Common Misconceptions About Sikhism

[SinghMunda]

I would like to take this opportunity to ask Sikhs out there about any times people/friends have made a comment about Sikhi or asked a question which shows they have had misconceptions about Sikhi, confused it with other religions, or have just been plain offensive. How have you answered these people's questions, how you felt maybe, how your friend/person felt when you put them straight. I would just like to see what the core of the problems are when strangers don't know much about Sikhi.

[Sherni-E-Punjab]

Especially since September 11, I ought to say the most common comment made among Sikhs these days is that Sikhism has ties with the Taliban and Afghanistan.

If you see a sardar ji walking, some bully be yelling " Osama-Osama" and stuff of Islamic/Afghani nature.

The thing is that usually people who say such stuff are like --em, nice way to put it " un-educated." For example : Some joker who is always walking up and down strip, hanging out in bars and stuff. It is kind of difficult to teach 'such' people who have no tolerance in the first place. Proffesionals, educated people, or simply common-sensed people in the first place won't ask it in such way- they'll ask it the Harvard way. Questions such as whats the story behind the turban or keeping of hair, who created Sikhism, when, and so forth will be asked by the 'common sensed' people. Then at that point, you can actually try to enhance the other individual's knowledge -but for people who absolutely have no tolerance in the first place are probably not willing to learn about it either so teaching is a bit difficult to such people.

Although, I have never had 1st hand experience but I have seen it happen...

So perhaps, in addition to Singh Munda's comments, folks could share their thought on " How to enlighten a bully on Sikhism?"

[Guest]

Singhmunda,

There are two websites working very hard to clear misconceptions and ignorance of the people.

Here are the URLs, please have a look.

http://www.sikhmediawatch.org/

http://www.sikhcoalition.org/default.asp

[Guest]

Another misconception usually non-sikhs have is that Sikhi is an offshoot off hinduism and Islam.

They should read our scriptures before jumping to conclustion :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[SinghMunda]

Has anyone got less common scenarios, I mean discluding such obvious issues as Sikhs being confused with Muslims?

[darshan kaur]

wellcertain aspects in sikhi and hinduism are similar, but sikhi is not an "offshoot"

[Hari]

N30:

Another misconception usually non-sikhs have is that Sikhi is an offshoot off hinduism and Islam.

They should read our scriptures before jumping to conclustion

Sikhi comes straight from Ik Onkar Vahiguru.It is because of the liberal attitude of the Satguru that Hindus and Muslims don't understand Sikhi, thinking that the Satguru were Hindu or Muslim; or that the Satguru got their "ideaology" from Hinduism or Islam.These kinds of people don't understand the Satguru.

Sikhi is straight from Paarbrahm Parmesar.Satguru Nanak Dev Himself says so to Lalo:

"Jaise main aave Khasam ki Bani, taisra kari giaan ve Lalo!"

As the Word of my Husband Lord comes to me, so do I reveal it O Lalo. (SGGS p.722)

So there you have it, not from Hinduism or from Islam, but from the One Supreme Creator Being.

[SinghMunda]

I have never understood this, because it comes in a lot of Hukamana, but what is "O Lalo"?

[Hari]

I have never understood this, because it comes in a lot of Hukamana, but what is "O Lalo"?

Satguru Nanak on His first Udasi stopped at Bhai Lalo Ji's house.Here is the full story from: http://allaboutsikhs.com/gurus/gurunanak2.htm

FIRST STOP AT EMINABAD

Accompanied by Mardana, the Guru embarked on his mission and left his family behind. He made his first stop at Saidpur, now known as Eminabad, and there he met a poor carpenter named Lalo. The Master looked at poor Lalo graciously and he was blessed with Divine love and lo, he was a blessed man. The Guru chose to stay with Lalo for sometimes as a guest. The news reached Malik Bhago, the chief of the town, that a holy person was staying with Lalo. Malik Bhago was a corrupt man and he had amassed wealth through unfair means. He held a big gathering and invited all holy men including the Guru. The Guru, however, did not accept his invitation. The Malik then made a special arrangement for the Guru and requested him to come and eat at his residence. At last the Guru went there and Malik Bhago said,"O holy man, I have prepared so many dishes for you, but you are staying with a poor rpenter and eating his dry bread. Please stay with me." The Guru replied,"I cannot eat your food because your bread is ill-begotten and has been made with money sucked from the poor through unfair means, while Lalo's bread is made from the hard-earned money." This made Malik Bhago very mad and he asked the Guru to prove his point. The Guru then sent for a loaf of bread from Lalo's house. In one hand the Guru held Lalo's bread and in the other that of Malik Bhago's, and when he squeezed both, milk came out from Lalo's bread and blood dripped from Malik Bhago's bread. Malik Bhago was completely shaken by his guilt and asked for forgiveness. The Guru asked him to distribute his ill-gotten wealth among the poor and henceforth live an honest life. Malik Bhago was re-born with the Guru's blessing.

[SinghMunda]

Thanks veer, I have read that story long ago too, but I still do not understand, why "O Lalo", is this just for inspiration in remembering Bhai Lalo?

[Guest BikramjitSingh]

Thanks veer, I have read that story long ago too, but I still do not understand, why "O Lalo", is this just for inspiration in remembering Bhai Lalo?

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

I think that we need to understand that Gurbani was not revealed to the Gurus in one single event. Guru Nanak during his Udasis met all sorts of people and if you ever read the Janamsakhis they show that Guruji was questioned about his beliefs by people that he met. So each Shabad that we have is related to a particular event when it was revealed. The Shabad that Hari Singh quoted is part of a four Shabads called Babarvani. They refer to the event of the destruction of the town of Saidpur by Babar during his invasion in 1520. Saidpur was the hometown of Bhai Lalo. The Guru describes the events of the destruction of Saidpur in the shabads and it is in the final Shabad that the term O Lalo is used.

GurFateh

Bikramjit

[Guest]

i read somewhere that all hukamnamas are taken from between the angs 500 to 900... and the left page is the one thats always read... if this is true only 200 pages contribute to hukamnama.... is this true?

[Guest]

Here is a Picture of the Malik Bhago vs Guru ji incedent.

When u think about the life of Guru Nanak Dev ji, You can't help being amazed, cos Guru ji must have walked thousands of miles on foot. He went everywhere, met all sorts of people, and all that at a time when Human life didn't have much value. Rich could kill u, sacrifice u, in the name of rreligion or other things.

Only a Divine light such as Guru Nanak Dev ji can survive, with the kind of teachings he taughts to evryone.

Can Guru Nanak Dev ji's name be entered in the Gueniss Book of world records, for being the only person to walk that much on this earth?

[SinghMunda]

Has anyone found the case that some goray think Sikhs have hundreds of Gurus? And also some goray think that Sikhism is a terrorist religion...