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Idol Worship Mocks at God and is rejected in Sikhism. Guru Nanak Dev spoke against ritualism. Guru Granth Sahib clearly speaks out against meaningless rituals and customs of which idol worship is one.

Idol worship means that man creates images of sundry gods and goddesses, in clay or stone or marble and install it in temples, homes, and attach many multifaceted meaningless rituals with it, in order to please God!

If the Holy Guru Granth speaks against idol worship, it simply means that Sikhs are not to pray to idols. Why are Sikhs forbiden to pray to idols? Let us seek the answer from Guru Granth Sahib. In the very beginning according to Mul Mantra, which is the very essence of Sikhism:

According to the above opening lines of the Sikh Holy Book, "God is one and formless." If one tries to create an idol, that person would be trying to give some form or shape to God which shall be contrary to Guru Nanak Dev’s preaching. Not only to Guru Nanak Dev’s utterances but also contrary to various Bhagat’s hymns! Even Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru (Teacher) in human form (the wrong notion everyone has is that Sikhs pray to either Guru Nanak or Guru Gobind Singh) has clearly stated in his literary composition, Jaap Saheb:

It means "God has neither any sounds nor any colour nor any features neither any outlines", which further strengthens the belief of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, i.e., "God is formless".

Written in page 816 of Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Arjun Dev Ji (the Fifth Guru of the Sikhs) has said:

It means God has no form, outline or colour.

Written in page 637 of the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev Ji has said:

Translated, it means:

"What can we get out of the worship of gods and goddesses? If one washeth the stone-gods in water, they sink;

How then, can they save others?"

Written in Japji Sahib by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the fifth stanza which is in page 2 of the Guru Granth Sahib is:

"The Lord can neither be installed in a temple (for worship) nor can He be created in the likeness of an image. For, He is made by Himself and is beyond material conditions."

Written in page 332 of the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagat Kabir Ji has said:

Meaning:

"Ironically they kill living creatures but pray to lifeless statues objects This is the end of journey unbearable."

Meaning:

"Buying statues or idols, one prays and does austerities and goes on pilgrimages
Seeing another and imitating, falls into the wrong path One calls a stone as God and everyone starts praying to it, whoever remains in this superstition and wrong belief sinks into the well of ignorance."

Bhagat Jaidev Ji has said (page 526 of Guru Granth Sahib)

Meaning:

"Only believe in one God and devotion or Bhagtee towards God can be done by words and deeds which are similar."

Bhagat Namdev Ji’s hymn included in page 345 of Guru Granth Sahib asks sarcastically:

It means:

"If people can ferry idols across the oceans, then why cannot the people also ferry across by just saying Ram?"

"Nihang Sikhs prepare cannabis sativa for devotees on the occasion Shivratri in Amritsar on Wednesday."

Who is a Nihang?

A Nihang is a militant sect of the Sikhs who wears the traditional saffron and blue coloured dress along with traditional arms. He is a soldier who strictly remains in the Khalsa’s order to Guru Gobind Singh Ji. A Nihang is a committed protector of Sikhs’ Holy Granth.

Cannabis Sativa is an intoxicant or a narcotic drug, which is made from an Asian herbaceous plant commonly known as ‘hemp’.

According to ‘The Code of Sikh Conduct and Conventions’ (with is the Moral constitution of the Sikhs) known as Sikh Rehat Maryada, in page No.24, Section Four, Article XVI, Clause (j), it is clearly mentioned:

"A Sikh must not take hemp (cannabis), opium, liquor, tobacco, in short, any intoxicant. His only routine intake should be food."

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Master or Teacher or Guru of the Sikhs has given the above command or hukamnama to all Sikhs during the creation of the Khalsa Brotherhood in 1699 A.D. at Anandpur Sahib town, now in Punjab state.

Guru Amar Das Ji (Third Guru of the Sikhs) has emphasized in the hymns recorded at page 554 of Guru Granth Sahib:

"That drink is toboo which makes one senseless or makes one’s sense go far away.
Madness or foolishness comes into.
Fails to recognize one’s own or a distant one,
Who gets ridiculed and insulted.

Written in page 726 of Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Ramdas Ji (Fourth Guru of the Sikhs) has said:

Meaning:

"One who consumes intoxicants (like betel leaves, supari or bidis) will not be able to contemplate on Name or the Timeless Being
and will be controlled by Evil or Bad thoughts."

