The Sikh religion is the youngest of the organized religions, its origin dating to the 15th century coinciding with the advent of its founder Guru Nanak (1469- 1539). At this time considerable progress in the educational, scientific and industrial fields was being made. Communications had also improved making interaction between geographically separated people.

The religion therefore evolved in the modern environment from 1469 to 1708. The religions that came into being earlier had mostly concentrated on teaching their own followers and inter-faith dialogue was not on their agenda. Contacts with people of other faiths were mostly to obtain conversions. The religious leaders seemed to think their faith was all that mattered.

Guru Nanak however felt it was necessary to learn and exchange views with people of other faiths. He recognized that life is short and one must not be egoistic.
He proclaimed:

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਰਹੀਐ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਿਛੁ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਹੀਐ ॥
ਭਾਲਿ ਰਹੇ ਹਮ ਰਹਣੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜੀਵਤਿਆ ਮਰਿ ਰਹੀਐ ॥੫॥੨॥ ੧ ੬੬੧

Jabb laggu duneeaa raheeai Nanak kichhu suneeai kichhu kaheeai;
Bhaali rahay hamm rahnu na paaiaa jeevtiaa marri raheeai. 5. 2 (M: 1, p 661).

As long as we are in this world we should both listen and speak;
No one lives for ever, so we should live free from vanity.

Guru Nanak embarked on long journeys to visit the pilgrim centers of other faiths and interact with their leaders. He went to the Himalayas to meet the Yogis and to the Hindu pilgrim centers of Kurukshetra, Haridwar and Jagannath Puri among others in India. He went to the Buddhist countries of present Sri Lanka, Thailand and China. He visited the Muslim pilgrim center of Mecca in Saudi Arabia and Baghdad in Iraq to mention a few. These travels were in four stages covering a period of over 20 years.

There is no historical record available but from his composition Japu it appears that he had also interacted with the Jews. He says:

ਸਹਸ ਅਠਾਰਹ ਕਹਨਿ ਕਤੇਬਾ ਅਸੁਲੂ ਇਕੁ ਧਾਤੁ ॥ ੧ ੫

Sahs athaarah kahn katayba asloo ik dhaat.

The Semitic books say there are 18000 planets from one source (Japu Pauri 22).

This statement is contained in the Talmud a record of discussions between Rabbis, the Jewish clergy and considered one of their scriptures. It is a compendium of traditional Rabbinic Jewish law, tradition, and interpretation.

During his interactions with other faiths he listened about those faiths and gave his views as did the later gurus. This resulted in the gurus including their views about other faiths in the Sikh scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS). The contents of SGGS are called Gurbani, the guru’s word. The gurus also collected hymns of saints and bards of other faiths and those selsected find place in SGGS. It appears that basically three criteria – unity of God, respect for other religions and rejection of rituals – determined acceptability of the hymns for inclusion. SGGS thus really became a compendium of spiritual wisdom of all both Eastern and Semitic religions. It is the only scripture in the world that has hymns of saints of both types of faiths. The gurus came to the conclusion that God by whatever name different religions call is the unifying force in humanity. Guru Nanak says God belongs to all:

ਜਿਸ ਕਾ ਕੋਇ ਕੋਈ ਕੋਇ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਤੇਰਾ ਤੂੰ ਸਭਨਾ ਕਾ ਸੋਇ ॥ ੧ ੧੫੧

Jis ka koay koee koay koay; sabh ko tayra tu sabhna ka soay (M: 1, p 11).

One may have someone as his or her own;
another may have someone else;
But You belong to all and all belong to You O Lord.

This is the principle of universal spiritual consciousness derived from the unity of God that encompasses all living beings (as children of God) and all religion

s. ਏਕਸ ਕੇ ਹਮ ਬਾਰਿਕ ਤੂ ਮੇਰਾ ਗੁਰ ਹਾਈ ॥ ੫ ੬੧੧-੧੨

Ek pita ekas kay hamm baarik tu mayra gurhaaee (M: 5, p 611-12).

We are all children of one father, the great preceptor.

The third Guru seeing the world in turmoil because of craving and strife – between people and religions – prays:

ਜਗਤੁ ਜਲੰਦਾ ਰਖਿ ਲੈ ਆਪਣੀ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਧਾਰਿ ॥
ਜਿਤੁ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਉਬਰੈ ਤਿਤੈ ਲੈਹੁ ਉਬਾਰਿ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਵੇਖਾਲਿਆ ਸਚਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਬੀਚਾਰਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਅਵਰ ਨ ਸੁਝਈ ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਬਖਸਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ ੩ ੮੫੩

The world is ablaze O Lord; please show compassion and save it;
Please save it whatever it takes;
The true guru (preceptor) teaches that real comfort lies in contemplating on the Divine word; There is none but the Almighty who can pardon our transgressions. 1 (M: 3, p 853).

