SIKHISM
Gurdwara Shahib, Labuan
Sikhism was founded in India by Guru Nanak (1469–1539). It is the youngest of the major world religions, with a following of around 22 million people spread over various states in India and a sizeable international diaspora. In India, Sikhs are concentrated in the state of Punjab, where they make up 60 per cent of the population. For this reason, Punjab is frequently referred to as the homeland of the Sikhs.
The largest Sikh populations outside India can be found in the UK, the USA and Canada. In Malaysia, Sikhs number approximately 55,000 and live throughout the country but in greatest numbers in the Klang Valley.
In Malaysia, Sikhs are represented throughout the professions; however, it is their role as soldiers and police which is most well-known. The Sikh religion teaches valour, gallantry and the spirit of sacrifice. As a result, the armies of colonial Britain, modern India and Malaysia have all included many Sikhs.
A large number of Sikhs came to Malaya under the British administration to work in the police and armed forces. In the period after World War I, many Sikhs came to Malaya not just to work in the services but also as traders, moneylenders and in transport businesses.
Sikhism is a religion of strict monotheism. There are no pilgrimages in Sikhism, no rituals and no superstitions. There is also no place for asceticism or monasticism in Sikhism. Sikhs consider human life as an opportunity to fulfil their destiny of becoming a gurmukh—an instrument of God to carry out his will through altruistic deeds.
Sikhs believe in the ten gurus. Their teachings are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scripture. The Guru Granth Sahib, compiled and authenticated by the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev (1563–1606), was given the status of ‘Living Guru', by the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), meaning that the spirit of the guru lives on through it. Sikhs believe that it represents the Word of God.
The Sikh gurus preached devotion to God and love of humanity, expressed through service and sacrifice. At a time when India was being torn apart by caste tensions, sectarianism, religious factionalism and fanaticism, Guru Nanak spread the simple message that ‘We are all one, created by the One Creator of all Creation'.
The Sikh community is close-knit. The Sikh temple (gurdwara) is the focal point of religious and social activities. For example, every gurdwara has a langar (communal kitchen) where free meals are provided—no one, from any religion, is turned away. The central place to which every Sikh pledges religious allegiance is the Golden Temple at Amritsar, India, which was completed by the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev.
The first gurdwaras in Malaysia were set up by Sikhs working in the police force. Currently, there are 119 throughout Malaysia. Their activities are coordinated by the Malaysian Gurdwaras Council, set up in 1988.