REonline - Key Stage 4 GCSE - Sikhism

1. Guru Nanak is important to Sikhs because he:

was the founder of Sikhism, setting out its basic ideas in hymns.
travelled 30,000 miles in four journeys to spread God's message (see artist’s image).
set up a model community at Kartarpur.
appointed a successor to continue his work.

Guru Nanak

2. Guru Angad is important to Sikhs because he:

was appointed as the second Guru by Guru Nanak, thus establishing the House of the Guru.
his name was changed from Lehna to Angad meaning 'my limb' showing that he was now the same as the Guru.
developed the langar. His wife, Mata Khivi, is one of the few people mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib. She is mentioned because of her kheer (rice pudding) which was used to feed the hungry.

3. Guru Amar Das became Guru at 73 and is important to Sikhs because he:

made many social reforms to improve the status of women.
asked people to eat together in the langar before coming to listen to his teachings. This was to deal with some 'holy' people who refused to eat with 'other' people but wanted to listen to his teachings. He even insisted on this rule when visited by the Mughal Emperor, at that time perhaps the most magnificent ruler in the world.

4. Guru Ram Das is important to Sikhs because he:

5. Guru Arjun is important to Sikhs because he:

built the Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) of Amritsar (see photograph opposite).
collected the writings of the previous Gurus and thirty-six other holy people into what western scholars call the Adi Granth (the first copy of the Guru Granth Sahib) in 1604.
became the first Sikh martyr when executed on the orders of the Mughal Emperor.

Golden Temple of Amritsar

6. Guru Hargobind is important to Sikhs because he:

designed the Nishan Sahib (Sikh flag).
wore two swords showing meeri-peeri (worldly power as well as spiritual power).
created the Akal Takht opposite the Harmandar Sahib in Amritsar. The political centre of the Sikhs sat opposite the religious centre showing the balance between worldly and spiritual power (meeri-peeri).
ordered Sikhs to ride horses and carry swords. This is illegal for dhimmis (non-Muslims in a Muslim country).
freed fifty-two innocent princes who were in prison with him. They held on to tassles attached to his cloak. The event is celebrated by Sikhs at Diwali.
created places of prayer for Muslim followers of his. One of them called Guru-ka-Masjid still survives today in India.

7. Guru Har Rai is important to Sikhs because he:

collected rare plants and used them to make medicines. When no one else could help him, he gave medicines to Prince Daro, the son of Emperor Shah Jehan (the maker of the Taj Mahal).

8. Guru Har Krishan is important to Sikhs because he:

9. Guru Tegh Bahadur is important to Sikhs because he:

led the first massive non-violent protest movement against the Mughal Emperor's policy of forcing Hindus to become Muslims.
became the second Guru to be killed by Mughal Emperors, which some people argue led to the formation of the Khalsa.
died to protect the freedom of a religion whose teachings he disgreed with, and to protect each individual's right to worship God as they choose.

10. Guru Gobind Singh is important to Sikhs because he:

created the Khalsa on the Vaisakhi of 1699.
became the first to receive amrit (initiation) from the Khalsa and changed his name from Guru Gobind Rai to Guru Gobind Singh.
finalised the Guru Granth Sahib by adding Guru Tegh Bahadur's writings to it.
acknowledged Guru Granth Sahib as the Living Guru for Sikhs in 1708.
taught the Sikhs the quality of chardi kala (rising spirits) as he remained faithful to God in spite of having his father, mother and four sons killed by the Mughals.
showed the importance of compassion as he rewarded Bhai Kannayya, a Sikh who was giving water to Mughal soldiers, during the Sikh-Mughal wars. He asked him to provide the injured soldiers with medical care as well as water.

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