Growing up, I was asked many times by many people surrounding me, “Why are you interested in Islam?” or “Why does Sufi Islam matter so much to you?”
It matters to me because Sufi Islam and Sikhi have connected history. And Sikh history is what matters to me. Sufism, Islam and Sikhi have yet to be assessed properly together. There is much debate on how Sikhi and Islam work together. This is not to say that Sikhi and Islam are the same religion but to discuss similarities between two religions that played a role in South Asia. Also, finding similarities lets us avoid division, when this world wants us to have division. A shabad that recognizes humanity that is close to my heart:
ਮਾਨਸ ਕੀ ਜਾਤ ਸਬੈ ਏਕੈ ਪਹਚਿਾਨਬੋ || Manas Ki Jaat Sabhe Eke Paichanbo
Recognize all of mankind as a single caste of humanity.
Dasm Granth
For some background information, Islam is a monotheistic faith that was revealed to the The Prophet Muhammed, who is regarded as the last prophet of Allah. Sufi Islam is a mystical form of Islam, which allows Muslims to have nearness to Allah in a personal experience.
In history, you can tell that Guru Nanak Sahib Ji was revered by Hindus and Muslims. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji in his wide travels went to mandirs and masjids that were pilgrimage sites. One of my favorite interactions have been with Muslims, who when I tell them I am Sikh, they go, “Baba Nanak came to our Makkah!” They have the biggest smile and are so excited to tell me the story. I have heard and read the story of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji’s travel to Makkah (Holiest place for Muslisms) many times but seeing someone’s face light up when they tell the story never gets old to me. These interactions show me that Sikhi’s stories have transcended religions and further prove that division between religions is caused by hate and ignorance.
Bhai Mardana, a Muslim, was the companion of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji through many of his travels. Bhai Mardana was the first kirtania of Gurmat Sangeet. I read Walking with Nanak by Haroon Khalid, which is a story about Guru Nanak Sahib Ji’s travels and his life in Pakistan. In this book, Bhai Mardana is described as a man who was Guru Nanak Sahib Ji’s best friend. When Guru Nanak Sahib Ji would begin to sing, Bhai Mardana would start playing his Rubab. This companionship and friendship always spoke to me. It was a companionship and friendship that was easy, that is why it spoke to me. Guru Nanak Sahib ji and Bhai Mardana had ease, that is what I wanted in my life. Two beings from two different religions found common ground and friendship.
The concept of the Divine in Islam and Sikhi is similar. Regarding the MoolMantar,
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ Ik Onkar Sat Naam Karta Purakh Nirbhau Nirvair Akaal Moorat Ajooni Saibhan Gur Prasaad ||
One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace
Guru Granth Sahib Ji
My view of The Guru was heavily influenced by Mool Mantar growing up; it was the first scripture that I memorized. I remember having in depth conversations with my friend, who is Muslim, about the concept of God in each of our respective faiths. I am not a Muslim nor someone who has read the Qur’an, so I cannot bring examples from it. My understanding, being surrounded by Muslims and our conversations, makes me realize we are not that much different from each other: the Divine is True and the Divine is One.
Now what is Sufi Islam? From the stories I have read and heard from my mother, a couple of names come to mind: Hazrat Mian Mir and Sheikh Farid. Huzrat Mian Mir was a Sufi saint who laid the foundation of the Shri Harminder Sahib as per request of Guru Arjun Sahib Ji. Shiek Farid was a Sufi saint whose verses were included in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji by Guru Arjun Sahib Ji. Sufi saints were involved in Sikhi from the beginning, supporting the notion that Sikhi pays homage and respect to all faiths. And from my belief and view of Sikhi, this respect is what Sikhi stands for.
In truth, my relationship with The Guru was not as strong growing up. I grew up with not many people to teach me about Sikhi and not much of a community. There came a time where my friend, who is Muslim, encourged me to learn more of my faith. She never explicitly said to “be more religious.” or anything of that sort. But from our late-night conversations, I became more inclined to learn more of my own faith. I truly believe that Guru Sahib brought her into my life to encourage me to become closer to Vaheguru.
