Basic
Worldview:
104
Why Christianity?
Propositional
Religions 5 - Sikhism
Propositional
Religions 1 - Deism, Pantheism, and Naturalism
Propositional Religions 2 - Intro,
Hinduism, Buddhism
Propositional Religions 3 - Jainism,
Taoism
Propositional Religions 4 - Shintoism,
Confucianism
Propositional Religions 5 - Sikhism
Propositional Religions 6 - Babism
and Baha'ism, Zoroastrianism
Propositional Religions 7 - Neopaganism,
Mysticism (Syncretism)
Propositional Religions 8 - Mysticism
Propositional Religions 9 - Mysticism, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism
Introduction | Section 1
| Section 2 | Section
3
Sikhism
Sikhism is a religion, which combines the beliefs of Hinduism
and Islam. Because of its relationship with Hinduism we could
have covered Sikhism earlier in our study. However, its Islamic
elements place its inception much later in history than Hinduism.
Because of its relatively recent origination we thought it
best to cover the ancient Asian religions first.
As we begin our investigation into Sikhism we can see that
there is already some difficulty in substantiating its views.
This is because Sikhism is merely a combination of two religions,
Hinduism, which we have already studied, and Islam, which
we will cover later on in our examination of Evidentiary religions.
Because of its dependence upon Islam, a religion, which does
attempt to offer evidence to substantiate the accuracy of
its claims, we could perhaps categorize Sikhism as an Evidentiary
religions. However, Sikhism is only evidentiary in its dependence
upon Islamic claims and therefore the evidence Islam offers
in support of those claims. Therefore, the evidentiary aspect
of Sikhism (its dependence upon Islamic claims and evidence)
will be sufficiently covered in our discussion of Islam.
However, there are two reasons why it is appropriate to cover
Sikhism in our section on Propositional religions. First,
it is an outgrowth of Hinduism, which we have categorized
as a Propositional religion. Second, the particular form of
Islam that Sikhism is based upon is Islamic Sufism, a mystical
sect of Islam. As we have already seen to some extent and
as we will cover more later in this study, Propositional religions,
including Hinduism tend to be highly mystical. So, for this
reason as well, Sikhism seems to fit well with Propositional
religion.
This dependence upon Hindu claims is itself damaging to Sikhism.
Earlier in our study we rejected Hindu beliefs on the grounds
that it does not provide any objective evidence to accept
the accuracy of those claims. Since Sikhism accepts the accuracy
of these unsubstantiated and unverifiable Hindu truth claims,
offering them as its own, Sikhism will have to be rejected
in part for the same reason that we rejected its Hindu predecessor
and several other religions, which were based upon Hindu teachings.
However, before we reject Sikhism purely for its dependence
upon unsubstantiated Hindu claims, we should also take a look
at Sikhism's own origination and beliefs in order to determine
if it provides any objective evidence on its own in order
to substantiate the accuracy of its claims. With that goal
in mind we will now look at the origin of Sikhism. We will
notice right away that it is a combination of Hinduism and
Islam.
"Sikh - an adherent of a monotheistic religion of
India founded about 1500 by Guru Nanak and marked by rejection
of idolatry and caste." - Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary
"Sikhism - The doctrines and practices of a monotheistic
religion founded in northern India in the 16th century and
combining elements of Hinduism and Islam." - The American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition.
2000.
"Sikhism - The founder and first Sikh guru, the
mystic Nanak (c.1469-c.1539), proclaimed monotheism,
the provisional nature of organized religion, and direct realization
of God through religious exercises and meditation; he
opposed idolatry, ritual, an organized priesthood, and the
caste system." - The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.
2001.
"Sikhism - religion centered in the Indian state of
Punjab, numbering worldwide some 19 million. Some 300,000
Sikhs live in Britain, and there are smaller communities in
North America, Australia, and Singapore. By the late 1990s
Sikhism was the world's fifth largest faith and had some 175,000
U.S. adherents and 225,000 in Canada. Sikhism is heterodox,
combining the teachings of Bhakti Hinduism and Islamic Sufism."
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
"Guru - Hinduism and Buddhism, spiritual teacher. The
guru gives initiation into spiritual practice and instructs
disciples, often maintaining a close relationship with them.
