Information for the Media

Common Misconceptions Regarding Sikhism
Source: The Sikh Network

Derived vs. Unique Religion

Truth 1: Sikhism is a unique revealed religion. It is not derived from any other religion. It is not a blend of any two or three religions. Guru Nanak started a new faith.

The uniqueness of the Sikh faith is apparent after looking into the main philosophies and practices of the Sikhs.

Revealers of God's Word - Guru Nanak and his 9 successors, ending with Guru Gobind Singh
Scripture - Guru Granth Sahib
Script - Gurmukhi (translated as "mouth of Guru")
Place of worship - Gurdwara (translated as "door to the Guru")

All people are created equal regardless of gender, status, geographic location, and religion affiliation. Sikhs strive to achieve a balance between spiritual life and temporal life.
Sikhism condemns empty rituals. Sikhs do not believe in pilgrimages, idolatry, reverence to pictures. Sikhs believe in rituals such as daily prayer that instill understanding and discipline.

Misconception: Sikhism derives from the Hindu Bhakti movement and, thus, is a sect of Hinduism.

Truth: Sikhism repudiates the fundamental basis of the Bhakti movement, which claims that god Vishnu incarnates by taking birth in a human form from time to time (sambhavami-yuge yuge), and has incarnated himself as Rama and Krishna. In sharp contrast to the Bhakti movement, the opening lines of the Sikh scripture declare that God is unborn and, therefore, can never incarnate (ajooni).

Misconception: Guru Nanak was born into a Hindu family and thus was a Hindu. He did not intend to start a new religion.

Truth: Sikhism is a distinct revealed religion. Just as Jesus was born into a Jewish family, so was Nanak born into a Hindu family. Regardless of the background of their families, each heard God's message and preached a new thought against the social ills of the time. Christians are not known to the world as reformed Jews. Christianity is not said to be a sect of Judaism. In the same manner, Sikhs are not Hindu. Sikhism is not a sect of Hinduism.

Misconception: Sikhism is said to be the military wing of Hinduism, created to fight against the tyranny of the Mughal empire in the 15th century. With the division of South Asia, by the British, into India and Pakistan, the era of tyranny no longer exists and, thus, Sikhs should return to the Hindu fold.

Truth: If Sikhism was the military wing of Hinduism, Sikhism would follow the same foundations and beliefs as Hinduism, but it would be more militant. The fundamental teachings of Sikhism are very different from Hinduism. In world history, Sikhs have defended the rights of Hindus, as well as all other faiths, to practice their faith free of tyranny. So while Sikhs may defend against oppression, the philosophy and religion of the Sikhs reject Hindu beliefs.

[BACK]