The following outline is provides an overview of Sikhism, or Sikhi (its endonym).
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion—emphasizing universal selflessness and brotherhood—founded in the 15th century upon the teachings of Guru Nanak and the ten succeeding Gurus. It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world,[2] and one of the fastest-growing.[3]
The sacred text and last Guru of Sikhism, Guru Granth Sahib, teaches humans how to unite with the all cosmic soul; with God, the creator: "Only those who selflessly love everyone, they alone shall find God."
Jaap Sahib — a morning prayer consisting of an introductory sloka, 38 stanzas (pauris), and a concluding sloka attributed by some to Guru Angad.
Tav-Prasad Savaiye (or Amrit Savaiye) — short composition of 10 stanzas, as part of nitnem
Sarbloh Granth — a voluminous scripture consisting of more than 6,500 poetic stanzas, considered as amalgamation of the writings of poets including Guru Gobind Singh.
Varan Bhai Gurdas — the name given to the 40 vaars (a form of Punjabi poetry) wrriten attributed by Bhai Gurdas, providing early concepts of Sikhism and Sikh living.[4]
Sloka — 'stanza'; the Sanskrit epic metre formed of 32 syllables: verses of 2 lines (distich) of 16 syllables each or in 4 half-lines (hemistich) of 8 syllables each.
Amrit — elixir of immortality; the sanctified nectar or sugar water substitute used in ceremonies. It is prepared by stirring it in an iron bowl with the double-edged sword and continuous recitation of five banis by the five selected members of the Khalsa.
Dasvand — a kind of Sikh tithe; the act of donating 10% of one's harvest, both financially and in the form of time and service (i.e., seva) to the Gurdwara and community.
Five Ks — five articles of faith worn by baptised, or khalsa, Sikhs:
Cutting, trimming, shaving or removing hairs from one's body — Sikhs practice kesh, allowing their hair to grow out naturally in respect to God's creation
Intoxication
Castism
Kutha meat — eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner (particularly halal or kosher meat), or any meat where langar is served (except jatkha meat).
Anand Karaj ('blissful union, joyful union') — the Sikh marriage ceremony, first introduced by Guru Amar Das.
Akhand Path — continuous reading of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, either in honour of a particular occasion or simply to increase one's feeling of connection to God. Akhand Paths can be held, for example, in honour of a birth/birthday, wedding/anniversary, recovery from a medical operation, death, or a historic occasion; to celebrate the achievement of a goal such as a graduation or passing the driving test; or in chasing away evil spirits and curses, etc.
Gurmukhi — the written form of Punjabi used in the Sikh scriptures (and in Punjab, India, more generally) propagated by Guru Nanak and Guru Angad. It is contrast to shahmukhi, which is the Islamic script for Punjabi (used in Punjab, Pakistan).
Samadhi of Ranjit Singh — a building in Lahore, Pakistan that houses the funerary urns of Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh
Takht
Sikhism by country
Sikhism in Australia
Sikhism in Afghanistan
Sikhs in Belgium
Sikhism in Canada
Sikhs in Fiji
Sikhism in India
Sikhism in New Zealand
Sikhism in Pakistan
Sikhism in Thailand
Sikhism in the United Arab Emirates
Sikhism in the United Kingdom
Sikhism in the United States
Gurdwaras
The Harmandir Sahib, Sikh Gurdwara and spiritual centre at Amritsar, IndiaNishan Sahib
In India
The Harmandir Sahib (or Golden Temple) is the holy shrine of Sikhs; the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religion, found in Amritsar. The Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is the organization responsible for the management of gurdwaras in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, and the union territory of Chandigarh
Other gurdwaras in India include:
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib
Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib
Goindwal Sahib
In the United States
Gurdwara Sahib Fremont
Sikh Gurdwara - San Jose
Sikh Religious Society of Chicago
Gurdwaras in Pakistan
Kartarpur — seat of Guru Nanak's first school.
Nankana Sahib — birthplace of Guru Nanak.