Among the Sikhs (see Sikhism) the title guru was
given to the 10 leaders of the community from Nanak (c.1469-c.1539),
founder of Sikhism, to Govind Singh (1666-1708). Govind
appointed no successor, declaring that the Granth (the Sikh
scriptures) was the true guru." - The Columbia Encyclopedia,
Sixth Edition. 2001.
"Sikhism - the religion of an Indian group, combining
Hindu and Islamic elements, founded in the Punjab (or
Pa–jab) in the late 15th century AD by Guru Nanak.
Its members are known as Sikhs." - Britannica.com
"Sikhism - Sikhs are disciples of their Ten Gurus
(religious teachers), beginning with Nanak (1469-1539) and
ending with Gobind Singh (1666-1708)." - Britannica.com
"Sikhism - Sikhism was a historical development
of the Hindu Vais nava Bhakti movementÑa devotional movement
among followers of the god Vishnu Ñthat began in Tamil
country and was introduced to the north by Ramanuja (traditionally,
1017-1137). In the 14th and 15th centuries, and after prolonged
confrontation with Islam, the movement spread across the Indo-Gangetic
Plain. The Bhaktas (devotees) maintained that God,
though known by many names and beyond comprehension, is the
one and the only reality; that all else is illusion (maya);
and that the best way to approach God is through repetition
of his name (Sanskrit nama), singing hymns of praise (Punjabi
kirtan ), and meditation under the guidance of a Guru. Traditional
Hindu religion and society were hierarchically structured;
the Bhakti movement opposed the Brahmin hegemony over religious
ritual and the caste system." - Britannica.com
"Sikhism - Kabir (1440-1518), a medieval mystic
poet and religious synthesist, was the link between Hindu
Bhakti and Islamic Sufism (mysticism), which had gained a
large following among Indian Muslims. Sufis (mystics)
also believed in singing hymns and in meditation under guidance
of a leader. They welcomed non-Muslims in their hospices.
Sikhism drew inspiration from both Bhaktas and Sufis."
- Britannica.com
"Sikhism - Nanak was born in 1469 in the village
of Rai Bhoi di Talvan di, 40 miles (65 kilometres) from Lahore
(in present-day Pakistan). His father was a revenue collector
belonging to the Bedi (conversant with the VedasÑthe revealed
scriptures of Hinduism) subcaste of Ksatriyas (Warriors).
Nanak received an education in traditional Hindu lore and
in the rudiments of Islam. Early in life he began associating
with holy men. For a time he worked as the accountant of the
Afghan chieftain at Sultanpur. There a Muslim family servant,
Mardana, who was also a rebec player, joined him. Nanak began
to compose hymns. Mardana put them to music and the two organized
community hymn singing. They organized a canteen where
Muslims, as well as Hindus of different castes, could eat
together. At Sultanpur, Nanak had his first vision of God,
in which he was ordered to preach to mankind. He disappeared
while bathing in a stream. When he reappeared on the third
day, he proclaimed: 'There is no Hindu, there is no Mussulman.'"
- Britannica.com
"Sikhism - Speculation on the origin of the cosmos
is largely derived from Hindu texts. Sikhs accept the cyclic
Hindu theory of samsara Ñbirth, death, and rebirthÑand karma,
whereby the nature of one's life is determined by his actions
in a previous life. Humans are, therefore, equal to all
other creatures, except insofar as they are sentient. Human
birth is the one opportunity to escape samsara and attain
salvation." - Britannica.com
"Sikhism - Unity of the Godhead is emphasized in
Sikhism. Nanak used the Hindu Vedantic concept
of om, the mystic syllable, as a symbol of God. To
this he added the qualifications of singleness and creativity
and thus constructed the symbol ik ("one") om kar ("creator"),
which was later given figurative representation as. The opening
lines of his morning prayer, Japji, called the Mul Mantra
("Root Belief") of Sikhism, define God as the One, the
Truth, the Creator, immortal and omnipresent. God is also
formless (nirankar) and beyond human comprehension. Sikh scriptures
use many names, both Hindu and Muslim, for God. Nanak's
favourite names were Sat-Kartar ("True Creator") and Sat-Nam
("True Name"). Later the word Wah-Guru ("Hail Guru") was added
and is now the Sikh synonym for God." - Britannica.com
One of the first things to note about Sikhism is its late
date. The recentness of its origin makes it distinct among
the religions we have studied so far. We have already seen
that Hinduism began in the uncertain past, presumably sometime
between 2000-1000 B.C. (approximately 1500 B.C.). Buddhism,
Jainism, Taoism, and Confucianism all began approximately
between the 8th and 5th centuries B.C. We will see later that
Islam began in the 600's A.D. Yet, Sikhism, wasn't started
until 600 years ago, in the 1400's A.D. This is over 900 years
after Islam was proclaimed by Mohammed, almost 3000 years
after Hinduism began to be practiced in India, and around
2000 years after the origins of Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism,
and Confucianism.
