(Amrit Pal Singh \u2018Amrit\u2019)<\/p>\n
In the \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019, a definition of a Sikh has been given. The \u2018Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee\u2019 has published its English Translation also.<\/p>\n
According to the translation, this is the definition of Sikh: –<\/p>\n
\u201cAny human being, who faithfully believes in: –
\n(1) One immortal Being,
\n(2) Ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind Singh,
\n(3) The Guru Granth Sahib,
\n(4) The utterances and teachings of the ten Gurus and
\n(5) The baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru,
\nAnd who does not owe allegiance to any other religion, is a Sikh.\u201d<\/p>\n
Habitually, we pay no attention to the deep meanings of a simple definition. In the definition of Sikh, \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 has made every point clearer. Even then, sometime we see people in confusion about the definition of Sikh.<\/p>\n
The points given in the \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 published by Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee have been discussed in this article.<\/p>\n
In original Punjabi script of \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019, words \u2018istree jaan purash\u2019 (woman or man) have been used. So, it is clear, according to \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 that the word \u2018Sikh\u2019 is used for both (male and female). In old Sikh texts, the word \u2018Sikhni\u2019 has been used for a Sikh woman, same as the word \u2018Singhni\u2019 is often used for an Amritdhari woman now-a-days.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 too has used the word \u2018Sikhni\u2019 for a Sikh woman (see the second point of the portion describing \u2018Sadharan Path\u2019 and the first point of the portion \u2018Anand sanskar\u2019). Although grammatically the word \u2018Sikh\u2019 is a masculine form and \u2018Sikhni\u2019 is a feminine, in practical this word \u2018Sikh\u2019 is used for both of genders.<\/p>\n
The first characteristic of a Sikh is that he\/she believes in the God. An atheist can never be a Sikh. The word \u2018Sikh\u2019 has also been used in ancient Buddhist scriptures for Buddhists. The Buddhists are believed to be atheists. But according to \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019, a Sikh in \u2018Gurmat\u2019 (Guruism) believes in the God. This is his\/her first characteristic. It is impossible to think of a nonbeliever Sikh. If we go deep into this point, we can reach the conclusion that a Sikh cannot join such a political\/social\/cultural organization, which promotes atheism. A Sikh has been ordered to preach theism: –<\/p>\n
\u201cAap japo avrah Naam japaavoh.\u201d (Chant the Naam yourself, and inspire others to chant it as well).
\n(Sri Sukhmani Sahib, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, page 289).<\/p>\n
Grammatically, the word \u2018Sikh\u2019 stands for disciple. It is often translated into \u2019student\u2019 as well. Actually the word \u2018Sikh\u2019 is derived from the Sanskrit word \u2018Shishya\u2019 (disciple). This word has been used in this meaning in Guru Granth Sahib as well. For example, \u201cKabeer Sikh saakha bahutey keeye, Kesho keeyo naa meet.\u201d (Kabeer! you have made many students and disciples, but you have not made God your friend). (Guru Granth Sahib, page 1369). So, we see that the word \u2018Sikh\u2019 has in general been used for any disciple of any Guru in old scriptures, including Guru Granth Sahib Ji.<\/p>\n
To differentiate from others, another characteristic of a \u2018Sikh\u2019 has been given in the \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019.<\/p>\n
A Sikh is a person who believes in ten Gurus, (from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Guru Gobind Singh) and Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Now the word \u2018Sikh\u2019 becomes a proper noun. For us, the word \u2018Sikh\u2019 means \u2018a Sikh of Guru Nanak-Guru Gobind Singh-Guru Granth Sahib\u2019. Now for the entire world, the word \u2018Sikh\u2019 means \u2018a Sikh of Guru Nanak-Guru Gobind Singh-Guru Granth Sahib\u2019. \u2018A Sikh of Gautam Buddha\u2019 is a \u2018Buddhist\u2019. \u2018A Sikh of Kabeer\u2019 is \u2018Kabeer Panthee\u2019. But \u2018a Sikh of Guru Nanak-Gobind Singh-Guru Granth Sahib\u2019 is \u2018the Sikh\u2019. No need to know what old dictionaries say about the word \u2018Sikh\u2019.<\/p>\n
Many people tried to preach their own ideas under the name of Gurmat (Guruism). They tried to use word \u2018Sikh\u2019 for their followers, but in vain. Some of them are now known as \u2018Nirankaris\u2019. Some of them are now known as \u2018Naamdharis\u2019. They can call themselves ‘Nirankaris’ (even \u2018Nirankari-sikh\u2019) and ‘Namdharis’ (even \u2018Naamdhari-sikh\u2019), but not just \u2018Sikh\u2019; because a \u2018Sikh\u2019 means a \u2018Sikh of Guru Nanak-Gobind Singh-Guru Granth\u2019. This is the point one must understand.<\/p>\n
\u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 makes another point. A Sikh is a person, who believes in \u2018Sri Guru Granth Sahib\u2019. The word \u2018Guru\u2019 is very important. It is \u2018Sri Guru Granth Sahib\u2019, not just \u2018Granth Sahib\u2019. It means that a Sikh is a person who accepts this \u2018Granth\u2019 (book) his \u2018Guru\u2019.
\nThere is not any other Guru for him\/her. He\/she does not accept any other living human being his\/her Guru. If someone does so, he\/she has the right to, but one thing is certain that he\/she is not a \u2018Sikh\u2019 as maintained by the definition given by \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019. Thus, \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 points out that a \u2018Sikh\u2019 does not accept any living human being his\/her Guru. Only Sri Guru Granth Sahib is Guru of a Sikh.<\/p>\n
A Sikh obeys the sacred hymns of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. However there are holy hymns of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, which are not included in Guru Granth Sahib Ji. So, \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 makes a point that a Sikh obeys the sacred hymns of ten Gurus. Thus, a Sikh is a person who believes in Gurbani (holy hymns of ten Gurus), whether it is written in Guru Granth Sahib, or not. (The 6th, 7th and 8th Gurus did not write Gurbani. The sacred hymns of Guru Gobind Singh Ji are not included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib).<\/p>\n
A Sikh also believes in the \u2018Amrit by the tenth Guru\u2019. (\u2019Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 also describes how this \u2018Amrit\u2019 is prepared). Only \u2018the five beloved ones\u2019 have the right to baptize (to distribute Amrit to) anyone.<\/p>\n
Other characteristic of a Sikh is that he\/she does not owe allegiance to any other religion.
\nWhen we say that a Sikh does not owe allegiance to any other religion, it does not mean that he\/she does not respect other religions. In fact, a Sikh respects all religions. A Sikh always remembers that there are sacred hymns of Muslims, Brahmans and others in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and Sri Guru Granth Sahib is his\/her Guru. Thus, it is absolutely natural that a Sikh respects all religions.<\/p>\n
Thus, according to \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019 published by Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, \u201cany male or female, who believes in One Immortal Being, ten Gurus (from Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib), Sri Guru Granth Sahib and the sacred hymns and teaching of the ten Gurus, and tenth Guru\u2019s Amrit; and who does not owe allegiance to any other religion, is a Sikh\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(Amrit Pal Singh \u2018Amrit\u2019) In the \u2018Sikh Rahat Maryada\u2019, a definition of a Sikh has been given. The \u2018Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee\u2019 has published its English Translation also. According to the translation, this is the definition of Sikh: – \u201cAny human being, who faithfully believes in: – (1) One immortal Being, (2) Ten Gurus, from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=88"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=88"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=88"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.amritworld.com\/main\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=88"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}