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Sikhism Facts

Sikhism Facts
Sikhism, which began in India's Punjab region in the 1400s, is the world's fifth largest religion. Sikhism is a monotheistic faith founded by Guru Nanak who was born in 1469 to a Hindu family. At the time the Hindus and Muslims were at odds, and Guru Nanak embarked on four epic journeys, during which time he came to the conclusion that religion unite men but rather set them against one another. He began to preach to his followers that they could end the cycle of reincarnation by living a disciplined life. He taught that union with God was the path to salvation, not through reincarnation and the last judgment.
Interesting Sikhism Facts:
Sikh, in Punjab, means disciple or learner, or seeker of knowledge.
Sikhism's founder was Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who lived from 1469 to 1538.
The sacred text of Sikhism is the Adi Granth (Sri Guru Granth Sahib).
Spiritual leaders in Sikhism are Giani and Granthi.
The places of worship for Sikhs are temples and gurdwaras. While in a gurdwara all shoes are removed and women are required to cover their heads.
Sikhs believe that the purpose of life is to overcome the self, align their life with God's will, and to become a 'saint soldier'.
Sikhs believe that the afterlife involves reincarnation until one is able to merge with God.
Major holidays in Sikhism include Vaisakhi Day, Guru Nanak's birthday, and Guru Gobind Singh's birthday.
The five cardinal vices according to Sikhism include lust, greed, anger, worldly attachment, and pride.
Sikhism teaches that men and women of every race and religion are equals.
Sikhs can be found living in almost every major country in the world today.
There are more than 30 million Sikhs in the world today.
The majority of the Sikh population lives in the Punjab region of northern India.
Covering the head in the Sikh faith is a sign of respect for their Gurus.
The Sikh turban is symbolic of spirituality, humility, integrity, and discipline.
The Sikh turban is required by the Sikh faith.
The khanda is the universal symbol of the Sikh faith. It is a double-edged sword with two daggers. The daggers represent spiritual and worldly powers bound by God.
Sikhs often wear a steel bracelet called a kara, which is meant to remind them of the unity of God.
Sikhism's central shrine is the Harmandir Sahib located in Amritsar, India. This shrine is also referred to as the Golden Temple.
Hymns of the Gurus in the Sikh faith are referred to as Gurbani, which means the Guru's word.
In the Sikh faith, followers are taught that they should perform selfless service and charitable work. This is referred to as Tan (physical service), Man (mental service), and Dhan (material service).
There are 10 Gurus in the Sikh faith and include Guru Nanak (Sikhism's founder), Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai, Guru Har Krishan, Guru Teg Bahadar, and Guru Gobind Singh (the last human Guru).
Sikh's make up approximately 0.39% of the population of the world.


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