As has been and will continue to be the case recent religious
movements connect themselves to ancient traditions. Christianity
developed as a sect of ancient Judaism. Islam claims to continue
and complete the Judeo-Christian tradition. Likewise, Sikhism
accepts both the Hindu and Islamic traditions as predecessors.
One problem for this dual dependency is the contradiction
that exists between the two parent religions. One example
of this would be that the Koran (or Qur'an) is Islam's authoritative
scripture.
"Islam - The Qur'an (literally, Reading, or
Recitation) is regarded as the Word, or Speech, of God
delivered to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. Divided into
114 surahs (chapters) of unequal length, it is the fundamental
source of Islamic teaching." - Britannica.com
"Qur'an - The Qur'an is held in high esteem as the
ultimate authority in all matters legal and religious
and is generally regarded as infallible in all respects."
- Britannica.com
"Qur'an - also spelled Koran: holy book of Islam,
regarded by believers as the true word of God as revealed
to the Prophet Muhammad. In its written form it is accepted
as the earthly reproduction of an uncreated and eternal
heavenly original, according to the general view referred
to in the Qur'an itself as 'the well-preserved tablet' (al-lawh
al-mahfu z ; Qur'an 85:22)." - Britannica.com
Likewise, as we saw earlier, Hinduism has its own sacred literature.
"Veda - oldest scriptures of Hinduism and the most
ancient religious texts in an Indo-European language.
The authority of the Veda as stating the essential truths
of Hinduism is still accepted to some extent by all Hindus.
The Veda is the literature of the Aryans who invaded NW
India c.1500 B.C. and pertains to the fire sacrifice that
constituted their religion. The Vedic hymns were probably
first compiled after a period of about 500 years during which
the invaders assimilated various native religious ideas. The
end of the Vedic period is about 500 B.C. Tradition ascribes
the authorship of the hymns to inspired seer-poets (rishis).
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
"Hinduism - Hindus disagree about the way (marga)
to final emancipation (moksha). Three paths to salvation
(variously valued but nonexclusive) are presented in an
extremely influential religious text, the Bhagavadgita ("Song
of the Lord"; c. 200 BC), according to which it is not
acts themselves but the desire for their results that produces
karma and thus attachment."- Britannica.com
"Hinduism - The earliest literary source for the
history of Hinduism is the Rigveda (Rgveda), the hymns
of which were chiefly composed during the last two or three
centuries of the 2nd millennium BC. The religious life reflected
in this text is not that of Hinduism but of an earlier
sacrificial religious system, generally known as Brahmanism
or Vedism, which developed in India among Aryan invaders."
- Britannica.com
"Hinduism - The Aryans of the early Vedic period left
few material remains, but they left a very important literary
record called the Rigveda. Its 1,028 hymns are distributed
throughout 10 books, of which the first and the last are the
most recent." - Britannica.com
While the Koran does affirm that Jewish and Christian prophets
and scripture are from God and God's Word, it does not bestow
this status upon any other religion including Hinduism. (It
should be stated that later Muslim tradition does extend similar
status as a "revealed religion" to Hindus and Zoroastrians
as the Koran gives to Christians and Jews, however, this modification
does not come from the Koran itself but added some time later.)
The following quotes from the Koran all confirm this fact.
(NOTE 1: All quotations from the Koran are identified in terms
of page number, chapter, and verse as denoted in The Koran,
translated by N.J. Dawood, Penguin Putnam Inc., 375 Hudson
Street, New York, New York 10014, USA. 1999.)
