Sikhism: Its Origin and Fundamental Beliefs (Part Three)
A Look at the Life of the Founder of the Sikh Religion (Guru Nanak)
The founder of the Sikh faith is Guru Nanak, who was born in 1469 CE in the village of Talwandi, a suburb of the state of Punjab. He grew up in a relatively poor family; his father was a financial administrator for one of the Muslim landowners of the village. Due to the loyalty of Nanak’s father and the poverty of his family, this landowner provided them with support. He also observed Nanak’s intelligence and acumen and paid special attention to him.
From childhood, Nanak was interested in learning and began his elementary education. He learned Persian, Sanskrit, and Punjabi and possessed a poetic nature; he sometimes composed poetry. In addition, he demonstrated considerable skill in oratory and had a clear and effective manner of speaking.
Despite these talents, Nanak was a reclusive individual with little interest in social interactions. This characteristic worried those around him, especially his father, about his future. His father made great efforts to get Nanak involved in some work and bring him out of isolation; he assigned him to shepherding for a while and later to storekeeping, but Nanak showed no interest in these jobs.
Around the age of twenty, Nanak married, and the marriage resulted in two children. His brother-in-law held a high position and status in the court of the ruler of Sultanpur. He invited Nanak to work in that city, suggesting that he be appointed as treasurer. This proposal was accepted by the ruler.
While there, he became acquainted with a Muslim named Mardana, who was in the service of this leader. Nanak began to compose religious hymns and created a place for hospitality where Muslims and Hindus could eat together.
However, Nanak did not find peace there either. Before long, he became tired of his job and abandoned it.
In the late 1500s CE, Nanak left Sultanpur to pursue a Sufi and ascetic life and to preach the religion he had attained after a significant spiritual experience. This experience occurred one day while he was bathing in a river in a forest; he suddenly disappeared and was transported to another world where he was in the presence of God. In this meeting, God gave Nanak a cup of water and said, “I am with you; I have made you fortunate, and I will make fortunate anyone who follows you. Go and give good tidings in my name, and invite others to follow you. Do not defile yourself with water, but engage in prayer, charity, and contemplation. I have bestowed this cup upon you out of love and kindness.” At that moment, Nanak uttered a prayer that later became the morning prayer of Sikhism. In that prayer, he said: “There is one God, whose name is Truth, and He is the Creator; eternal, unborn, self-existent, great, merciful, and everlasting.”
After staying in the forest for three days, Nanak emerged and began preaching his message. In this endeavor, his friend Mardana, who believed in Nanak’s invitation, accompanied him. The two traveled throughout India, but it was in the Punjab region that their invitation met with success, and many followers, under the name “Sikhs,” converted to their faith. References in Sikh writings suggest that Nanak witnessed the attacks of Babur, the Mughal Emperor, and his preaching activities were suspended during this period. At that time, one individual donated a piece of land next to the Ravi River to him, where he built a village called “Kartarpur.” Guru Nanak, the teacher and founder of Sikhism, spent the rest of his life in this village and died there in 1538 CE. Before his death, he chose one of his disciples named Angad as his successor and introduced him as the second Guru of the Sikhs.
Nanak claimed to love Islam, yet he was also deeply attached to his Hindu upbringing and roots. Therefore, he strived to build a bridge between these two religions and founded a new faith in the Indian subcontinent. Some researchers believe that Nanak was originally Muslim but later established a new religion. He founded the first Sikh temple in Kartarpur (in modern-day Pakistan) and, before his death in 1539 CE, chose one of his followers as his successor. Nanak was buried in the city of Dera Baba Nanak in the Punjab state of India. In that place, a cloak attributed to him is kept, inscribed with Surah Al-Fatiha and several short Surahs from the Quran.
After him, ten more Gurus presided over this faith, the last of whom was Gobind Singh (1675-1708). He announced the end of the lineage of Gurus. After that, the religious leaders of the Sikhs were known as “Maharajas,” the most famous of whom was Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who died in 1839 CE.
