In 1699 CE, on Vaisakhi, the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Order of the Khalsa. Five men, who later came to be known as the Panj Piare (Five Beloved Ones), were prepared to offer their lives when the Guru asked for volunteers. According to tradition this is when he initiated both these Panj Piare and many others into the Khalsa, with men taking the name ‘Singh’ and women taking the name ‘Kaur’. On this day Sikhs, both young and more mature, are nowadays initiated into the Khalsa by ‘taking amrit’; in doing so they commit themselves to a discipline that includes daily prayers and the wearing of the external markers of Khalsa identity (the Five Ks). Outside each gurdwara the Nishan Sahib (the Sikh pennant) and its flagpole are taken down, ceremonially bathed and then re-erected.
The formation of the Khalsa, the community of committed Sikhs, was the first step to prepare the Sikh people for the day when there would be no further human Gurus. Instead, after the death of Guru Gobind Singh, as they sought for further guidance and following the Guru’s clear instructions, they came to look for authority in the Guru Granth Sahib, the compilation of the writings of the earlier Gurus, and also in the tenth Guru’s writings in the Dasam Granth.
16th June 2025
Sikhi
This festival is one of the major Sikh gurpurbs, and as with other gurpurbs, the day is preceded by an akhand path, a continuous reading of the Sikh scriptures. It is observed for several reasons. It marks the day when the fifth Guru was put to death after severe tortures on the orders of the Moghul Emperor, Jehangir. Traditionally, a cooling drink known as a Chabeel is distributed on this day, recalling that the Guru was tortured in the extreme heat of June.
Guru Arjan became the first Sikh martyr, having given his life upholding justice. The Guru lived out the divine message (Gurbani) of conquering death and suffering. He remained fearless in defending the truth, and showed how one can remain steadfast. Guru Arjan said, lived and showed that he could accept Shaheedi (martyrdom) but he would not accept restrictions on individuals being able to practise their faith. He claimed that the way a leader or prophet lives determines the character of the followers of that faith; a Sikh should live in dignity and die with honour, and never tolerate insult or oppression.
The Guru also laid the foundation of the Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple) in the middle of the tank (pool) at Amritsar. Many of his followers wanted it to be the tallest building in the new town. Guru Arjan however felt otherwise and reminded his followers that humility should be a great virtue. The temple was therefore built on as low an elevation as possible. To counter the Muslim belief that God’s House is in the west and the Hindu belief that it is in the east where the sun rises, the Harmandir Sahib had entrances on all four sides. Guru Arjan exclaimed; ‘My faith is for the people of all castes and all creeds, from whichever direction they come and to whichever direction they bow.’ To help raise money for these monumental public works projects, the Guru declared that all Sikhs should donate a tenth of their earnings to charity.
Guru Arjan is equally notable for drawing together compositions by the first five Gurus, to which he added hymns by other saints from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds. In this way he compiled the Adi Granth (the Sikh scriptures), and eliminated the inclusion of other false writings put forward by his brother and others, who not only claimed they had material written by the earlier Gurus but also sought to eliminate his favourable references to Hindu and Muslim viewpoints. When complete, the handwritten version of these scriptures was bound and then lodged in the Harmandir Sahib, where the Adi Granth was opened and read every day.
1st September 2025
Sikhi
Amritsar 1604 CE
In 1604 CE, in the place of worship where the Golden Temple now stands, Guru Arjan Dev, the Sikhs’ fifth Guru, installed the Adi Granth, a newly compiled volume of scripture. It consisted of the hymns of the first five Gurus plus those of other Indian and Persian ‘saint-poets’ from the Hindu and Muslim traditions. After the selections were made, the Guru dictated the hymns to Bhai Gurdas, who wrote down the words and music of the Adi Granth. Guru Arjan later suffered a martyr’s death, preferring to save his life rather than make alterations to the hymns, as required by Emperor Jahangir.
Having compiled the Granth, the Guru placed it in the newly-built Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar. He nominated Bhai Buddha as the custodian of the Granth. The Guru bowed before the collection, acknowledging the higher authority of the written words to the personal importance and significance which he possessed as Guru. After this time, he no longer sat at a level above the Granth, but below it. He also instituted daily public worship at the Harmandir Sahib, where the Granth was recited all day long to the accompaniment of stringed musical instruments.
