, and criticizes the practice.[49]
In Islam, no verse in the Quran supports male orfemale circumcision (FGM/C).[50] Male circumcision is a widespread practice and considered mandatory for Muslim males according toSunnah.[51] Muslim scholars disagree whether any authenticSunnah in thehadiths supports the practice of female circumcision.[52][53][54] TheIjma, or consensus of Muslim scholars, varies by the Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) on whether circumcision is optional, honorable or obligatory for Muslim male and females.[note 1] Prominent Islamic scholars have both supported and opposed FGM/C for female Muslims.[55][50][note 1][note 2]
Sikhs are prohibited from eatingkutha meat—meat obtained by ritualistic component and a slow death of the animal, as in Islamichalal or Jewishkosher meat.[59][60] The official Sikh Code of ConductSikh Rehat Maryada only forbids the consumption ofKutha meat.[60] Charity meals distributed at a SikhGurudwara, called alangar, is onlylacto-vegetarian.[59][61] Some groups[62] of Sikhism disagree with the consumption of meat altogether.[63] In practice, some Sikhs eat meat, while others avoid meat. Sikhism encourages temperance and moderation in food, i.e. to neither starve or overeat. Thus, it does not find merit in fasting, which is banned as an austerity, as a ritual, or as a mortification of the body by means of wilful hunger.[64] Sikhs are forbidden from smoking and consumption of tobacco.[citation needed]
Islam has Quranic restrictions on food, such as how the meat is prepared.[65] Halal meat is required in Islam, prepared by ritualslaughter that involves cutting thejugular veins of the animal with a sharp knife. This leads to death, through bleeding, of the animal.[66] Meat from animals that die of natural causes or accident is not allowed, unless necessary.[65] Beef is a religiously acceptable food to Muslims, but pork and alcohol is not.[67]
Fasting is commended in Islam, especially in the month ofRamadan.[64]
Sikhism has never required a special tax for non-Sikhs.
Muslim rulers in history compelled the payment of a special tax (jizya) fromdhimmi, non-Muslims living in a Muslim state. The Muslim jurists required adult, free, sane males among thedhimmi community to pay thejizya, while exempting non-Muslim women, children, elders, handicapped, the ill, the insane, monks, hermits, slaves and musta'mins—non-Muslim foreigners who only temporarily reside in Muslim lands. Dhimmis who chose to join military service were also exempted from payment, as were those who could not afford to pay. According to Islamic law, non-Muslim elders, handicapped etc. must be given pensions, and they must not go into begging. The purpose of the jizya was in exchange for protection and defending all non-Muslim residents against outside forces or invasions. Jizya was never imposed with the purpose to humiliate, demean or impose the faith of Islam on the non-Muslims. As Muslims payzakat (2.5% of their savings, this amount of zakat paid by Muslims, exceeded the amount of jizya paid by the non-Muslims), which goes to the government for people in need. Dhimmis were excluded from having to pay Islamic religious tax such as zakat, also were excluded from other Islamic religious obligations.[68][69]
TheGolden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) in Amritsar, India is not only a central religious place of the Sikhs, but also a symbol of human brotherhood and equality. The four entrances of the holy shrine from all four directions, signify that people belonging to every walk of life are equally welcome. The Golden Temple is a holy site for Sikhs and is welcome to people of any faith.[70]
Sikhs do not believe in pilgrimages.
Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the central religious place in Islam.[71][72] Mecca is regarded as theholiest city in Islam,[73] and apilgrimage to it (Hajj) is one of thepillars of Islam. Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the city.
Islam is the second largest religion in the world as of 21st century with around 2 billion followers worldwide including Majority ofSunni and minorityShia, and Major School of jurisprudenceHanafi,shafii,Maliki,Hanbali.