"Islam - Jews and Christians were assigned a
special status as communities possessing scriptures and
called the "people of the Book" (ahl al-kitab) and, therefore,
were allowed religious autonomy. They were, however, required
to pay a per capita tax called jizyah, as opposed to
pagans, who were required to either accept Islam or die. The
same status of the 'people of the Book' was later extended
to Zoroastrians and Hindus, but many 'people of the Book'
joined Islam in order to escape the disability of the jizyah."
- Britannica.com
We have revealed the Torah, in which there is guidance
and light. By it the prophets who submitted to God judged
the Jews, and so did the rabbis and the divines, according
to God's Book which had been committed to their keeping
and to which they themselves were witnesses. (Koran, p. 84,
5:41, 3rd Para. - 5:44, 1st Para.)
Say: 'People of the Book, you will attain nothing until
you observe the Torah and the Gospel and that which
has been revealed to you from your Lord.' (Koran, p. 87, 5:65,
3rd Para.)
We gave him Isaac and Jacob and guided both as We had guided
Noah before them. Among his descendents were David and Solomon,
Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron (thus do we reward the
righteous); Zacharias and John, Jesus and Elias (all were
upright men); and Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah and Lot. All these
We exalted above the nations as We exalted some of their
fathers, their children, and their brothers. We chose them
and guided them to a straight path. Such is God's guidance;
He bestows it on those of His servants whom He chooses. Had
they served other gods besides Him, their labours would have
been vain indeed. On those men We bestowed the Scriptures,
wisdom, and prophethood. If these are denied by this generation,
We will entrust them to others who will not deny them.
Those were the men whom God guided. Follow then their guidance
and say: 'I demand of you no recompense for this. It is but
an admonition to all mankind.' They have no true notion of
God's glory, those that say: 'God has never revealed anything
to a mortal.' Say: 'Who, then, revealed the Scriptures which
Moses brought down, a light and a guide for mankind? You have
transcribed them on scraps of paper, declaring some and suppressing
much, though now you have been taught what neither you nor
you fathers knew before.' (Koran, p. 100, 6:80, 3rd Para.
- 6:91, 1st Para.)
Are they seeking a religion other than God's, when every soul
in the heaven's and the earth has submitted to Him willingly
or by compulsion? To Him shall they return. Say: 'We believe
in God and what is revealed to us; in that which was revealed
to Abraham and Ishmael, to Isaac and Jacob and the tribes;
and in that which their Lord gave Moses and Jesus and the
prophets. We discriminate against none of them. Too Him
we have surrendered ourselves.' He that chooses a religion
other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and in
the world to come he will surely be among the losers. (Koran,
p. 50, 3:83, 1st Para. - 3rd Para.)
They say: 'Accept the Jewish or the Christian faith and you
shall be rightly guided.' Say: 'By no means! We believe
in the faith of Abraham, the upright one. He was no idolater.'
Say: We believe in God and that which has been revealed
to us; in what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob,
and the tribes; to Moses and Jesus and the other prophets
by their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them,
and to Him we submit.' (Koran, p. 23, 2:132, 4th Para. - 2:136.)
Be courteous when you argue with the People of the Book,
except with those among them who do evil. Say: 'We believe
in that which has been revealed to us and which was revealed
to you. Our God and your God is one. To Him we submit.'
(Koran, p. 282, 29:46.)
Tell of Moses, who said to his people: 'Why do you
seek to harm me, my people, when you know that I am sent to
you by God?' And when they went astray, God led their very
hearts astray. God does not guide the evil-doers. And of
Jesus son of Mary, who said to the Israelites: 'I am sent
forth to you from God to confirm the Torah already revealed,
and to give news of an apostle that will come after me whose
name is Ahmad.' (Koran, p. 391, 61:1, 4th Para. - 61:8.)
(The amount of times that the Koran affirms Jewish and Christian
scripture are too numerous to recount here. A complete list
of quotes from the Koran, which uphold that Jewish and Christian
scriptures are God's Word, is included in our section on Islam.)
Though both Islam and Hinduism have sacred scripture, believed
to contain God's truth for mankind, Sikhism venerates its
own religious texts, which are not endorsed by either of its
parent religions.