Gurbani thus asks men and women to follow their preceptors in practice Gurbani uses the word ‘Katayb’ (ਕਤੇਬ) collectively for the scriptures of the Semitic religions namely the Jews, Christians and Muslims although the Muslim scripture the Quran is also some times referred to. Similarly the Vedas (ਵੇਦ, ਬੇਦ) the ancient Hindu scriptures are referred to for scriptures of Eastern religions as well as by themselves.

They all acknowledge God says Gurbani:

ਤੁਧੁ ਧਿਆਇਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬਾ ਸਣੁ ਖੜੇ ॥
ਗਣਤੀ ਗਣੀ ਨ ਜਾਇ ਤੇਰੈ ਦਰਿ ਪੜੇ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮੇ ਤੁਧੁ ਧਿਆਇਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਇੰਦ੍ਰ ਇੰਦ੍ਰਾਸਣਾ ॥
ਸੰਕਰ ਬਿਸਨ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਹਰਿ ਜਸੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਭਣਾ ॥
ਪੀਰ ਪਿਕਾਬਰ ਸੇਖ ਮਸਾਇਕ ਅਉਲੀਏ ॥
ਓਤਿ ਪੋਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਮਉਲੀਏ ॥
ਕੂੜਹੁ ਕਰੇ ਵਿਣਾਸੁ ਧਰਮੇ ਤਗੀਐ ॥ ਜਿਤੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਤਿਤੁ ਤਿਤੁ ਲਗੀਐ ॥੨॥ ੫ ੫੧੮

Tudhu dhiaaini bayd katayba sann kharray;
Ganti ganni na jaaey tayray dari parray;
Brhmay tudhu dhiaaini indra indraasna;
Sankar Bisan avatar hari jassu mukhi bhanaa;
Peer pikaabar saykh masaaik auleeay;
Oti poti nirankaar ghati ghati Mauleeay;
Koorahu karay vinaas dharmay tageeai;
Jitu jitu laaih aapi titu titu lageeai. 2 (M: 5, p 518).

The Eastern and Semitic scriptures all remember You O Lord;
Countless people seek Your sanctuary;
The Hindu gods Brahma and Indra acknowledge You;
Shankar and Vishnu incarnations praise You;
The Muslim Prophet, Pirs, Sheikhs and guides (teach that),
The formless Lord pervades all creatures and makes them bloom;
Those who follow falsehood perish; those who follow Dharma succeed;
People go on the path they are put on by God.

Gurbani asks all to truly follow their religions. It talks of the Hindu Brahmin who calls himself so pious that no one should touch him (aparas, ਅਪਰਸ). It explains what being pious means:

ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੈ ਜੋ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ॥ ਸਰਬ ਮੈ ਪੇਖੈ ਭਗਵਾਨੁ ॥
ਨਿਮਖ ਨਿਮਖ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਨਮਸਕਾਰੈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਓਹੁ ਅਪਰਸੁ ਸਗਲ ਨਿਸਤਾਰੈ ॥੧॥ ੫ ੨੭੪

Urdhaarai jo antar Naamu; Sarab mai paykhai Bhagwaanu;
Nimakh nimakh Thakur namaskaarai; Nanak ohu aparasu sagal nistaarai (M: 5, p 274).

One who for ever has God in mind; Sees God in all;
Remembers the Master every moment;
Such a pious person saves all.

Similarly a Muslim is reminded of what he is to do to deserve being called a Muslim:

ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ਕਹਾਵਣੁ ਮੁਸਕਲੁ ਜਾ ਹੋਇ ਤਾ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ਕਹਾਵੈ ॥
ਅਵਲਿ ਅਉਲਿ ਦੀਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਿਠਾ ਮਸਕਲ ਮਾਨਾ ਮਾਲੁ ਮੁਸਾਵੈ ॥
ਹੋਇ ਮੁਸਲਿਮੁ ਦੀਨ ਮੁਹਾਣੈ ਮਰਣ ਜੀਵਣ ਕਾ ਭਰਮੁ ਚੁਕਾਵੈ ॥
ਰਬ ਕੀ ਰਜਾਇ ਮੰਨੇ ਸਿਰ ਉਪਰਿ ਕਰਤਾ ਮੰਨੇ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਵੈ ॥
ਤਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਰਬ ਜੀਆ ਮਿਹਰੰਮਤਿ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ਕਹਾਵੈ ॥੧॥ ੧ ੧੪੧

Musalmanu kahaavanu muskalu ja hoay ta musalmanu kahaavai;
Avali auli deenu kari mitha maskal maana maalu musaavai;
Hoay Muslimu deen muhaanai maran jeevan ka bharamu chukaavai;
Rabb ki razaaey mannai sir oopari Karta mannai aapu gavaavai;
Tau Nanak sarab jeeaa mihramati hoaay ta Musalmanu kahaavai (M: 1, p 141).