Mystical side of Islam includesSufi and Islamic moments of Indian subcontinent includesDeobandi andBarelvi[74][75]
While on the other hand,Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world as of 21st century with around 30 million followers, if countingKhalsa Sikhs.[76][77][78][79]
During the period ofGuru Nanak Dev Ji (the 1st Guru of Sikhism), many people from the lower sections of society joined Sikhi. The main three principles taught by the Guru were, Naam Japna (to remember the one God), Kirat Karni (to live an honourable life), Vand Chakna (to share with others). During this time, although his followers still remained Hindu, Muslim, or of the religion to which they were born, they became known as the Guru ji's disciples, or sikhs.[citation needed] It was here his followers began to refer to him as teacher, or guru. The Guru ji told his followers that they were to be householders and could not live apart from the world—there were to be no priests or hermits. Here is where the Guru ji instituted the common meal, requiring the rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim, high caste and low caste, to sit together while eating. All worked together, all owned the town. Here is where Lehna, later to be Guru Angad, came to be with Guru Nanak Dev ji.[citation needed]
During MuslimEmperor Akbar's rule, Sikhism and other religions were accepted and flourished. The Emperor established anIbadat Khana, which served as a platform for religious debates and dialogues among different communities, including Sikhs. He also visitedGuru Amar Das (3rd Sikh Guru) atGoindwal, where he ate at and offered donations for theLangar.[80][81]
For most of theMughal Empire, however, Sikh Gurus were persecuted.Guru Arjan (5th Guru), for instance, was executed on the orders of Mughal EmperorJahangir for refusing to convert to Islam.[82][83][84] After the martyrdom of Guru Arjan,Guru Hargobind (6th Guru) saw that it would no longer be possible to protect theSikh community without the aid of arms.[85] He wore two swords ofMiri and Piri and built theAkal Takhat, the Throne of the Immortal, which is the highest political institution of the Sikhs.[86] WhenKashmiri Pandits were being forcefully converted to Islam byAurangzeb,Guru Tegh Bahadur (9th Guru) were beheaded for refusing to convert by Aurangzeb atChandni Chowk inDelhi.[87] Fellow devoteesBhai Mati Das,Bhai Sati Das andBhai Dayala were also tortured and executed, while Guru Tegh Bahadur were forced to watch.[88][89]
Guru Gobind Singh (10th Guru) formed theKhalsa—the Army of theAkal Purakh (Immortal) Two of Guru Gobind Singh's younger sons,SahibzaadeFateh Singh (aged 7) andZorawar Singh (aged 9), were bricked up alive by Mughal GovernorWazir Khan inSirhind, Punjab. When in South India, Guru Gobind Singh sentBanda Singh Bahadur to chastise the repressive Governor of Sirhind. Banda Singh captured Sirhind and laid the foundation of the first Sikh empire.[90] TheNawab ofMalerkotla,Sher Mohammad Khan, protested against the execution of the Sahibzaade, after which Guru Gobind Singh blessed the state. Many historians consider this as a reason whyMalerkotla was the only city not harmed by Banda Singh Bahadur during his military campaign.[91][92]
While there is no consensus on the issue ofGuru Nanak’s faith prior to the advent ofSikhism, one largely overlooked theory proposed by Dominique Sila-Khan in her works,Crossing the Threshold: Understanding Religious Identities in South Asia (2004) andConversions and Shifting Identities (1997), argues that Guru Nanak was neither Hindu nor Sufi Muslim in the ‘mainstream’ sense, but rather, aNizari Ismaili Muslim prior to Sikhism’s creation.[93][94]
The Muslim religious leadership andmosques continuously received state support under Sikh rule.[95][96] This was in contrast to the Muslims ofKashmir Valley, where Sikh rule was generally oppressive,[97] although Punjab was governed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Kashmir was ruled intermittently by either Hindu or Sikh governors.[98] The region had passed from the control of theDurrani Empire ofAfghanistan, and four centuries ofMuslim rule under theMughals and theAfghans, to theSikhs under Ranjit Singh in 1819.[99] As the Kashmiris had suffered under the Afghans, they initially welcomed the new Sikh rulers,[100] however this perception later changed.[97] The Sikh rulers of Kashmir enacted several anti-Muslim laws,[98] which included handing out death sentences for cow slaughter,[100] closing down theJamia Masjid inSrinagar, and banning theazaan, the public Muslim call to prayer.[98] Several European visitors who visited Kashmir during Sikh rule wrote of the abject poverty of the vast Muslim peasantry and the exorbitant taxes under the Sikh rulers. High taxes, according to some contemporary accounts, had depopulated large tracts of the countryside.[100] However, after a famine in 1832, the Sikhs reduced the land tax.[98]
