Misconceptions about Sikhi: A thread

“ Sikhi is a mix of Hinduism and Islam” Sikhi is a different and distinct religion from those two There are many similarities between Sikhi and Hinduism/ Islam but many many differences. Some of their values are in our religion, but we rejected many values found in both religions

“ Sikhs came out of Hindus” many of our ancestors converted to Sikhi from hindu and Muslim families, but they still are sikh and our current day sangat is Sikh, not hindu or Muslim. Our ancestors were a different religion yes, but that doesn’t mean the current day sikhs are Hindu

“ Guru Nanak was hindu” Guru Nanak belonged to a hindu family, but he did not believe in Hinduism, so he himself was never hindu. He founded Sikhism and was a practicing sikh so he was Sikh. Did he belong to a hindu family? Yes, but was he hindu? No he was not. Jesus belonged to

A Jewish family but he was still a practicing Christian, and founded Christianity.

“ Sikhs hate muslims and Hindus” very very far away from the truth. Sikhi is very very strictly against hating anyone, we are accepting of everyone regardless of their identity. Guru Nanak dev Ji respected both religions. The Mughals, and the congress attacked us,

So if you ask us most of us dislike the congress party ( indira ghandi) and the Mughals but Sikhi discourages any hate against Hindus and Muslims. There are corrupt Sikhs who hate both, but they are going by their close minded logic, not Sikhi. Sikhi doesn’t condone hate.

“ Sikhs are all jatts” The caste system is very very prohibited in Sikhi. The Gurus rejected it, and you can see this through langar- how we all sit on the same floor at the same level. Punjabi culture emphasizes on caste but Caste has no place in Sikhi.

“ Sikhs are big meat eaters and drinkers” Again culture and religion are different. Sikhi prohibits against any act of drugs, alcohol, and halal meat, ( even meat in general as Gurbani implies we should never use the suffering of others to benefit ourself). However all these

Things are heavily emphasized in Punjabi culture so many people who claim Sikhi do all these things regardless of what Sikhi implies.

“ all Punjabi’s are Sikhs” Nope, Punjabi is a ethnicity as in anyone who descends from Punjab is Punjabi regardless of religion. There is Punjabi hindus, muslims, Sikhs, Buddhist, Jains, and Christians. Punjab is found both in Pakistan and India, and as a matter of fact most

Punjabi’s are actually Muslim. In India’s Punjab there is a sizable hindu minority ( 40%) and New Delhi which is majority Punjabi hindu, so it’s wrong to think every Punjabi is Sikh. Also not every Sikh is Punjabi. Anyone can be sikh regardless of their ethnicity.

There is white Sikhs, Sindhi Sikhs, Haryanavi Sikhs, Bihari sikhs, Afghan Sikhs, etc. Sikh is a religion that’s not only found in Punjabi’s, although the majority of Sikhs are Punjabi, not every Sikh is Punjabi.

“ Sikhism” that’s a incorrect term. It’s known as Sikhi, so please always use Sikhi. Also our place of worship is called a Gurdwara, never a Sikh temple, or Sikh church.