Thus, from the commands of the Sikh Gurus or the writings in the Holy Book of the Sikhs, it is crystal clear that Sikhs are forbidden to consume any intoxicants. On one of his tours of the Malwa, Guru Tegh Bahadur the (Ninth Guru had clearly stated to a Sikh of Guru Nanak who was into tobacco cultivation and whose field he visited:

"My dear man, give up the use of tobacco. Do not even touch it. If you bring it in the house, not only disease but poverty also will harass you".

The incident took place in 1665 A.D. No other religion in the world, except Sikhism, not only prohibited its followers from smoking but also asked them not to touch it because if the use of tobacco could bring disease and poverty to a Sikh, how could the Guru, who wished welfare of everybody, allow any Sikh to produce tobacco in his fields for others? One should start reading and practicing Gurbani and follow the edicts. Nothing else is required to be a Sikh!

There is a crisis situation that needs the attention of the Sikh nation in general and the august and representative body of the Sikhs like the SGPC, in particular, be it in the field of education, religion, history, economics, or culture.

One of the critical issues is the spread of apostasy in the Sikh communities in foreign countries, and more so in Punjab. In the city of Amritsar, which happens to be the headquarters of this great organization, youngsters are cutting their keshas, sometimes under duress by organized gangs. This was observed first hand during my last visit a few years back. Some of the visiting Sikh politicians to the United States recently confirmed that the problem is worsening by the day rather than improving. The dangerous part of the phenomenon is that cutting of hair (Keshas) is becoming accepted as a rule rather than as an exception. Such events are croding the very roots of the fundamentals and foundations of the Sikh religion and an obvious challenge to the principles ordained by our great Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. This is sad and painful for our generation, and much more confusing and conflicting to our second and third generations (children, and grand children) here.

This phenomenon has given enough fuel and claim to hard-liners and fanatic enemies of the Sikh nation that Sikhs are a part of Hindutva. This issue also touches upon the Indian Constitution Article 25, sub section (i) Explanation II, which envelops the Sikhs as a part of the Hindu religion for constitutional purposes. If this is not something of paramount importance for the preservation of the identity and self-respect of the Sikh nation, where the SGPC, with its enormous resources, prestige, recognition, and influence can play a leading role, I wonder what other issues are more important? This issue was raised earlier. But unfortunately, the follow-up has been, at best, lukewarm and casual, that has rendered the mild push as weak and ineffective.

The SGPC should declare a serious and an all-out assault on this growing menace both in India and abroad at the religious and constitutional fronts, and let the Sikhs all over the world know of their impending action. It can, assuredly, expect fullest co-operation from all the Sikhs. The SGPC doesn’t have to constitute any new committee or panel or a commission, when it already has the Dharam Parchar Committee in position. Additionally, the present right-wing Hindu government at Delhi is encroaching upon many facets of history. Text books are being approved by the GoI wherein erroneous and misleading, if not downright derogatory, information about our revered Gurus, is being conveyed to the young Indians that will do enormous harm to our younger generation by sowing seeds of confusion and suspicion about the Sikh faith and the Sikh principles.

Another issue that begs the attention of the SGPC is the Sikh literature in English and other foreign languages. Not minimizing the importance of teaching Punjabi to our next generations which at present is so unstructured, tardy and inadequate by sporadic efforts, we are losing youngsters who fail to understand the Punjabi language and explanations by non-English speaking preachers, visiting Ragees, and in-house Granthees in our only viable institutions, the Gurdwaras. Their primary mission to visit abroad is to make money. This is not objectionable as this is their mode of livelihood. What is objectionable is that they narrate stories (Sakhees) about the Sikhs and the Sikh Gurus which are sometimes purely here-say and often inaccurate. not based upon any authentic literature. They try to dramatize and raise emotions but do not impress our youngsters. "The literature is the very basis and foundation on which the nations subsist and survive", and it does have a lasting effect for the present high-tech generation.