It is hard to deserve being called a Muslim;
he should be one in practice to so deserve; (What does he need to do?);
First of all he should love his faith, clean his rusted mind, and share his wealth with others;
To be a Muslim, follow the faith and shed all doubts about life and death;
Submit to God’s will, shed ego and accept that God does every thing;
Such a person shows compassion for all and deserves to be called a Muslim.

A Sikh is similarly told that being a Sikh is acting on the teachings of the Guru:

ਸਿਖੀ ਸਿਖਿਆ ਗੁਰ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥ ਨਦਰੀ ਕਰਮਿ ਲਘਾਏ ਪਾਰਿ ॥੧ ੪੬੫

Sikhi sikhiaa gur veechaari; Nadri Karam laghaaey paari (M: 1, p 465).

Being a Sikh is contemplating and acting on the guru’s teachings; These take one across the world ocean to Go

We are asked not to find faults with the scriptures of religions but rather try to understand them.

ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਹਹੁ ਮਤ ਝੂਠੇ ਝੂਠਾ ਜੋ ਨ ਬਿਚਾਰੈ ॥ ਕਬੀਰ ੧੩੫੦

Bayd Katayb kahoh matt jhoothay jhootha jo na bichaarai (Kabir, p 1350).

Do not find faults with the scriptures of Eastern or Semitic religions; Fault lies with one who does not contemplate on what is read.

All religions agree on the need for ethics. These concern personal and interpersonal conduct, basically aimed at not doing any thing against the laws of nature or something that would hurt others. All religions emphasize the need to help the needy and put away a part of one’s income for the purpose. It is called Daan in Hindu parlance, charity in Christianity, Zakaat in Islam and Vand Chhakna in Sikhi. The latter two have this as an obligation not as alms or charity; they are part of the basic ethos.

All religions advocate such good deeds to be done selflessly and not expecting Divine grace or recognition by the world. If we consider the above there should be no cause for friction between religions. But antagonism between religions is a reality and is based mainly on the dogmas believed by many. The dogmas have somehow come to define essentials of the faiths. Here are a few of them.

The Jews believe that they are the chosen ones of God. In Hinduism only one with Brahmin caste is entitled to have high spiritual knowledge of the scriptures and perform religious functions. Many Hindu temples prohibit entry of non-Hindus. The Christians believe that the only way to get salvation is by accepting Jesus as the savior on the basis that he died for the sins of all. No one else can go to heaven. They use this argument to convert other people to their faith. This is an article of faith for them and a cause of interreligious friction. Islam is the religion of the Muslims. Some Muslim preachers say that God prefers Muslims to others. The relevant verse in the Quran says “Surely the religion with Allah is Islam (3:19)”. However the meaning of the word Islam is surrender or submission to the will of God and covers all those who believe in God alone.

Some time back a television serial titled somewhat like “Heaven: where is it and how to get there” was broadcast in the USA. The serial showed the views of leaders of all religious, except the Sikhs. Barring the Dalai Lama the Tibetan Buddhist leader, all others insisted that their faith was the only way to get to heaven. This belief lies at the root of all evil attributable to religion. Whenever someone considers one’s beliefs to be superior, he or she tends to look down upon others and/ or tries to convert them. This leads to inter-religious strife.

The Sikh faith has no such dogma. Only remembrance of God is important. While people of other faiths are welcome to join no efforts are made to proselytize. The tenth Guru says God has no caste and no religion. He pays obeisance thus:

ਨਮਸਤੰ ਅਜਾਤੇ ॥ ਨਮਸਤੰ ਅਪਾਤੇ ॥ ਨਮਸਤੰ ਅਮਜਬੇ ॥ ਨਮਸਤਸਤੁ ਅਜਬੇ ॥੧੭॥

Namastang ajaatay; namastang apaatay; Namastang amajbay; namastatu ajabay. 17 (Jaap Sahib).

My obeisance to One who has no caste and no lineage;

I bow to the One who has no religion; I ever bow to the One who is unique. This is also affirmation of God being One distinct from gods and goddesses as also absence of bias for or against any religion or caste. In addition to the existence of dogmas there are other differences also between religions. Almost all scriptures of the major religions except SGGS are based on stories. This is the case with the Ramayana, Mahabharata including the Gita, the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Quran (partly). All these scriptures are mostly addressed to the male. SGGS on the other hand is based on issues. Some references to historical events however do exist to convey the lessons learnt from them. Its hymns address both men and women.