The second version of the Granth was prepared by Guru Gobind Singh in 1706 CE. He dictated the entire Guru Granth Sahib from memory to Bhai Mani Singh, re-editing the Adi Granth to the form in which it is found today. He removed several unauthenticated writings and added four hymns for evening prayers and several from his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur. Otherwise, the Granth was left as it was before in the days of Guru Arjan. Sikhs regard the Guru Granth Sahib as their living Guru – hence the importance of this celebration. Since his day the Guru Granth Sahib consists of 1430 pages and 5864 verses. Its spiritual teachings are referred to as bani or gurbani.
In all gurdwaras and many Sikh homes, the Guru Granth Sahib is read every day. No Sikh ceremony is regarded as complete unless it is performed in the presence of the Granth. Sikhs frequently receive a hukam or divine order through one of the hymns chosen at random from the left hand pages of the Guru Granth Sahib. Similarly, at the end of a service, after the ardas prayers, the Granth is opened at random and a portion is read. On special occasions, the Guru Granth Sahib is recited non-stop from cover to cover by a string of readers. It requires nearly 48 hours to complete the continuous reading, which is known as an akhand path. This can be performed on any important occasion, and is regarded as the highest and noblest ceremony in the Sikh religion.
The Guru Granth Sahib is a remarkable storehouse of spiritual knowledge and teachings which does not prescribe any rites or rituals but stresses meditation on the Name of God. Most of the hymns are addressed to God and often describe the devotee’s condition: his aspirations and yearning, his agony in separation and his longing to be with the Lord. There are no mythological narratives, although God is described in anthropomorphic terms, and the Gurus are not afraid to use the imagery of family relationships to describe the union of God and man. Whether in Temple, Gurdwara or home, the Guru Granth Sahib has become the focal point of all Sikh worship.
6th October 2025
Sikhi
On October 6th, 1708, the day before his death, Guru Gobind Singh (the Sikhs’ tenth Guru, 1666 -1708) declared that, instead of having another human Guru, from now on Sikhs would regard the scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, as their Guru.
The composition known as the Adi Granth contains the bani (teaching) of six of the Gurus of the Sikh faith, along with some of the writings of certain Muslim fakirs and Hindu saints. It was compiled in this form in the year 1604, incorporating at a later stage the addition of a sacred composition dictated by Guru Tegh Bahadur.
The first copy of the Guru Granth Sahib was installed in the Harimandir (the Golden Temple in Amritsar) in 1604. The fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, compiled the book, which was written down by his uncle, Bhai Gurdas, and printed in Punjabi. The second (enlarged) edition was completed in 1705 by the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh. He added the hymns of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the Ninth Guru, and a couplet of his own to the volume created a century earlier. Since then, the authorised version has been transcribed and printed a number of times. Its veneration is an article of faith with all Sikhs.
It is the only scripture of its kind which contains the songs, hymns and utterances of a wide variety of saints, sages and bards from differing traditions. Much of the volume carries the compositions of Hindu bhaktas, Muslim divines, Sufi poets and other God-intoxicated souls, whose hymns and couplets, while rendered in their own idiom, find a ready correspondence in the songs of the Sikh Gurus. Guru Arjan’s purpse was to to affirm the fundamental unity of all religions, and the unitary character of all mystic experience.
Then, in October, 1708, in a gurdwara at Nanded, on the banks of the Indian river Godawari, Guru Gobind Singh designated the Adi Granth as his successor, using in his address the words, ‘Guru maneyo Granth’ (consider the Granth to be the Guru), affirming the text of the Granth as sacred and terminating the traditional line of human Gurus. Installed now as the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’, it became the central text of Sikhism, and the eternal Guru of all Sikhs. In this way he conferred Guruship on the Granth Sahib as the living Guru of the Khalsa, declaring in his speech that the temporal functions of the Guru would be performed by the Five Beloveds, the Panj Pyares, the leaders of the Khalsa; and that spiritual guidance would be given in future by the Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Gobind Singh prostrated himself as he offered his obeisance to the sacred Granth. He conferred Guruship on the Granth by walking around it five times and bowing his head before it. He declared that after him, the living Guru would be embodied in the Guru Granth Sahib. The Granth is now central to all Sikh worship and is said to incorporate the living spirit of the ten human Gurus. This gurdwara, Abchal Nagar Sahib gurdwara, is also the place where Guru Gobind Singh died the next day on October 7, 1708.
Guru Gobind Singh did not appoint any human successor in the line of human Guruship as had been the previous tradition. He declared the Guru Granth Sahib to be the ultimate source of authority and the eternal Guru of the Sikhs. Today the Sikh religion holds that in each of the succeeding Gurus, the spirit of Guru Nanak, the first Guru was incarnate, and wherever Sikhs assembled, he would be present. Today the sacred Granth is installed in all Sikh holy places of worship and is treated as the presiding presence of the Guru.
