Sikhism In America

Sikhism is over five centuries old and is followed by over 20 million people worldwide—making it the fifth largest religion in the world. Despite this, it rarely gets any attention here in America, even though there is an estimated 78,000 Sikh adults living here, in America. Sikhism is often described as a mixture of Islam and Hinduism, because it shares many similar traits to both, but many things also make it unique to both religions. Sikhism began over five hundred years ago in present-day Pakistan, in the Punjab region, with Guru Nanak, the first of ten gurus who would teach their philosophy and fundamentals to millions. He lived during a time of great tension between Hindus and Muslims, both very strong religions. At the age of 28, he traveled to a river to bathe and meditate. It was here he felt filled with the spirit of God and said, “There is no Hindu and no Muslim.” This is where his missionary work, and Sikhism, began. Nanak traveled all over India, Arabia, and Persia, speaking in front of men and women of every religion. He spoke against …show more content…
The goal on Sikhism is to become close to God through prayer and meditation. They believe in only one, formless God, who has many names, similar to Islam. Similar to Hinduism, they believe in reincarnation and karma. However, they do not believe in the caste system; everyone is equal in God’s eyes. A very important aspect of Sikhism is the prohibition of worshipping images or idols, including the ten Gurus. Sikhs only seek to become closer to God and to appreciate the body that God has given them. One of the most iconic aspects of Sikhism is the fact that sikhs don’t cut their hair. This is because they believe that one’s body is a gift from God and must not be altered by unnatural cause. Cutting hair, for this reason, is seen as disrespectful. This is also why alcohol, tobacco, and other intoxicants are also forbidden because of its ability to harm the