Sikhism

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

I was hoping that there were some around here with a greater understanding of Sikhism than mine. I was looking into it a bit because it actually emerged while Punjab was under the control of a Muslim Turk.

The reason that I find this interesting is because wikipedia lists the tenants of Sikhism as..
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism

• Cutting hair: Cutting hair is strictly forbidden in Sikhism. Sikhs are required to keep unshorn hair.
  
• Intoxication: Consumption of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and other intoxicants is not allowed. Intoxicants are strictly forbidden for a Sikh.[46][47][48] However the Nihangs of Punjab take an infusion of cannabis to assist meditation.[49]
  
• Adultery: In Sikhism, the spouses must be physically and mentally faithful to one another.[46][47][48]
  
• Blind spirituality: Superstitions and rituals should not be observed or followed, including pilgrimages, fasting and ritual purification; circumcision; idols & grave worship; compulsory wearing of the veil for women; etc.
  
• Material obsession: Obsession with material wealth is not encouraged in Sikhism.
  
• Sacrifice of creatures: The practice of sati (widows throwing themselves on the funeral pyre of their husbands), ritual animal sacrifice to celebrate holy occasions, etc. are forbidden.
  
• Non-family-oriented living: A Sikh is encouraged NOT to live as a recluse, beggar, yogi, monastic (monk/nun) or celibate. Sikhs are to live as saint-soldiers.
  
• Worthless talk: Bragging, lying, slander, "back-stabbing", etc. are not permitted. The Guru Granth Sahib tells the Sikh, "Your mouth has not stopped slandering and gossiping about others. Your service is useless and fruitless."[50
  
• Priestly class: Sikhism does not have priests, they were abolished by Guru Gobind Singh (the 10th Guru of Sikhism).[51] The only position he left was a Granthi to look after the Guru Granth Sahib, any Sikh is free to become Granthi or read from the Guru Granth Sahib.[51]
  
• Eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner (Kutha meat): Sikhs are strictly prohibited from eating meat from animals slaughtered in a religiously prescribed manner (such as dhabihah or shechita, known as Kutha meat, when the animal is killed by exsanguination via throat-cutting.[52] ), or any meat where langar is served.[53] The meat eaten by Sikhs is known as Jhatka meat.[54][55]
  
• Having premarital or extramarital sexual relations[46][47][56][57]
  

It's also a is a monotheistic religion, the similarities to the ten commandants and the fact they worship one God, and expect people to have long shaggy beards and hair was what I thought was very interesting.

Good Sabbath to you all.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Gurudwara shooting: How Sikhs migrated to US, fought prejudice and built a community
articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-08-12/news/33154079_1_beards-and-turbans-sikh-man-hindus

Punjabi men were not the first South Asians to come to the US, but they almost definitely accounted for the largest group. Their reasons for migration were mostly linked to land pressure and debts in India. Leonard notes that most came from the Malwa and Doaba districts of central Punjab where land holdings were no more than four or five acres.

Canal irrigation had brought cash crops to Punjab, but also brought unwise spending, debts and high levels of litigation. By contrast, she writes, "a 1916 source reported that men who earned 16 cents a day in India could earn $2 a day in the United States".