The most important aspect in which religions differ from one another is the relationship of God to man and woman. In the beliefs of many faiths only limited people have access to God. For example in Hinduism let aside any one believed to have a relationship with God, none but the Brahmin is supposed to seek higher scriptural knowledge. As per the Old Testament only Adam, Abraham, Noah, and Moses talked to God. As per the New Testament no one can talk to God except through Jesus. As per the Quran God talked only to Gabriel who conveyed God’s words to Mohammad. Again God talked to them at specific places – to Moses only on Mount Sinai, to Jesus from heaven and to Mohammed through Gabriel from Mount Hira. God is seen as a person with male gender in Semitic scriptures.

It is not so with the Sikh faith. According to it God is all pervasive not having a physical form and has no gender. It is present in every mind and talks to every person who is so inclined wherever he or she is. Gurbani mentions numerous conversations between God and the devotees.

This is how it happens:

ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਗੁਫਾ ਤਹ ਆਸਨੁ ॥ ਕੇਵਲ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਪੂਰਨ ਤਹ ਬਾਸਨੁ ॥
ਭਗਤ ਸੰਗਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਗੋਸਟਿ ਕਰਤ ॥ ਤਹ ਹਰਖ ਨ ਸੋਗ ਨ ਜਨਮ ਨ ਮਰਤ ॥੩॥ ੫ ੮੯੪

Sunn samaadhi gupha tah aasanu;
Kaywal Bramh pooran tah baasanu;
Bhagat sanggi Prabhu gosti karat;
Tah harakh na sog na janam na marat. 3 (M: 5, p 894).

When one meditates with a still mind (without distraction);
He or she experiences the perfect Lord within;
The Lord converses with the devotee.
Such a person feels neither pleasure nor pain and is not subject to reincarnation.

This experience requires no dogmas; love is all that the Master likes. God can thus be experienced by any one regardless of caste, origin, religion or gender.

Many writers have expressed the view that the Sikh faith is a combination, reconciliation or fusion of Hindu and Muslim beliefs. Some differences between Sikhi on the one hand and Hinduism and Islam on the other have been brought out above. There are some more but all are inconsequential for inter-religious relations.

According to Hindu thought the ultimate destination of the soul is merger with God but there is also the concept of heaven and hell. In Islam it is either heaven where streams of milk flow with every other means of comfort or the suffering and fire of hell.

In the Sikh faith there are no places or regions called heaven and hell. Instead merger of the soul with God is heaven, and failure to achieve that leads to reincarnations which is hell. These can be experienced in this life.

There are other aspects like dogmas, rituals, superstitions and even sacrifices of animals and birds which form part of religions practices in Hinduism and Semitic religions. These are shunned by the Sikh faith.

Status of women is another important aspect. Man and woman have equal status unlike in the Hindu, Christian or Muslim faiths. The Quran however safeguards the interest of the woman particularly in family and financial matters.

The Sikh faith believes God does not belong to any particular religion but to any one who obeys the Divine laws or the laws of nature called Hukam in Gurbani.

The Sikh beliefs do not accord with the theory of incarnations of God or gods as in Hindu thought or of Jesus by the Christians. According to the Sikh faith God is not born. Sikhi agrees with the beliefs of Judaism and Islam as they are against thoughts of incarnation and idol worship. Another interesting aspect is the question of immortality of the soul. All Eastern religions namely Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs believe in this and consequently in reincarnation and transmigration while the Semitic religions do not. The Christian publications however acknowledge that Christians have started believing in immortality of the soul against Biblical teachings.

There is an interesting observation on why while the Eastern faiths advocate cremation of the dead, the Semitic faiths advocate burial. It appears these were adopted due to geographical reasons. All the Semitic religions originated in the desert where there was dearth of wood for cremation so they decided to bury the dead. On the other hand there is no dearth of wood in the east and hence the cremations. Whether this alone was responsible for the beliefs about what happens to the soul on death is not clear but might as well be. The Semitic religions do not destroy the body as according to them the soul is to reenter the body on the Judgment Day. In Eastern religions the soul is evaluated for deeds immediately on death and faces consequences. Accountability in whatever way is therefore common to all faiths.

The most visible feature of the Sikhs of course is the unshorn hair.

Guru Nanak had noticed the authority that the priestly classes exercised in other faiths. This authority is responsible for forcing people to observe superstitions and rituals that serve the priests. This results in exploitation because no religious function can be completed without the participation of the priest. This is not so in the Sikh faith. There is no priestly class and all religious functions can be conducted by any one who is conversant with the laid down Code of Conduct called Sikh Reht Maryada. These include those connected with the family like births, weddings and deaths.

To conclude, all faiths owe allegiance to God. Their methods of worship may differ but all advocate righteous living with the knowledge that every living being will be held responsible for his or her deeds.