InSouth Asia alone, there are over 200 million Muslims who are followers ofSufi traditions, the most notable being theBarelvi movement.[101] The Sikh Gurus had cordial relations with manySufi Saints, and in the Sikh holy book, theGuru Granth Sahib, many Sufi and other Muslim scholars’ quotes and wisdom are featured.[13]
In December 1588, a Sufi saint ofLahore,Mian Mir, visitedGuru Arjan Dev at the initiation ceremony before the construction of theHarmandir Sahib (Golden Temple).[102]
TheAhmadiyya Movement is a Muslim reform movement founded byMirza Ghulam Ahmad (regarded as theMasih andMahdi) to purify, defend, andproselytizing Islam.[103] Since the 18th century, Sufis and ancestors of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had cordial relations with Sikhs. Soon, however, the Sufis would have to battle the SikhRamgarhia Misl.[104] However, asRanjit Singh established theSikh Empire, they pledged their loyalty and joined his army. For their service as commanders, Ranjit Singh returned to them some of the lost territory of theirJagir.[104]
Ahmad Sirhindi, a renowned and influential Sufi philosopher of the 16th and 17th centuries, was hostile to the Sikhs and celebrated the execution of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan. He wrote a laudatory letter to Shaikh Farid Bukhari (Murtza Khan) with an excerpt quoted [sic] as follows:[105][106][107]
"The execution of the accused Kafir of Goindwal at this time is a very good achievement indeed and has become the cause of a great defeat of hateful Hindus. With whatever intention they are killed and with whatever objective theyare destroyed it is a meritorious act for the Muslims. Before this Kafir was killed, I have seen a dream that Emperor of the day had destroyed the crown of the head of Shirk or infidelity. It is true that this infidel was the chief of the infidels and a leader of the Kafirs. The object of levying Jazia on them is to humiliate and insult the Kafirs and Jehad against them and hostility towards them are the necessities of the Muhammedan faith."
— Ahmad Sirhindi, No. 193 in Part III of Vol. I of Muktubat-i-Imam Rubbani Hazrat Mujaddid-i-Alf-i-Sani
During theBritish Raj, Sikhs and Punjabi Muslims shared brotherhood, both participating in theBritish Indian Army to whom they showed loyalty during therevolt of 1857.
During thepartition of India in 1947, millions of Hindus and Sikhs left Pakistan and moved into India, while millions of Muslims left India and moved into Pakistan; in between this movement, there was much bloodshed.[108] As people from both sidesleft their homes and belongings to travel across the new border of India and Pakistan, many were killed on trains and land in what is thought to be acts of revenge.[108]Malerkotla was not affected and was viewed as a safe haven for Muslims during the partition.[92] The popular legend associated with it is that the town was not impacted because of Guru Gobind Singh blessing it after itsNawab protested against the execution of the Guru's sons.[92]
Sikhs, underMaster Tara Singh, were promised an autonomous region byMuhammad Ali Jinnah on behalf of the Muslim population, as well as byJawaharlal Nehru andMahatma Gandhi, on behalf of the majority Hindu community. They feared that Sikhs would join Pakistan if their support was not secured in backing the partition of Punjab. After the former colonial kingdoms andPrincely states were being divided along language differences, Punjab and Sikhs were not given any special status in theConstitution Act of India.[citation needed]
In theUK, there have been some instances of tension betweenSikhs andMuslims, on allegations that some Muslim men have preyed on Sikh women toforcibly convert them to Islam.[109][110]
In 2009, theTaliban in Pakistan demanded that Sikhs in the region pay them thejizya (poll tax levied by Muslims on non-Muslim minorities).[111] In 2010, theTaliban attacked many minorities including Sikhs resulting in twobeheadings.[112]
In April 2016, two 16-year-old Muslims bombed agurudwara in the German city ofEssen using fire extinguishers that were converted into an explosive device. The devices detonated after a wedding party had left for the reception. AGranthi was injured seriously, while two others were treated for minor injuries. The building itself was damaged severely. One of the teens was inderadicalization program. The two denied that it was religiously motivated, saying it was “just for the kick of building fireworks!” However, before setting off the blast, the two tried to break into anothergurudwara inNorth Rhine Westphalia.[113]
The central teaching in Sikhism is the belief in the oneness of God....The same God is the Creator and Nourisher of all.
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