One of the most beautiful aspects of Sikhi I find is how music and poetry is involved in our faith. In Sufi devotion, music and poetry are what makes the devotion unique. With Gurmat Sangeet, music and poetry are involved. Growing up listening to Kirtan, and now realizing how musical Sikhi is, made me much more interested in the concept of how Gurmat Sangeet was involved in Sikh History. Bhai Mardana carried a rubab, an instrument that is originally from Afghanistan, that he played on his travels with Guru Nanak Sahib Ji. That is one instrument involved in Sikhi, similarly Sufi Muslims play the rubab as well. It might be a very small similarity in both, but this similarity was something that I caught when I first started reading on Sufi Islam and Sikhi.
In turn, my journey of incorporating Sikhi more in my life allowed me to learn of the amazing similarities between Sufi Islam and Sikhi. Sufi devotion to God comes from dhikr, which is remembrance. Parallelly Sikhi, Naam Jaapna, is also remembering The Guru. As someone who found it awkward to pray or even say “Satnam WaheGuru '' day to day, now I see myself as someone who does not care where I am and pray every day.
Both Sikhi and Sufi Islam advocate for simpilicity, equality, and remembrance of God. I had this conversation with my Baba, my father, once about how simple Sikhi is, and how it was not hard to understand. My Baba said to me that was the intention of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji. The Divine is simple yet so incomprehensible. In Islam, Sufi Islam, and Sikhi, the Divine can be anywhere and can be reached anywhere. You do not need to physically go to a masjid nor a gurdwara to reach the Divine.
ਦਸੇ ਦਿਸਾ ਰਵਿਆ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਏਕੁ ॥ Dhasae Dhisaa Raviaa Prabh Eaek ||
The One God is diffused in the ten directions.
ਧਰਨਿ ਅਕਾਸ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਪੇਖੁ॥ Dhharan Akaas Sabh Mehi Prabh Paekh ||
Behold God in all the earth and sky.
ਜਲ ਥਲ ਬਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਪਾਤਾਲ॥ Jal Thhal Ban Parabath Paathaal ||
In the water, on the land, in the forests and mountains, and in the nether regions of the underworld,
ਪਰਮੇਸ੍ਵਰ ਤਹ ਬਸਹਿ ਦਇਆਲ ॥ Paramaesvar Theh Basehi Dhaeiaal ||
The Merciful Transcendent Lord is abiding.
ਸੂਖਮ ਅਸਥੂਲ ਸਗਲ ਭਗਵਾਨ॥ Sookham Asathhool Sagal Bhagavaan ||
The Lord God is in all mind and matter, subtle and manifest.
Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 229
In my experience of speaking to people about Islam and Sikhi is that they are quick to differentiate from one another. For example, comparing the way we conduct ourselves in our faiths. Why don’t we look at the similarities instead? Or pay homage to the religions that played a role in Sikhi? Or at least understand our history? When our history is full of people of different faiths, it is alright to respect and have that unity. There is so much hate in this world, so why add to it? The Gurus came to teach us that we are equal and showed us through their actions what unity and respect looks like. My Ammi, my mother, would tell me the stories of the Gurus, and always encouraged me to be like them, love and respect all people. I took that to heart, I surrounded myself with people who were different but like-minded, and learned from them. The people who are in your life do affect you; from the stories I have read of the Gurus, I saw how the people around the Guru Sahibs were influenced by them. I have a friend who goes to the Gurdwara every week and seeing her encouraged me to go more often to listen to Kirtan and do seva. And my Muslim friends that pray every day, they inspired me to also pray every day. Your sangant does not have to be only Sikh to inspire you and bring you closer to Waheguru. I saw how dhikr/naam japna is an essential part in their life and I wanted to be part of that in my own way. These people in my life allowed me to become closer to the Guru. The people in your life do not have to be the same as you to inspire you on your path. The different people in history were changed by the Gurus and the Gurus learned from them. Going off this, we should use our Gurus’ actions as great influences in our own lives.
About the Author
Rajneet Kaur
Rajneet Kaur, also goes by Neetu, is a Punjabi Sikh woman from Utah that recently finished her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Bachelor's of Arts in Asian studies. She has a love for Punjabi Culture and will talk about it to anyone for hours. She wants to bring Sikhi to into the discussion of world religions, as well as teaching about people of what is Sikhi. In her free time Rajneet loves to write, loves photography and searching for cafes in Utah. She is appreciative to share her thoughts on religion and what Sikhi is with SikhTeens.