Find out about Sikh faith and heritage with these fab fact files.
Sikh Faith
Nanak Miniature
Gurus Sitar
Siri Guru Singh Sabha
Gurdwara, Southall
Beliefs
Sikhs believe in:
- One God.
- Women being equal.
- Equality of all races and faiths.
- Remembering and serving God and fellow human beings.
- Working hard and earning an honest living.
- Sharing what they earn with the needy.
Prayer
Sikhs pray by thinking about God
and reading verses from from a sacred book called the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. They sometimes pray together in a special building called a Gurudwara. Sikhs pray whenever they feel like it and wherever they are.
Gurus
The word 'guru' means teacher or one who gives us knowledge. Guru Nanak was the first Guru. he founded the Sikh faith more that 500 years ago. There have been ten gurus in human form. The guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures, is the 11th and everlasting Guru of the Sikhs.
Festivals
The most important Sikh festivals are:
- Vaisakhi, celebrated on April 13th or 14th each year.
- Birthday of Guru Nanak, the first Guru.
- Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev, the 5th Guru.
- Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur, the 9th Guru.
The birthdays of the ten Sikh gurus are also very special days.
Khalsa
Once Sikhs have been baptised they are said to be members of the 'Khalsa' or sikh panth (community). Women are given the name 'Kaur' which means princess and men, the name 'Singh' which means lion.
