User talk:Viv sf

The Relationship between Islam and Sikhism

 * "Main Tenets: The term Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit word for "disciple" or "learner." Sikhs are those who are disciples to the Guru. Sikhism originated in the Punjab region of northwest India, where it drew on elements from Bhakti Hinduism and Islamic Sufism to develop into a distinctive religious tradition in its own right.".

So you see it's not only influenced by Hinduism. BhaiSaab talk 13:05, 13 November 2006 (UTC)


 * It is a popular misconception that Sikhism is a syncretic faith from Hinduism and Islam. See Abrahamic religions and Dharmic religions- Sikhism is clearly Dharmic. The Guru Granth Sahib has compositions from a number of saints, some of which are non-Hindu. (Incidently, the Guru Granth Sahib also includes compositions from Ramayana and the Vedas). However these non-Hindu saints (e.g. Kabir) have complex beliefs deriving from both Bhakti and Sufism, and do not identify themselves as either Muslims or Hindus. For instance, they have written bhajans to Krishna. There is even a apocryphal story about Kabir that after his death his Muslim and Hindu devotees were fighting over his proper burial rites. (See Kabir)


 * So granted there is *some* Sufi influence, but I would argue that is incidental, not essential to Sikhism. Sikhism is monotheistic, but so are *many* schools of Hindu thought.


 * Further, modern Sikhism, as defined by Guru Gobind Singh and the practices he espoused were a result of the persecution that the Sikhs faced from the Mughals. That might not be entirely relavant here, but these practices (like avoiding halal foods), were inteded to emphasise the difference.

viv 21:40, 15 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Another argument- The Zarathushtrian/Zoroastrian faith has had influence on Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. However, calling the Abrahamic faiths as 'Related faiths' or having 'emerged out of' of Zoroastrianism would be a stretch. Similarly, just for having *some* Sufi influence doesn't make for calling Sikhism a faith related to Islam.

viv 21:40, 15 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Please provide a reliable source for these arguments. BhaiSaab talk 06:19, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Some references on Sikhism that back up what I said, and on Kabir that show his Bhakti influence. viv 19:03, 20 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Stroup, Herbert. Four Religions of Asia. Harper & Row, 1968 (ISBN 0060677562)
 * Hawley, John Stratton. Three Bhakti Voices: Mirabai, Surdas, and Kabir in Their Time and Ours. Oxford University Press (ISBN 019567085X)

Is Sikhism a sect of Hinduism?
Maybe you'd like to address my questions here? Arrow740 18:56, 2 December 2006 (UTC)
 * I have some great sources for this stuff and I'll start some new articles in the near future. Arrow740 07:15, 4 December 2006 (UTC)