"Sikhism - The earliest source materials on Nanak
are the janam-sakhis ("life stories"), written 50 to
80 years after the death of the Guru. Most Sikh scholars reject
them and rely instead on the Guru's compositions incorporated
in the Adi Granth and the Vars (heroic ballads) composed
by Bha i Gurdas (died 1629). Neither Nanak's hymns nor
Gurdas' Vars are specific regarding the events of Nanak's
life. Other historical writings date from the 18th and the
19th centuries." - Britannica.com
"Sikhism - There is only one canonical work: the
Adi Granth ("First Book") compiled by the fifth Guru, Arjun,
in 1604. There are at least three recensions (versions)
of the Adi Granth that differ from each other in minor detail.
The version accepted by Sikhs as authentic is said to have
been revised by Gobind Singh in 1704. The Adi Granth contains
nearly 6,000 hymns composed by the first five Gurus: Nanak
(974),Angad (62), Amar Das (907), Ram Das (679), and Arjun
(2,218). Gobind incorporated 115 hymns written by his father,
Tegh Bahadur, in it. Besides these compositions, the Adi
Granth contains hymns of the Bhakta saints and Muslim Sufis
(notably Ravidass, Kabir, and Farid Khan), and of a few of
the bards attached to the courts of the Gurus." - Britannica.com
"Sikhism - The Dasam Granth ("Tenth Book") is a
compilation of writings ascribed to Gobind Singh. Scholars
do not agree on the authenticity of the contents of this Granth,
and it is not accorded the same sanctity as the Adi Granth.
Traditions of the Khalsa are contained in the Rahatnamas (codes
of conduct) by contemporaries of Gobind Singh." - Britannica.com
"Sikhism - A composition about which little is known,
but which has played an important role in Sikh affairs, is
a collection of prophecies, Sau Sakhi ("Hundred Stories"),
ascribed to Gobind Singh. Various versions are known to have
been published prophesying changes of regimes and the advent
of a redeemer who will spread Sikhism over the globe." - Britannica.com
"Sikhism - The sole repository of spiritual authority
is the Adi Granth. In the event of disputes, a conclave
is summoned to meet at the Akal Takht ("Throne of the Timeless"),
a building erected by the sixth Guru, Hargobind, facing the
Harimandir temple in Amritsar. Resolutions passed at the Akal
Takht have spiritual sanction. Sikh religion and politics
have always been intimately connected, and belief in a Sikh
state is an article of faith. "Raj karey Ga Khalsa" ("the
Khalsa shall rule") is chanted at the conclusion of every
service." - Britannica.com
So, we can see that Islam affirms Judeo-Christian scripture,
the Koran itself does not allow for Hinduism. Sikhism incorporates
both Hindu and Islamic beliefs and so therefore violates Islamic
teaching in the Koran, which is regarded by Muslims as authoritative.
By looking at this example regarding sacred texts we have
arrived at a critical issue for any religion that presupposes
another religion as its basis. If a religion presupposes another
religion as a basis for its own views, it must remain consistent
with the views of that other religion. If it does not then
it undermines the accuracy of the very beliefs that its own
claims are founded upon. Sikhism will be the first religion
that we study in which this issue becomes significant. However,
self-contradictions also occur within Baha'ism and within
Islam itself. (We will cover both of these religions as we
proceed with our study.)
Sikhism's self-contradiction through deviation from Islam
is not limited to its acceptance of religious texts besides
those accepted by Islam. It is a fundamental teaching of Islam
is that Mohammed (570-632 A.D.) is the final prophet sent
by God to proclaim His final message to mankind.
"Muhammad - 570?-632, the name of the Prophet of
Islam, one of the great figures of history, b. Mecca."
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
"Islam - In Islam Muhammad is considered the last
of a series of prophets (including Adam, Noah, Jesus,
and others), and his message simultaneously consummates
and abrogates the 'revelations' attributed to earlier prophets."
- Britannica.com
"Islam - At the core of Islam is the Qur'an, believed
to be the final revelation by a transcendent Allah [Arab.,=the
God] to Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam; since the Divine
Word was revealed in Arabic, this language is used in Islamic
religious practice worldwide." - The Columbia Encyclopedia,
Sixth Edition. 2001.
"Islam - Islam views the Message of Muhammad as
the continuation and the fulfillment of a lineage of Prophecy
that includes figures from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New
Testament, notably Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and
Jesus. Islamic law reserves a communal entity status for
the ahl al-kitab, People of the Book, i.e., those with
revealed religions, including Jews and Christians. Islam
also recognizes a number of extra-biblical prophets, such
as Hud, Salih, Shuayb, and others of more obscure origin."
