Status of women In Sikh Religion

[neil]

this article i found posted by a user at another group i am a member of.
I recommend a reading of this lovely article.
Thanks

http://saabt.com/article.asp?article=911
Excerpts from the Article : Status of Women in Sikh Religion
by Bhoopinder Kaur, 15 November 2005


Equality of both sexes

Guru Nanak Dev Ji, founder of Sikh religion, said men and women are equal and therefore women cannot be considered socially or spiritually inferior.
Of woman are we born, of woman conceived. To woman engaged and married. Woman are befriended, by woman is the civilization continued. When woman dies, woman is sought for. It is by woman that the entire social order is maintained. Then why call her bad? From her Kings are born - SGGS , p.473.

Therefore, a Sikh woman can participate in all religious activities without being discriminated on the basis of her sex. Rather, in Sikh religion, the credit of blessing the world with a bhagat or a noble person is given to the mother. Also, every morning and evening, in their prayer, Ardas, Sikhs recount the courageous role played by Sikh women and their contribution to the community.

In Sikh religion, veil/ purdah is not appreciated

Purdah system, the custom in certain societies of secluding women from men, is of ancient origin. The Sikh Gurus advocated equal participation of both sexes in all spheres of life.
I walk with my face unveiled – SGGS, p. 931
O daughter-in-law, do not use a veil – SGGS, p. 484


Sati was banned in Sikh Religion by mid-1550s by Guru Amar Das Ji

Sati was a practice where the widow offers herself to the fire of funeral pyre of her husband. It was considered a religious necessity, as widowhood was considereda curse. In Sikh religion, Sati was banned and as a practical step towards discouraging the practice of Sati, Sikhism encouraged widow–remarriage.
A Sati is not she who burns herself on the pyre of her spouse - SGGS, p. 787
Sikh woman bringing the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in the Gurudwara (right side)




Dowry is banned in Sikh religion

In India, parents of the bride give expensive gifts, the dowry, to the bridegroom and his family. But in Sikhism, the Gurus have banned the practice of dowry.
O my lord, give me thy name as dowry; all other things are display of pride – SGGS, p. 78-9.

Women Sikh Missionaries

Guru Amar Das Ji appointed 52 women missionaries in 1550s, out of a total of 146 missionaries, to spread the concept of Sikh religion across the world.

Woman expected to be strong

In Sikh religion women has been asked to be brave and strong. Guru Nanak Dev Ji mentions that
Women have become too meek and submissive – SGGS, p.1243
As a result, women have been encouraged to become independent. In the times of the Second Guru, Mata Khivi Ji was incharge of Langar and by the time of Tenth Master, many women were serving in the Khalsa Army. During late 1700s women were playing a key role in Misls and even heading the Misl. In modern times, Sikh women have been successful parliamentarians.

 

[Roop Dhillon]

Good on ya Mate, It is so Informative

Neil Buddy, keep the good work up, Thats why this section is here on UNP.

 

[full_taur]

real good one Man... thanks bai

 

[Guest33]

Equality of both sexes

Guru Nanak Dev Ji, founder of Sikh religion, said men and women are equal and therefore women cannot be considered socially or spiritually inferior.
Of woman are we born, of woman conceived. To woman engaged and married. Woman are befriended, by woman is the civilization continued. When woman dies, woman is sought for. It is by woman that the entire social order is maintained. Then why call her bad? From her Kings are born - SGGS , p.473..

inspite of all this apne punjab ch sex ratio dekh lao ki hai.....kinni k equality hai sexes di......I'm ashamed to be part of the society jithe ik janani dooji nu ijjat te samman ni de sakdi.......

Therefore, a Sikh woman can participate in all religious activities without being discriminated on the basis of her sex. Rather, in Sikh religion, the credit of blessing the world with a bhagat or a noble person is given to the mother. Also, every morning and evening, in their prayer, Ardas, Sikhs recount the courageous role played by Sikh women and their contribution to the community..

is de bavjood women are not allowed to perform Kirtan at Darbar Sahib...

Dowry is banned in Sikh religion

In India, parents of the bride give expensive gifts, the dowry, to the bridegroom and his family. But in Sikhism, the Gurus have banned the practice of dowry.
O my lord, give me thy name as dowry; all other things are display of pride – SGGS, p. 78-9.
.

ajj de jamane ch apne sikhan ch sab toon jyada dikhave di hod laggi hai ki kaun kinni dowry dinda.....ki equality rehjandi hai ki munde ale kudi walian nu oh sab dinde ne jo kudi wale munde walian nu dinde ne......bhagwant mann de kehan vanghu viah vele taan gawandian de bachiannu vi rings pava lende ne.......


Neil bahut sohna article si.....par bada dukh hunda ih soch ke vi ih sab jande hoye vi apne lok ihna gallan nu anhoyia kar dinde ne.......har cheez ch dhikhava hai.....Sikhi ina simple religion hai follow karan lai par fer vi apne lok ni follow karna chaunde.....

