Sikhism for kids
Undoubtedly, you have seen someone who believes in the Sikh faith right in your own town, or perhaps a nearby city. They can be seen in almost all walks of life, from Taxi drivers to lawyers. Today, the men who follow the Sikh teachings can be identified, among other things, by their practice of always wearing a turban to cover their long hair. This turban is very different from the ones that are worn by clerics of the Muslim faith.
The term “Sikhism” comes from the word “Sikh”. It means a disciple. Unlike in the Hindu religion, although they originated in the same areas, a Sikh is a person who believes in just One God and the teachings of the Ten Gurus, as written down in Guru Granth Sahib, the book that is holy for the Sikh. Sikhs revere this book as their ultimate teacher because it was compiled by the Sikh Gurus and is a literal transcript of their teachings. The book has been maintained in its original form to this day. The tenth Guru appointed Guru Granth Sahib (the writings) as his successor.
There are five articles of faith (panj kakaar/kakke) that all baptized Sikhs (Khalsa) are required to wear at all times. This was commanded by the tenth Sikh Guru in 1699. The symbols are worn for identification and representation of the ideals of Sikhism, such as honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God, and never bowing to tyranny.
The five symbols are:
Kesh (uncut hair to indicate a lifelong search for spirituality and acceptance of God's gifts to man)
Kanga (a wooden comb is to keep the hair tidy, a symbol of not just accepting what God has given, but also as a reminder to maintain it)
Kaccha (specially designed breeches as a symbol of chastity and monogamy.)
Kara (iron bracelet that indicates bondage to God. A corollary to this is that a Sikh does not bow before anyone except his master, God.)
Kirpan (strapped sword or dagger as a reminder that his religion has experienced persecution and he needs to defend the weak against the mighty)
In modern society, of course, no one can really carry a sword or even a large dagger, but a good penknife or even a miniature dagger is sufficient to express the symbolic meaning.
The concept of saint-soldier is an uncommon feature of Sikhism. All Sikhs are required to aspire to sainthood through his devotion to God and service to mankind, and, according to the situation, to adopt the role of the soldier.
Sikhism has historically had good relations with other religions. During the Islamic conquest of India from 1556–1707 AD, however, prominent Sikh Gurus were martyred by the ruling Mughals (converts to Islam) for opposing the persecution of non-Islamic religious communities. Of special importance for the Sikhs was the martyrdom of the 9th Guru while trying to protect Hindus from religious persecution, in Delhi, on 11 November 1675 AD, and this is an example to be closely followed in the quest for sainthood. As a result, Sikhism took up arms to oppose dominant Islamic rulers. The emergence of the Sikh Empire under the reign of the Maharajah Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance with Christians, Muslims, and Hindus holding equal positions of power.
This is an original news article © The Kids Window
One in a series of articles about Religion written for children.
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