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
Mohammed's message (Islamic teaching) was collected and preserved
from the memories and pieces of writings of Mohammed's disciples
within a generation (approximately 650 A.D.) after Mohammed
initially proclaimed God's message to them. It is called the
Koran (or Qur'an).
"Muhammad - About 610, as he reflected on such
matters, Muhammad had a vision of a majestic being (later
identified with the angel Gabriel) and heard a voice saying
to him, 'You are the Messenger of God.' This marked the beginning
of his career as messenger (or apostle) of God (rasul Alla
H ), or Prophet (nabi ). From this time, at frequent intervals
until his death, he received 'revelations' Ñthat is, verbal
messages that he believed came directly from God. Sometimes
these were kept in memory by Muhammad and his followers, and
sometimes they were written down. About 650 they were collected
and written in the Qur'an (or Koran, the sacred scriptures
of Islam), in the form that has endured. Muslims believe the
Qur'an is divine revelation, written in the words of God himself."
- Britannica.com
"Qur'an - After the Prophet's death, and especially
after the battle of Yamamah (633), in which a great number
of those who knew the Qur'an by heart had fallen, fear arose
that the knowledge of the Qur'an might disappear. So it
was decided to collect the revelations from all available
written sources and, as Muslim tradition has it, 'from the
hearts [i.e., memories] of people.' A companion of the
Prophet, Zayd ibn Thabit, is said to have copied on sheets
whatever he could find and to have handed it over to the caliph
'Umar. After 'Umar's death the collection was left in the
care of his daughter Hafsah. Other copies of the Qur'an appear
to have been written later, and different versions were used
in different parts of the Muslim empire. So that there
would be no doubt about the correct reading of the Qur'an,
the caliph 'Uthman (644-656) is reported to have commissioned
Zayd ibn Thabit and some other learned men to revise the
Qur'an using the "sheets" of Hafsah, comparing them with whatever
material was at hand, and consulting those who knew the Qur'an
by heart. It was decided that in case of doubt about the pronunciation,
the dialect of Quraysh, the Prophet's tribe, was to be given
preference. Thus an authoritative text of the Qur'an (now
known as the 'Uthmanic recension) was established." - Britannica.com
The Islamic belief the Koran is the final Word of God to mankind
coupled with the preservation of the Koran from the earliest
times sufficiently prohibits any future religion from basing
itself upon Islamic teaching while at the same time deviating
from that teaching (contained in the Koran). Likewise, Islam's
belief that Mohammed is the final prophet of God prohibits
any subsequent prophet or messenger from God from claiming
Islam as its predecessor. Since Sikhism commits both of these
violations of Islam, it must be found to be self-contradictory
and therefore rejected.
Additional comment can be made on Sikhism's affirmation of
Islamic teaching, which would prevent the acceptance of Hindu
teaching. As we have seen, Islam originated as a monotheistic
religion with a high level of prohibition against the old
pagan customs as the following quotes can establish. (NOTE:
the second quote below is from the Koran.)
"Islam - Jews and Christians were assigned a special
status as communities possessing scriptures and called the
"people of the Book" (ahl al-kitab ) and, therefore, were
allowed religious autonomy. They were, however, required to
pay a per capita tax called jizyah, as opposed to pagans,
who were required to either accept Islam or die." -
Britannica.com
The unbelievers among the People of the Book and the pagans
did not desist from unbelief until the Proof was given
them: an apostle from God reciting from purified pages infallible
decrees. Nor did those who were vouchsafed the Book disagree
among themselves until the Proof was given them. Yet they
were enjoined only to serve God and to worship none but Him,
to attend to their prayers and to render the alms levy. That,
surely, is the infallible faith. The unbeliever among the
People of the Book and the pagans shall burn for ever in
the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures.
(Koran, p. 430, 98:1, 1st Para. - 3rd Para.)
Earlier in our study we saw that Hinduism is a polytheistic
and mystical religion allowing for and originating from the
fusion of various ancient pagan belief systems.
Hinduism's syncretistic aspects, which we will discuss later
in more detail, may be more conducive to incorporating elements
of Islamic belief. However, Islam in no way would permit the
acceptance or incorporation of Hinduism.