 

[GeNie_iN_a_boTtLe]

gud 1 neil.........thnxh

 

[jattpunjabi]

welll.....bahut vadia
mainu tan ik gal pata hai guru Nanak dev ji ne akhia c

so kyo manda akhea jit jamme rajan

 

[MitaAnarkali]

Great post. It gives more appreciation to women but also to the men who let women grow instead of supressing their dreams! Great one!

 

[Ramta]

It is claimed often that Sikhi as a religion and Sikh as a people treat women better than other religions that preceeded them. We use this to try and promote our religion as superior. According to this somewhat mistaken view, Sikhi is supposed to have ushered in a new enlightened age for women. This is a joke. One of the greatest crimes that India faces is selective abortion of female pregnancies and worse still actual killing of female babies. Statistics from the 2001 census show that Sikhs are by far the worse practitioners of this, and thus have the lowest female:male ratio out of any religious community in the world. This totally rubbishes and makes a mockery our claim of better treatment of women (a claim which is itself based on the dubious practice of selectively quoting a few nice lines from our scripture and setting this against a few selectively quoted lines from other religious scriptures).

The Sikh community has the lowest sex ratio of 893 females per 1,000 males well below the national average of 933. This is revealed in the census figures of 2001 based on religion released recently.

As regards the disparity of the absolute and relative number of males and female population in the society, expressed in terms of sex ratio or number of females per thousand males, the Hindus recorded 931 and were slightly below the national average whereas sex ratio among Muslim was 936.

Some links to support this:
headlines.sify.com/news/f...rming~rate
www.samachar.com/newsasia...92004.html

And all this despite the Guru Granthji.

Nanak says in the 'Asa Di Var'
"It is by woman the condemned one, that we are conceived, And from her that we are born; it is with her that we are betrothed and married. It is woman we befriend, it is she who keeps the race going; When one woman dies, we seek another; it is with her we become established in society. Why should we call her inferior, who gives birth to great men? A woman is born of a woman, none is born without a woman. O Nanak, only the one True Lord, is without a woman."

"All (women as well as men) acknowledge the same God as their own; Show me anyone who does not. Each person is responsible for his (or her) own actions And shall have to settle his (or her) own account."

Guru Amar Das in 'Suhi ki Var'
"They are not suttees who burn themselves with their dead husbands; Rather they are suttees, Nanak, who die with the mere shock of separation from their husbands. And they too, are to be considered suttees, who abide in modesty and contentment, Who wait upon their Lord and rising in the morning, ever remember Him."

"Women burn themselves in fire with their husbands; If they appreciate their husbands, they undergo sufficient pain by their death. If they appreciate them not, Nanak, why should they burn at all?"

On Baisakhi day in the year A.D. 1699, Guru Gobind Singh convened a big gathering of his followers. He took his five tried men, dressed them in warrior's uniforms and began to make preparations for initiating them into the Khalsa. The Guru was preparing the Amrit (baptismal water) with his sword, when his wife, Sahib Devan, offered some sugar cakes as her contribution. The Guru took the sweets and said:
"Your coming is most opportune; my Sikhs will not only be as tough as the steel of my sword, but also as sweet as your sugar cake"
(This is something I am not in a position to validate with a reference...it's not in the Granth)

Most religions give honour to women. But Sikh tend to try and show they are better than everybody else in this regard. But our actual track record in society doesn't corroborate this frequently made claim.

The problem is not that we don't look upto to religion for answers but that we depent too much on it.
Buddha never said treat women equally but there is a hardly a Boddhi who kills the girl feotus.
Even Communists are doing better.


Thanks

 

[pps309]

The claim that Sikhi as a religion treat women equal to men is absolutely right.

I feel sorry those sikhs who do not treat women equally.
Sadde ta Guru hi kehnde aa "Sau kyun mara aakhiye jitt jamme Rajan".....

Proud of Being a Sikh.......Sikhism is such a good religion.
People who understand it, follow it are proud of it.

Sikh religion do not put any restriction like ladies not allowed in some temple/mosque.
Sikh religion do not say that if you are doing 14 days Hanuman Tap then you cannot see any ladies..not even you mom.
Jimme ik GurSikh Munda guru ji da baccha ove hi har GurSikh kudi osse Guru di dhee aa.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji di seva ik banda te janani koi bhi kar sakda. Esde ch kisse kism di koi pabandi nahi.
Amrit pann ik munda bi shak sakda te ik kudi bhi shak sakdi aa. Koi pabandi nahi.

Members who have knowledge of other religions can compare themselves whether ladies have given this much equality in other religion. If at all they are given, that is very good and that by no means deprive me to feel proud of my religion.
Personally I do not want to bring in other religion.

If some one calls himself Sikh he has to treat women with equal status.

 

[SEKHON SAAB]

really nice