A building becomes a gurdwara (‘house of the Guru’) when the Guru Granth Sahib is kept inside. The Guru is placed on a raised throne-like platform (takht) with a decorated canopy above it. Every morning the Guru is taken out from its special rest room and carried on the head to the centre of the gurdwara, where it is placed on the throne. Devotees offer gifts as they bow to the Granth, whenever they enter the Gurdwara.
20th October 2025
Sikhi
Sikhs celebrate Bandhi Chhor Divas / Divali since Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, was released from Gwalior prison in Madhya Pradesh on this day in 1619 CE. The day is known as Bandhi Chhor Divas (Prisoner Release Day) because 52 imprisoned princes (Bandhi) were released (Chhor) by him on this day (Divas). It is celebrated in October-November by both Sikhs and Hindus.
The Mughal Emperor Jehangir had long had an antagonistic relationship with this new religious community, now rising within his kingdom – so much so that he had ordered and carried out the execution of Guru Arjun, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs and Guru Hargobind’s predecessor. During the time of the 6th Guru, Sikhism had become the fastest growing religion. Unfortunately, religious leaders and the Emperor became fearful and jealous, so they ordered the Guru to be detained in Gwalior fort in 1612 CE.
Rather than being a sanctuary of tranquility, Gwalior Fort was really a prison where enemies of the state, including a number of Rajput princes were detained. On entering the fort, the Guru was greeted by 52 Indian princes. They had been stripped of their kingdoms my the Emperor and were being ill-treated, with insufficient food and no clear clothes to wear. True to his na ture, the Guru inspired them to join him in daily prayers and did his best to improve their conditions. In time, they came to respect and honour him.
Jahangir was alarmed by the Guru’s popularity in the fort. In addition to this a group of prominent Sikhs campaigned in Delhi to secure his release. Troubled with fearful visions, and the remembrance that Guru Hargoband had once saved his life, the Emperor gave orders for him to be allowed his freedom. But when his release was offered him by the Emperor Jehangir, the Guru rejected the offer unless the 52 imprisoned Hindu princes were also given their freedom. To meet the Emperor’s churlish condition that only those who could hold on to his cloak could leave the prison with him, the Guru had a coat made for himself with long panels to which all 52 could cling. The princes each grasped a panel, 26 on the right and 26 on the left as they left. In this way, the Guru secured the release of all his fellow inmates.
Several days later, when Guru Hargobind reached Amritsar, the Hindu festival of light, Divali, was being celebrated. In their joy at seeing their Guru again, the people lit up the whole city with candles, lights and lamps. After almost four hundred years this tradition continues in Amritsar, and on this day the Harimandir is aglow with thousands of candles and floating lamps, strings of lights decorate the domes, and fireworks burst in the sky. Elsewhere, all around the world, Sikhs commemorate Bandi Chhor Divas, Prisoner Release Day, by lighting hundreds of candles in the evening around the gurdwara, singing shabads composed by Bhai Gurdas in praise of Guru Hargobind, preparing a festive langar, and basking in the spirit of joy, freedom and festivity. It is a festival marked by gifts of new clothes, presents and sweets – a true ‘Festival of Liberation’.
5th November 2025
Sikhi
Although the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak, was born in April 1469, his birth anniversary (one of Sikhs’ most widely celebrated gurpurbs) is still generally celebrated on the full moon day of the lunar month of Kartik. It is a celebration observed by all Sikhs on this date, whether they observe the Bakrami lunar calendar or the more recent Nanakshahi one.
As is the case with all other gurpurbs, an akhand path (a complete, unbroken reading of the Guru Granth Sahib) commences two days earlier so that it ends on the morning of the festival. Sikhs gather at the gurdwara for hymn-singing (kirtan) and to hear kathas (homilies) and share the langar (free meal). The gurdwara may be illuminated and street processions take place too, culminating in some cases, as at Baisakhi, in the washing and redressing of the nishan, the flag and the flagpole erected outside each gurdwara.
The name “Nanak” was used by all subsequent Gurus while penning down their own spiritual revelations, recorded now in the holy scripture called the Guru Granth Sahib. So the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji is also called the “Second Nanak” or “Nanak II”. It is believed by the Sikhs that all subsequent Gurus carried the same message as that of Guru Nanak and so they have used the name ‘Nanak’ in their holy text instead of their own name and hence are all understood to carry the divine ‘Light of Nanak’.
Although each of the ten human Gurus shares a common nature and equal honour, Guru Nanak is fêted as the one who initiated the Sikh tradition and determined its direction for the future. His creativity and humanity became landmarks for those who follow his example.
