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Sikhism is a religion originating in India, with adherents all over the world. Sikhs follow the teachings of ten gurus and believe in equality, service, and prayer. They are recognized by their uncut hair and turbans. Sikhs do not proselytize but welcome visitors to their temples and are active in charitable endeavors.
Sikhs are followers of Sikhism, a religion originating in the Punjab region of India. Today, Sikhs can be found all over the world, although the largest concentration of Sikhs remains in India. Adherents of Sikhism are often very recognizable due to the religious requirement that they refrain from cutting their hair, with men wearing distinctive turbans to cover their hair, also in accordance with religious scriptures.
Sikhism traces its roots back to the 15th century, when the first guru, or spiritual leader, first began to organize and codify the religion. Guru Nanak took elements of both Hindu and Muslim faiths, integrating Hindu ideas on karma with Muslim monotheism. Nine more gurus followed Guru Nanak, with Guru Gobind Singh in 15 completely codifying Sikhism and creating the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scriptures of Sikhism. Sikh scriptures include writings of gurus, along with testimonies from Muslim and Hindu prophets.
One of the core ideas of Sikhism is the idea that all people are equal, regardless of race, class, creed or cultural origin. Sikhs also believe they have a duty to protect poor or needy people, whether they are fellow Sikhs or not. The soldier-saint precept of Sikhism states that Sikhs should devote their lives to prayer, contemplation and modest living, but that they should also be prepared to fight or even sacrifice their lives for those in need. As a result, many Sikhs have military training and are in fact heavily represented in the Indian Army.
Sikhs are specifically directed not to give up on the world, instead seeking modest lives filled with prayer, honest work, and consideration for others. Sikhs are also directed towards integrating charity and service into their lives, helping those less fortunate, and they practice tolerance and love for all mankind, even praying for all mankind as part of their daily prayers .
The word “Sikh” comes from the Sanskrit shishya for “student” or “disciple,” and many Sikhs consider themselves lifelong students. Sikhs don’t proselytize, but their temples or Gurdwaras are open to all and they are happy to talk to people who are curious about their religious faith. In communities with large Sikh populations, it is also common to see Sikhs active in various charitable endeavors in the community, and many Sikh temples host regular vegetarian dinners that are open to the whole community.
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