Youth: The younger generation today is clamoring to follow the direction of inculcating Sikh values being professed and practiced by some of their role models which we severely lack. Dearth of literature in English, indifferent attitude of the managements of our institutions, and general role of the institutions themselves is causing great consternation in the innocent minds of this generation. We are missing the chance to carve deeper impressions in the minds of these youngsters. We have an absolutely erroneous notion that (1) things will take care of themselves, (2) that we are going to be sticking around for ever, and that there is no urgency to activate the fertile and perceptive minds of our younger generation. We are off-the-mark on both these accounts. Some of us who have worked with these young boys and girls also feel that it is easy to put impressions on them when they are budding into their younger ages and they do respond also very well, but as they grow to be teenagers and college-going young adults, they are turned off. What happens in the intervening period?

Heritage: It is heartening to note that young Sikhs are far more interested in their religion, their heritage, traditions than any of their other contemporaries. We have, however, to acknowledge that the problem of general apathy does persist, specially to ritualistic approach to religion. Attempts must be initiated to ameliorate the precarious situation before it gets worse when it is generally acknowledged that the Sikh youth are the backbone of the Sikh political and religious profiles.

More than any indifference, it is the confusion and conflict in the minds of many Sikh youngsters about what they are, what their values are, and why and how are they supposed to maintain, develop, and reinforce them? There is the built-in trepidation and insecurity of their lonesomeness and alienation that they may not be able to withstand the outside pressures. Their numbers are so few and sparsely distributed that the Sikh youth, more often than not, feel utterly unprotected. This constant emotional and oppressive fear may inhibit their physical and intellectual development and growth. Sometimes, when they do get moral support from their peers, they face conflicting situations(s) around themselves in their homes and family circles. Some of the oft asked questions are: ‘My parents have cut or trimmed their hair, why can’t I? My father or mother do not perform their religious chores and Nit Nem regularly, do I have to? Of the five K’s, is it alright to have only 4? Can I believe only in the first nine Gurus who might not have been so explicit about the unshorn hair as the tenth Guru, and still be a good Sikh?’

It is the sense of conviction that is needed to be imbedded in the minds and hearts of the growing young Sikh population. There is absolutely no doubt that it is the responsibility of the parents and the community leaders to inculcate the desire to know about their religion in these young folks, assist them at home and outside to understand the Sikh tenets, present them with solid examples from their own lives and precept, encourage and include the activities of their interest, and make them an integral part, and active participants, in our community functions and religious congregations. The significance of the five K’s in our daily lives, their basis, and their contribution towards the fulfillment of our religious goals have to be clearly delineated in terms that the youngsters can relate to. An important point needs to be brought home to them, namely, the religion should not be - and is not always characterized - as "convenience", rather it is the degree and intensity of faith and conviction and character.

Most importantly, these youngsters should be treated as honorable citizens and not as problems. They need the utmost protection. On the other hand, most of our activities, whether in the Gurdwaras or outside, are primarily geared to satisfy the needs and fancies of the grown-up population. It is a strange paradox that we keep reinforcing those who, perhaps, need less or little emphasis, compared to those who know little or none about their own background. These youngsters are taken for granted or are not worked with. Those needing the most attention are being ignored, overlooked, or treated with indifference, with the false expectation that the time will take care of itself.

Slogans are heard in the loudest possible pitch from many platforms that "our children are the future; they are the leaders of tomorrow; they will become torchbearers of our tradition, and so on. Therefore, something should be done." These seem to have become mere cliches. In spite of these assertions, we have failed to include a significant number of youth-adults to be a part of the management groups of Sikh institutions, or devise programs which they can relate to. In fact, some of the officers of management bodies do not even look like Sikhs. But because of political maneuvers, they could muster adequate support to rise to the top. It is the utter lack of demonstration and fulfillment of Sikh principles that irks and frustrates the younger generation. Furthermore, condoning non-Sikh-like activities in our institutions, on the one hand, and asking our Sikh youngsters to perpetuate Sikh principles, on the other, is nothing short of ‘hypocrisy on a grand scale’. It is a tragedy of immense magnitude that the Sikh youth who are to manage and govern these institutions tomorrow should be so treated. If we are serious to give our youngsters proper direction and historical perspective of our tradition, then we have to abandon such rhetorical hackneyed themes, and embark on a crash and exhaustive program(s) with a total dedication and commitment of the community, the parents and the resources. The Sikh youth is starving for direction and guidance. It is a strange paradox that either we do not have good answers to their deeply perceptive questions, or the answers we give are based on unsubstantiated and hearsay opinions; they are seldom convincing. Since we as youngsters never had a chance to ask any of the present-day probing questions being raised by these children from our parents, we feel threatened and irritated. We need to be patient with them, and try to provide material and information so that their curiosities are satisfied and apprehensions allayed.

