Considering that the Sikhs are one of the most visible of communities there is a surprising lack of knowledge and understanding about them. Let us look at the basics and dispel some common mistakes and misconceptions about Sikhs and Sikhism.

The building which houses the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is called a Gurdwara and all Sikhs acknowledge the sanctity that the scriptures confers on it. They also recognise the role of the gurdwara in expressing the anti-caste ideals of the Gurus. This is done through the distribution of karah-parshaad and the institution of langar.

Those who acknowledge allegiance to Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his successors constitute the community originally known as Nanak-panth but now is simply called Panth. During the time of Guru Gobind Singh Ji members of the Panth were summoned to accept initiation into the Khalsa order and therefore to observe its code of discipline, the Rehat. Prominent among the many features of the Rehat are a series of obligations which include the Five K’s. Two particularly conspicuous items are the prohibition of hair -cutting and a rigorous ban on smoking.

Shortly before the ascension of Guru Gobind Singh Ji to heaven, Guru Ji declared the line of personal Gurus to be at an end and transferred the authority to Aath Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the Guru Panth. Orthodox Sikhs believe that the Guru Panth consists exclusively of initiated members of the Khalsa. All orthodox Sikhs accept these statements as the authentic commandments of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and although a proportion do not actually undergo initiation into the Khalsa they will at least observe the basic requirements of the Rehat.

Those who have undergone initiation are known as amrit-dhari Sikhs. If they have not been initiated but still accept at least the fundamentals of the Rehat they are regarded as Kes-dhari Sikhs. Acceptance must include the ban of cutting hair. Those Sikhs who are not kes-dhari and who do not follow the Rehat are known as Sahaj-dhari Sikhs, slow learners.

Sikhs reject the claim that they are a variety of Hinduism.

Sikhs are heirs to a history and a fund of tradition which they regard as a continuing source of guidance and inspiration. Although most Sikhs are Punjabis, the Panth is open to any who accept its doctrines and practices. Sikhism is not a religion of “you are either with us or against us.” It is a faith where we are all brothers and sisters and can sit down together in peace.

Sikhs must not be confused with muslims, it is difficult for people from the west to distinguish between different ethnic groups of people from the east. Due to recent events and to the great dismay of Sikhs all over the world they have been mistaken for muslims with tragic consequences, two Sikhs have been shot dead in the USA and many many more harassed. This is due to images of muslims wearing beards and turbans. The reality is that 95% of all men with turbans and beards are Sikhs. While it is true that some Muslims wear turbans, the majority of people in the world wearing a turban are Sikhs. Sikh males, and some females, wear a turban to keep their long, uncut hair neat. Muslims, even those who wear turbans cut their hair. While orthodox Muslim males wear a particular style of trimmed beard, an adult Sikh male's beard is full and uncut. In addition, Sikhs do not profess the Muslim religion.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji said "There is no Hindu, there is no Mussulman." By this Guru Sahib was not belittling these faiths, but saying that in the eyes of God all are the same.

One commonly encounters the insistent claim that Sikhism owes much to Islam and specifically to the Sufi tradition. Some have carried this theory to the point of claiming that Sikhism can be treated as an example of conscious syncretism, one which deliberately tried to blend Hindu and Muslim ideals. This claim can be dismissed, it is true there are parallels of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teaching and Sufism but that can be traced to Bhaghti sources. Guru Nanak Dev Ji certainly chose Muslim terminology in a few shabads, but only because the shabads were addressed to a Muslim audience.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji viewed both Hindu traditions and Islam in a typical Sant manner. In there conventional form, both offered systems of belief and practices which largely relied on external authorities and outward responses. As such both were to be condemned. Only those who perceived the inner reality of truth could achieve deliverance and this end could be attained regardless of whether one was a Hindu or Muslim. Those who follow this inner path are the true believers as opposed to the false believers who continue to put trust in ritual and pilgrimage, Barhamins and Mullas.

Guru Ji used this true false theme in many shabads, one being in a shalok from Var Manjh :

This is classic Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s approach, typical both in terms of its insistent interior emphasis and its striking use of imagery.

Sikhs do not believe in a last prophet. There have been many men of God who have put people on the path of the Almighty and there will be many more. Who are we to put a stop on the Almighty’s will? If He wishes he will send down as many prophets as he likes.

Sikhs do not believe in a judgement day when all dead people will rise and be judged. We are judged every single day, every single second of every minute of every hour and meted out judgement as appropriate. If a person dies and is buried in the ground his decomposed body will release it's material into the earth. That material may get into the food chain and be consumed by another person. On this ‘judgement day’ who will rise from the dead to be judged? The first person or the second person and how can the first person rise if he is now part of the second person?

What Sikhism teaches and what other faiths teach are separate paths. The aim of most other faiths is to reach heaven and avoid hell with devils and Shaitans to way lay you and put you off your path. ‘They’ are the only people who will reach heaven and non else. Some promise hourries, fairy maidens to satisfy your every whim with wine to drink, golden palaces to reside in and servants at your beck and call. Sikhism neither wants nor needs any of these enticements. All Sikhs want is to merge with the one True Lord from whence we have come, as a drop of water merges with the ocean. Merging with the almighty liberates one from the circle of life and death and salvation is achieved by the grace of Waheguru.