Other gurdwaras
Gurdwaras in Canada
Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple (Hong Kong)
Gurdwara Sahib Klang (Malaysia)
Central Sikh Temple — the first gurdwara in Singapore
Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall (London)
Other Sikh institutions
Damdami Taksal
Guru Nanak Dev University
Guru Nanak Khalsa College of Arts, Science & Commerce
Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) — the organization responsible for the management of gurdwaras in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, and the union territory of Chandigarh
Khalistan movement — a separatist movement to create a Sikh homeland,[5][6] often named Khālistān (Punjabi: ਖ਼ਾਲਿਸਤਾਨ, Hindi: ख़ालिस्तान, 'Land of the Khalsa'), composed of the Punjab region of modern-day India and Pakistan.[7][8]
1746 — Chhota Ghallughara ('small massacre') — a massacre of a significant proportion of the Sikh population by the Mughal Empire, in which Jaspat Rai's brother Lakhpat Rai with the Mughal army killed an estimated 7,000 Sikhs died.
1762 — Vadda Ghalughara ('large massacre') — a mass-murder of unarmed Sikhs by the Afghan forces of the Durrani Empire, during the years of Afghan influence in the Punjab region.
Gurmukh — a person who is spiritually centered. A person who lives within the will of God and accepts all good and bad that happens to one's self without question or annoyance. A gurmukh stands in contrast to a manmukh.
Sardar — a word contemporarily used to address or denote a turban-wearing Sikh male. The term initially used by Sikh leaders and generals who held important positions in various Sikh Misls of the Sikh Empire.
Kaur ('princess') — the middle name or surname given to Sikh females
Singh ('lion') — the middle name or surname given to Sikh males
Udasi — a religious sect of ascetic sadhus who were key interpreters of the Sikh philosophy and the custodians of important Sikh shrines until the Akali movement. Modern-day udasis consider themselves more to be Hindu rather than Sikhs.
Guru Nanak Dev — According to the traditional historical Sikh sources Guru Nanak Dev appeared on earth in the month of Katak Oct/November 1469 which is celebrated every year in the month of October/November. The SGPC which was founded in 1925, states the avtar date as 15 April 1469. The Sikhs believe that all subsequent Gurus possessed Guru Nanak's divinity and the one spirit of Akaal Purakh Waheguru.[14]
Guru Angad Dev (1504–52) — disciple of Guru Nanak Dev and second of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Guru Amar Das (1479–1574) — third of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Guru Ram Das ( 1534–81) — fourth of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Guru Arjan Dev (1563–1605) — fifth of the ten Sikh Gurus. He was arrested and executed by Jahangir in 1605.[15]
Guru Har Gobind (1596–1638) — son of Guru Arjan Dev and the sixth of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Guru Har Rai (1630–61) — grandson of Guru Har Gobind and seventh of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Guru Har Krishan (1656–64) — son of Guru Har Rai and eighth of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–75) — grand uncle of Guru Har Krishan and ninth of the ten Sikh Gurus. He was executed on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi.[16]
Guru Gobind Singh(1666–1708) — son of Guru Tegh Bahadur and tenth of the ten Sikh Gurus. He named the holy scripture, as his successor
Guru Granth Sahib — the spiritual religious text of Sikhism, said to be the sole and final successor of the line of gurus. It is the eternal living Guru.[17] the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs.[18]
Notable people
Pre-1400
Jayadeva — a Sanskrit poet who is the earliest-dated author of two hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib.
1400–1499
Bhagat Beni
Bhai Mardana — Guru Nanak's constant Muslim companion, musician, and composer of Sikh hymns.
Bhai Lalo
Bibi Nanki — Guru Nanak's sister and often considered his first disciple.
Sri Chand — Guru Nanak's son and founder of an early Sikh sect.
1500–1599
Baba Buddha — one of the most revered Sikh saints and anointer of several of the early Sikh Gurus.
Bhai Gurdas — one of the most revered Sikh saints and writer of the Vars.
Bhai Bala
Mian Mir
1600–1699
Panj Pyare (or Panj Piare; literally 'five beloved ones') — the title given to five Sikhs by Guru Gobind Singh at the historic divan at Anandpur Sahib on 30 March 1699, forming the nucleus of the Khalsa as the first batch to receive at his hands Khanda di Pahul (i.e. rites of the two-edged sword). These five Sikhs were:
↑The foreign policy of Pakistan: ethnic impacts on diplomacy, 1971–1994. ISBN1-86064-169-5. Mehtab Ali Shah: "Such is the political, psychological and religious attachment of the Sikhs to that city that a Khalistan without Lahore would be like a Germany without Berlin."
↑Amritsar to Lahore: a journey across the India-Pakistan border. Stephen Alter. ISBN0-8122-1743-8 "Ever since the separatist movement gathered force in the 1980s, Pakistan has sided with the Sikhs, even though the territorial ambitions of Khalistan include Lahore and sections of the Punjab on both sides of the border."