More time could be spent investigating the additional contradictions
that exist between Islam and Sikhism (as well as contradictions
between Islam and Hinduism), but since we have sufficiently
demonstrated the existence and problematic nature of such
contradictions, we will move on to examine Sikhism on its
own merits.
As we examine if Sikhism stands on its own merit we must ask,
does Sikhism offer any objective evidence on its own that
can substantiate its claims? The answer is no.
The quotes below will demonstrate that like other Hindu offshoots
and mystical religions, Sikhism relies upon personal, subjective
experience of the believer as the means by which one realizes
and comes to understand the true nature of God and the universe.
"Sikhism - The guidance of the Guru toward the attainment
of moksa ÑreleaseÑis absolutely essential. The Guru or
the SatguruÑtrue GuruÑis accorded a status only a shade
below that of God. His function is to point the way to the
realization of the truth, to explain the nature of reality,
and to give the disciple the gift of the divine word (nam-dan).
Although the line of Gurus ended with Gobind Singh and Sikhs
regard the Adi Granth as their 'living' Guru, the practice
of attaching oneself to a sant ('saint') and elevating him
to a status of a Guru has persisted and is widely practiced."
- Britannica.com
"Sikhism - Sikhism is often described as nammarga
('the way of nama') because it emphasizes the constant
repetition (jap) of the name of God and the gurbani (the divine
hymns of the Gurus). Nama cleanses the soul of sin and
conquers the source of evil, haumain ('I am')Ñthe ego.
Thus tamed, the ego becomes a weapon with which one overcomes
lust, anger, greed, attachment, and pride. Nama stills
the wandering mind and induces a super-conscious stillness
(divya dr s ti), opens the dasam duar ('10th gate'Ñthe
body has only nine natural orifices) through which enters
divine light; and thus a person attains the state of absolute
bliss." - Britannica.com
Additionally, we can see that the Gurus, who founded and formed
Sikhism denied miraculous powers.
"Sikhism - Although the Gurus themselves disclaimed
miraculous powers, a vast body of sakhis ('stories') recounting
such miracles grew up, and with them gurdwaras (temples) commemorating
the sites where they were performed." - Britannica.com
The fact that their followers have disregarded the Gurus'
denial of miraculous power and later attributed miracles to
them is irrelevant. As the authority on Sikh teaching, we
must take the word of the Gurus' on the subject. Therefore,
miracles are not offered as objective evidence that can be
verified to prove the accuracy of Sikhism.
Despite this we find that some miraculous claims are made
by Sikhs. One is the belief that the spirit of the Guru is
past to their successor(s).
"Sikhism - It also became an article of belief that
the spirit of one Guru passed to his successor 'as one lamp
lights another.' This notion gained confirmation through
the fact that the Gurus used the same poetic pseudonym, 'Nanak,'
in their compositions." - Britannica.com
However, we can see that while this claim may be considered
miraculous it is not possible to objectively verify that this
actually occurred. Successive Guru's use of the same poetic
pseudonym in their writings cannot objectively validate that
the new Guru has the spirit of the previous Guru. But even
if it could this belief is not offered as proof of the accuracy
of Sikh beliefs.
Also, we see that it is claimed that Nanak, the first Guru
is said to have disappeared while bathing in a stream and
reappeared three days later proclaiming his revelation that
there is no Hindu or Mussulman (Muslim).
"Sikhism - At Sultanpur, Nanak had his first vision
of God, in which he was ordered to preach to mankind. He disappeared
while bathing in a stream. When he reappeared on the third
day, he proclaimed: 'There is no Hindu, there is no Mussulman.'"
- Britannica.com
However, it is apparent that there is no way to objectively
verify that this event ever really occurred or, if it did
occur, that it was in any way miraculous. Thus, this supposed
event does nothing to substantiate the accuracy of Sikhism.
Based upon this information we conclude that there is no reason
to accept the views offered by Sikhism as accurate. We therefore,
reject Sikhism for reasons similar to why we have rejected
other religions in this section including its predecessor,
Hinduism, and we also reject Sikhism for its self-contradicting
acceptance of Hinduism, Islam, and its own developed beliefs.
And ultimately, Sikhism must also be rejected because both
of its parent religions have been rejected. We have already
rejected Hinduism. Later in our study we will demonstrate
the need to reject Islam.
Having completed our thorough analysis of Sikhism we will
now proceed to our study of Babism and Baha'ism.