We have the identity crisis for Sikhism, a crisis of ethics, form, and conviction. Parents who themselves are cutting their own hair are being instrumental for not attempting to prevent the same tragedy for their children. They are, in fact, doing a great disservice to themselves, their children, and above all, to the proliferation of the historical tradition of Sikhism. They should be held accountable for precipitating and deepening the crisis of character inherited in our code of conduct.

One could, perhaps, blame the western distractions for contributing to the crises in USA, UK, Canada, etc. But the irony is that we do not know why the same phenomenon is being repeated in India and Punjab as well? Fissiparous activities of different factions of the Sikh political and religious leadership both in India and abroad, have not only failed to provide direction, but have further accentuated and frustrated the persona of the Sikh youth.

Preachers: Yet another area to be looked into is the role of Raagis or Preachers. There is a dearth of trained and dedicated missionaries in our community. What we have locally, supplemented by occasional visits of Raagi Jathas from India and Punjab, have serious shortcomings in their presentations and approach. They are, in most part, traditional and stereotype. Most of them have musical talents but they lack historical background; their interpretation of Gurubani, at times, is incorrect and stale, at best; they have no realization of the western environment in which the Sikh youth are growing up; they might influence or impress the older generation with their traditional approach, but they do not, at all, reach the Sikh youth, nor do they make any significant contribution to their thinking process. A trained preacher should be able to explain Gurbaani and Sikhism correctly in a language, using metaphors and expressions intelligible to the Sikh youth, who is also able to counsel the parishioners in situations of marital and family conflicts, and through difficult times of bereavement, who set examples through his/her own life practices what he/she preaches, and who at no time, has made compromises on the basic Sikh principles.

The visiting Raagis and preachers, during their very short visits, sometimes leave back confusion through their presentations and explanations. Unfortunately, before one gets an opportunity to ask questions for clarification, they are already gone, and the discomfiture amongst the youth, specially, continues to persist. The situation is further exacerbated when the youngsters are themselves struggling to come out of numerous conflicts, contradictions, and confusions in their own daily lives, whether be at home, at school, in colleges, or in their professional careers. When the psyche of the community seems to be in such a disarray, one can imagine its impact and frustration on the Sikh youth.

Optimism: In spite of these lacunae and odds against them, the credit still goes to the Sikh youngsters for the efforts and belief for continuing their endeavors independently in the right direction. They need to be provided with a concerted, integrated, and wholesome approach for addressing their concerns. We must, however, recognize the numerous partial approaches to these issues, on a piece-meal basis, by several dedicated and selfless Sikhs to alleviate some of these enigmas. Attempts and experiences like the youth camps, Sunday schools, seminars, symposiums, and conferences involve a tremendous amount of dedication, and financial, physical and emotional effort. The initiators of these enterprises are all commendable, and deserve the community’s gratitude. These opportunities have proved to be useful forums for teaching and informing Sikh youth of our language, history, and tradition. The strife so far has only a limited success, at best, but we should not be discouraged, nor there is any reason to become lethargic or complacent in the continuance of these deliberations.

Sense of Pride: The onus of responding to the needs of our youngsters falls on the shoulders of the parents primarily, and also on concerned members of the community. The Sikhs are a proud community, and are extremely upbeat in their work ethics, dedication, sincerity of purpose, and proud of the untold and agonizing sacrifices of their forefathers, who are remembered in our daily prayers not only for their heroic deeds but also for sacrificing willingly their own lives, their families, and all of their worldly possessions so that the Sikh community could survive the tribulations of the times. We are proud today because of their extreme sacrifices and renunciations.

If we do not do something worthwhile now for the Sikh youth that will help them in establishing their own identity, if we do not leave any legacies, if we do not plan programs and actions on a large scale that would lead to the development and growth of a solid community, then these youngsters when they grow up, may not like even to associate themselves with the present generation. Not only will they not be proud of the present generation, they will hold it responsible for the derelictions in performing our sacred duties as parents and guardians. Therefore, it is imperative that we do everything possible to imbibe in them respect for our glorious past so that, like most in the present generation, our children and grandchildren can rightly be proud of our and their traditions.