24th November 2025
Sikhi
1675 CE
As ordered by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in Sis Ganj, near Chandi Chowk in Old Delhi, for upholding the refusal of a number of Hindu Kashmiri Brahmins’ to convert to Islam. These Hindus had turned to him for help and the Guru told them to inform the Emperor that they would only convert if the Guru also converted. This of course he then refused to do. Guru Tegh Bahadur is accordingly honoured for sacrificing his head (sir) rather than his faith (sis) for the religious freedom of those of a different religious persuasion from himself.
Guru Tegh Bahadur was the youngest of the five sons of Guru Hargobind, and was born in 1621 CE. His name means ‘Mighty of Sword’, and his father foresaw that he would become his successor as Guru in due course. He received effective training in archery and horsemanship as well as in the classic teachings of the Sikh traditions. He showed early promise of mastery in all these fields, and also gave evidence of a deeply mystical temperament by his prolonged spells of seclusion and contemplation. This strain of his genius is best expressed in his sublime poetry, preserved in the Guru Granth. There was no doubt that he was his father’s favourite and that mighty events awaited him.
The Guru held several meetings with the Emperor, Aurangzeb. During the course of the discussions and the arguments that ensued in these conferences, Aurangzeb tried to justify his actions to crush infidels, by arguing that the Hindus were destined to be thrown into hell if they did not worship Allah, the one true God. He claimed he was carrying out this policy on the orders of the Almighty and that the only way for Hindus to gain admission to heaven and to avoid hell was to embrace Islam.
Guru Tegh Bahadur in His reply told the Emperor of Delhi: ‘All men are created by God and therefore must be free to worship in any manner they like.’ It is worth noting that the Sikhs are as much against idol worship as are the Muslims. Ideologically therefore Guru Tegh Bahadur and Aurangzeb were much nearer to each other, than either were to the Hindus – whose cause the Guru was defending. It is apparent that the Guru was espousing an ideology in which he himself did not believe. This is why his sacrifice was unique.
At the end of these discussions the Emperor gave the Guru three options:
(i) To embrace Islam as His religion and receive the highest honours in his court.
(ii) To perform miracles, which the Muslims regarded as the fundamental characteristic of a true prophet;
(iii) To accept death.
The Guru declined to accept Islam or to perform any miracles. ‘God’s favour is not for the purpose of show, like a juggler.’ Instead he willingly accepted the third offer – that of death. He was placed in prison in Delhi, and when he continued to plead the case for Hindu emancipation, he was placed in an iron cage and tortured. He was forced to witness the torture and death of some of his followers, one (Matidas) being sawn in half, while reciting the Japji, another being thrown into a cauldron of boiling water, and yet another torn apart. The Guru still refused to submit and was beheaded on the Emperor’s order. His example of courage and bravery had a profound influence on those who supported and followed him, and led eventually to a new era of freedom and tolerance for all.
WJEC – Religious Studies: RS 1/2 CS; Religious Studies: RS 3 CS
This is a Faith debate featuring Charles Clarke, Julia Neuberger, Linda Woodhead, Lisa Appignanesi, Maleiha Malik, Michael Nazir-Ali and Peter Jones. It focuses on the issues surrounding religious freedom.
Students could be given the same issues as used in this debate and asked their opinion on them prior to watching the discussion, revisiting them later to see if any of the views expressed had caused them to change their minds.
This programme is suitable for use with A level students studying philosophy, ethics, and religion and society. However, the debate is quite long and it would probably be sufficient for one lesson to listen to the opening presentations. The Question & Answer section could be a useful second lesson or make worthwhile extension work.
Questions for debate
On the one hand, how much freedom should religious people and groups have to express their convictions? On the other hand, how much freedom should there be for others to express convictions which may be hostile or insulting to religion and religious people? In both cases, where do we draw the line, who decides and how?
Conclusions from the debate
There is a majority democratic consensus, expressed in part through legislation, which sets limits on religious (and secular) freedoms. Where religious expressions do not cross this line (e.g. display of religious symbols) freedom should be unrestricted. Where they do (e.g. refusing to conduct civil partnerships for gay couples), negotiation amongst the parties involved may be able to reach an accommodation or compromise. Mechanisms for such negotiation may need to be strengthened. There may also be cases where religious people can refuse to act against the democratic consensus on grounds of conscience, but there may be a price to be paid (e.g. those who cannot work on Sundays make up time elsewhere; conscientious objectors in war contribute in other ways).