As for Christianity, Sikhs do not believe that the Almighty sent down his son who will take all your sins upon himself only if you believe in him. You are the perpetrator of your sins and only you will have to answer for them. Of course if you submit to the will of God and ask for forgiveness then God as your true father will forgive all your misdemeanours. There is no one person or faith that has a monopoly on salvation.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji traveled east to Nepal and the Himalayas visiting sacred centers of the Hindus on the way like Benaras and Hardwar. On an another udassi (journey) Guru Ji traveled south to Sri Lanka again visiting many places of learning. On a separate journey to the west Guru Nanak Dev Ji with Mardana traveled to Bhagdad and Mecca, not as a pilgrimage as some would suggest but on Gods mission to spread Gods word and to put people on the path of righteousness.

On Guru Ji's travels through Bhagdad, Mardana would play the rabab and Guru Sahib Ji would sing about the infiniteness of God and His Creation, wherein occurred the following expression: “ patala patal, lakha aghasa aghaas” - there are countless patals (earths) and innumerable akashs (sky). Which goes contrary to Muslim belief, as they only know of 7 earths and skys, When some Muslim who was listening to it and understood its purport went and reported the blasphemy of the utterance - inasmuch as the Qu'ran had mentioned only seven earths and seven skies - to the Sajjdanashin of the Shrine of Pir Dastagir, Abdul Qadir Jilani an agitated crowd gathered on the spot. The people were on the verge of throwing stones when they heard the Guru’s divine invocation. The sweet words of God entered their ears and the people in remorse of their actions went to their Pir and told him of the presence of a holy man.

The Pir, having reached the place, enquired from Mardana who the holy man was. He was told that he was Nanak who had rejected all others except one God who was all pervading on earth, sky and in all four directions. Guru Nanak Dev Ji stayed for a number of days and the people flocked to his side eagerly listening to the word of God. Guru Sahib Ji had many discourses with the local holy men.

One day Guru Sahib Ji was sleeping and his feet were towards the Kaaba. When challenged by the local Imam, Guru Ji replied “point my feet where God is not.” The local Imam ashamed of his actions asked Guru Sahib Ji to do kalma with him. As the Imam started his kalma Guru Ji did not. Guru Ji asked him “What is the use of meaningless ritual when your mind is somewhere else trying to work out how to get the best price for your horses.” Guru Ji had no need for kalma for he sang the Almighty's name 24/7.

Before his departure from there he was presented a chola (robe) as a token of respect on which verses in arabic were inscribed. This chola lies preserved in the Gurdwara at Dera Baba Nanak, in Pakistan. The chola was given to Guru Sahib Ji by his devotees in Bagdhad and there was no alterier motive, Guru Sahib Ji took it in the spirit in which it was given. Pir Babhol, a Sufi saint was deeply influenced by Guru Nanak Dev.

Sikhism and Hinduism are distinctly separate religions. Hinduism believes in caste distinctions, worships idols, and astrologic divination. Most Hindus are not monotheist, that is, they worship a god or goddess from a large array of deities. Sikhs on the other hand believe in the equality of all persons of both genders, do not believe one day to be more auspicious than another, and worship One, timeless God who is beyond birth and death.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji explores the austerities carried out mostly by Hindus and concludes that they are of no avail unless you have the True Lord in your heart.

Even the ancient Hindu books only deal with those in the varn jati. Anyone outside this so called fluidity is a malesh. No matter if a Muslim has been a pious person all his life, never lied and always remembered Allah, in Hindu scriptures he/she will be a malesh. Punjabis are malesh just for residing in punjab according to the gita because they never accepted a Brahmin’s superiority.

The Gurus remind us time and again that the gods and goddesses have meditated for eons but still have not understood the secret of the Almighty.

In the following shabad Guru Arjun Dev Ji describes Maya – illusion. Maya has the whole world in her embrace and even the mighty gods and goddesses cannot escape her.

The deities are chastised for not putting people on the path of the one Almighty but rather making them their own devotees.

This is not to say that the Gurus did not write about the deities with warmth and affection.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji describes the wonders of Akal Purkh and mentions that even Vishnu and Brahma could not comprehend the vastness of the Lord.

Bhagat Kabir Ji whose hymns are found in Guru Granth Sahib Ji says :

Only Sikhism acknowledges that there are many paths to the Almighty and respect other faiths.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji in his Dasam Granth has written many compositions that tell the lives of deities worshipped by Hindus. It is their misunderstanding (intentional or unintentional) that the Guru Ji revered or worshipped the deities.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji had faith in the one almighty God and him alone. The opening of every composition in the Dasam Granth is a homage in praise of the one formless God, in the case of his autobiography, Bachittar Natak, the first quarter of the composition is in praise of God. The compositions Jaap Sahib and Akal Ustat (Eulogy to God), which being the Dasam Granth, are totally in praise of the Amlighty. As for the compositions Var Bhagauti Ki (Chandi di Var – composition re-telling the story of the goddess Durgas battle with the demons) and Chaubis Avtar ( the telling of the twenty four incarnations of Vishnu which include Bhagwan Krishan Ji, Sri Ram Chandar Ji, Macch Avatar, Kacch Avatar and Kalki Avatar) again the first part is in praise of the Almighty. So the notion that somehow Guru Sahib Ji revered or worshiped these deities is totally false.

Here is the start of Var Bhagauti Ki.