Research Findings
The issue has come to a head recently because of a number of controversial rulings under new equality legislation in which the duty of equal treatment (especially on grounds of sexuality) has clashed with the exercise of religious freedom (e.g. when a Christian registrar refused to marry gay or lesbian couples on grounds of conservative Christian conscience).
The focus of religious freedom debates has shifted in the last decade from controversy over the right of Muslim women to veil to controversy over the right of Christians to display religious symbols and act (or refuse to act) on the grounds of their faith.
Controversy is currently being stoked by two extreme minority groups: aggressively secular groups on the one hand; aggressively conservative Christian groups on the other. The majority population, both religious and secular, is more ready to reach compromises and accommodations.
There are three separable issues in this debate:
the freedom of religious individuals
the freedom of religious groups
free expression which may involve insult to religion
Cases being brought under Equality Law have to do with (A). Some exemptions from equality legislation have been granted to religious groups (B).
With regard to (A) the question is how far this freedom extends, and whether it ever gives grounds for not obeying a law, or flouting majority opinion and sensibility. What rights can be granted minority views, and who bears the cost of individuals or groups acting against a majority position on the grounds of conscience?
With regard to the freedom to insult religion (C), where insults do not amount to incitement to religious hatred, this can only be a matter of voluntary restraint rather than legislation. Recent cases of ‘censorship ‘ (e.g. closure of the play Behzti which insulted some Sikhs, or the Mayor of London’s refusal to allow Christian anti-gay advertising on buses) seem arbitrary (why not stop other things which insult e.g. Jerry Springer the Opera which was insulting to Christians?) suggesting that the threat of public protest on the part of those who are ‘offended’ is more influential than consistently applied standards (e.g. respect for those whose deeply-held beliefs are being insulted).
After watching the discussion, it is worth returning to the students’ views to find out if and how their personal opinions have been influenced or changed by what they have heard.
After discussion, if there is time, it would then be worth watching the 18 minute summary below to clarify and crystallize the thoughts and views expressed.
This is a Faith debate featuring Aaquil Ahmed, Charles Clarke, Cole Moreton, Grace Davie and Linda Woodhead. It focuses on the main trends in religion and values in Britain.
Students could be given the same issues as used in this debate and asked their opinion on them prior to watching the discussion, revisiting them later to see if any of the views expressed had caused them to change their minds. Extension work could focus on multicultural / superdiverse, responses and trends.
This programme is suitable for use with A level students studying philosophy, ethics, and religion and society. However, the debate is quite long and it would probably be sufficient for one lesson to listen to the opening presentations. The Question & Answer section could be a useful second lesson or make worthwhile extension work.
Questions for debate
How has religion in Britain changed since 1945? What are the main differences between the 1950s, the 1980s and the 2010s, and what are the continuities? How does all this relate to wider social trends? How are these changes being reflected in the media and what part might be played by social media?
Conclusions from the debate
There are significant continuities, including the fact that a half to two-thirds of the population still identify as Christian, and the churches continue to play an important role in society. However, the overall profile of religion in the UK – and of Christianity and the churches – has become far more diverse. Most importantly, the form of religion and the way in which people are religious has changed: there is much more individual choice and selection, less traditional ‘belonging’, and religion supports a much wider range of identities.
Research Findings
The myth of secular progress received a series of shocks from 1979 (Iranian revolution) through 1989 (fall of communism) to 2001 (twin towers attack) which revealed the limitations and blind spots of a perspective which held that religion would inevitably decline and that the rest of the world would follow where secular Europe had led.
The religious profile of the UK has changed significantly, and change has been most evident since the 1980s:
the historic churches have suffered severe decline (attendance has more than halved since the 1980s)
the overall profile of the Christian churches has changed: there are now more Baptist and independent church goers than there are Anglicans or Roman Catholics
non-Christian faiths have grown in numbers and profile, with Islam being the largest. These are not merely ‘imports’, but take distinctive forms in the British context
alternative spirituality has grown dramatically since the 1980s, and its wide influence is most evident in the world of holistic or alternative healthcare (‘mind, body and spirit’)
numbers identifying as ‘non-religious’ have grown, though not all of these are secular (some also identify as ‘spiritual’). Atheists remain small in numbers, but are increasingly vocal in the media and public debate.
Overall, the religious and secular profile of the UK has become increasingly diverse since 1945. It is not merely that there are more ‘religions’, but there is much greater diversity of religious identity, even in relation to the same religion.
Maybe, as always, after watching the discussion, students should also consider Islamophobia and Muslim teachings on equality.
After discussion, if there is time, it would then be worth watching the 24 minute summary below to clarify and crystallize the thoughts and views expressed.
