Racialization, Islamophobia and Mistaken Identity

The Sikh Experience

Jagbir Jhutti-Johal, Hardeep Singh

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9780815352624
• eBook ISBN: 9781351138840
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Politics
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Exploring the issue of Islamophobic attacks against Sikhs since 9/11, this book explains the historical, religious and legal foundations and frameworks for understanding race hate crime against the Sikh community in the UK.

Focusing on the backlash that Sikhs in the UK have faced since 9/11, the authors provide a theological and historical backdrop to Sikh identity in the global context, critically analysing the occurrences of Islamophobia since 9/11, 7/7 and most recently post-Brexit, and how British Sikhs and the British government have responded and reacted to these incidents. The experiences of American Sikhs are also explored and the impact of anti-Sikh sentiment upon both these communities is considered. Drawing on media reporting, government policies, the emerging body of inter-disciplinary scholarship, and empirical research, this book contributes to the currently limited body of literature on anti-Sikh hate crime and produces ideas for policy makers on how to rectify the situation.

Providing a better understanding of perceptions of anti-Sikh sentiment and its impact, this book will of interest to scholars and upper-level students working on identity and hate crime, and more generally in the fields of Religion and Politics, Cultural Studies, Media Studies, and International Studies.

1 The evolution of the Sikh dharam and identity¹

The Sikh dharam

The Sikh dharam (more recently also known by the term, ‘Sikhi’) is one of the world’s youngest religions. It originated on the Indian subcontinent in the fifteenth century. It was founded by Guru Nanak, a charismatic leader considered a messenger of God who was born in 1469 ce.

Historically, Guru Nanak’s life (1469–1539) coincided with a period of religious renaissance in Europe – Martin Luther (1483–1546) and John Calvin (1509–64) being amongst his contemporaries.² In a similar and no less revolutionary way, Guru Nanak challenged the current theologies and practices of his day (i.e. those of Hinduism and Islam) and propagated the message that the liberation of the soul was open to all, irrespective of race, sex, caste or religion. Guru Nanak’s life story itself is a tale of the quest for truth, the performance of miraculous deeds, and the ministry of a charismatic leader and teacher who sought to rescue the path to spiritual truth from the human entanglements of social inequality. He was a householder but lived a life devoted to the Divine Truth, both in his external dealings and his internal spiritual pursuit.

Guru Nanak’s egalitarian message becomes particularly clear after he achieved divine revelation, or realization, sometime around the age of 30. After disappearing into a river and meditating in the water for three days, Guru Nanak emerged having had a powerful vision of the nature of reality, divinity and human existence. He recorded that vision in the Japji Sahib, the ‘Song of the Soul’, which highlights a philosophy that recognizes the Divine Light (jot) dwelling within all of God’s creation – from minute creatures to human beings.

Certain ideas that Guru Nanak had, as well as his choice of vocabulary, suggest that some of his teachings may have drawn inspiration from Sufism, a branch of Islamic mysticism, and the bhakti or sant devotional movements that had originated around the twelfth century in various parts of India. However, he ultimately fashioned his own philosophy, elevating ‘truth’ to the highest status and recognizing God as being one with truth.

ਥਾਲ ਵ‍ਿਚਿ ਤਿੰਨਿ ਵਸਤੂ ਪਈਓ ਸਤੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੋ ॥

ਅੰਮ‍ਿ੍ਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਕਾ ਪਇਓ ਜਸਿ ਕਾ ਸਭਸੁ ਅਧਾਰੋ ॥

ਜੇ ਕੋ ਖਾਵੈ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਭੁੰਚੈ ਤਿਸ ਕਾ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ ॥

ਏਹ ਵਸਤੁ ਤਜੀ ਨਹ ਜਾਈ ਨਿਤ ਨਿਤ ਰਖੁ ਉ‍ਰਿ ਧਾਰੋ ॥

Thaal vich tin vastoo peyeo sat Santokh vicharo.

Amrit naam thakar ka payeo jis ka sabs adharo.

Je ko khave ke ko bhunche tis ka hoey odharo.

Eh vast tujee nahi jae nit nit rakh our dharo.

Upon this Plate, three things have been placed: Truth, Contentment and Contemplation.

The ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of our Lord and Master, has been placed upon it as well.

It is the Support of all.

One who eats it and enjoys it shall be saved.

This thing can never be forsaken;

keep this always and forever in your mind.³

In practical terms, Guru Nanak taught that the Creator (Karta Purakh) was immanent and accessible to everyone, encouraged charitable works and selfless service, and promoted the advancement of the status of women. Many Hindus revere Guru Nanak as an extraordinary sant who sought to restore the dharma, which had been degenerating in his time, by travelling throughout India and beyond to teach the path of truth, unity and humanity. Many great authorities of Hinduism and Islam were impressed by his clear message and a teaching style that was accessible to all people from different castes, religions and genders.

Guru Nanak and the succession of Gurus

Before his death, Guru Nanak appointed a successor, Angad, to continue his mission, which officially established the Sikh tradition. For the next 250 years this Sikhi tradition continued, each Guru appointing a successor to carry on the tradition before leaving his mortal body. In all there was a consecutive series of ten human Gurus, commonly referred to as the ‘Golden Chain’, and each Guru is accorded equal status amongst Sikhs. In fact, for many Sikhs the Gurus are considered the spirit of Guru Nanak assuming ten different forms. Therefore, Guru Nanak and subsequent Gurus are referred to as Nanak I, Nanak II and so on in the Guru Granth Sahib. Each Guru advanced the tradition by adding various facets to it. For example, in the sixteenth century, Guru Angad collected Guru Nanak’s hymns into a book and added his own compositions. He also gave Sikhs a new script, Gurmukhi (literally ‘from the mouth of the Guru’). This gave the Sikhs a written language, distinct from that of Hindus and Muslims, that helped to foster a distinctive Sikh identity.⁴

As the number of Sikhs began to grow, the third Guru, Amar Das, began to institutionalize the Sikh faith. He accomplished this by appointing territorial ministers and creating the system of langar, or ‘Guru’s free kitchen’, an integral part of Sikh religion that continues to be an important feature of the Sikh dharma. Guru Amar Das also introduced various social reforms such as the prohibition of sati (the widely known, but rarely practised custom of self-immolation by Kshatriya widows on their husband’s funeral pyres), and sought to free women from archaic customs. He allowed the remarriage of widows, advocated monogamy, denounced the veiling of women and appointed women leaders.

Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru, established a village that was eventually to become the city of Amritsar – the spiritual and political capital of the Sikhs in Punjab. The fifth Guru, Guru Arjan, oversaw the construction of the holiest shrine, the Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple. Guru Arjan was a prolific writer and composed more hymns than any of his predecessors. His most important achievement was the compilation of the Adi Granth, an authoritative collection of his work and the works of the first four Gurus. It also included the poetry of Hindu and Muslim saints whose views echoed those of the Gurus. In 1604, the Adi Granth was installed at the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It became the embodiment of Sikh thought that helped catapult Sikh teachings to the masses.

The growing influence of Guru Arjan Dev consequently brought him into conflict with the Mughal rulers of Punjab as his presence and popularity became a threat to their power. The Mughal Emperor Jahangir had him arrested, and whilst in custody Guru Arjan was put to death. Sikhs see Guru Arjan as their first martyr or shaheed, and his death marked a turning point for the Sikh community, which began to feel a real and physical threat to their principles and way of life.

The sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind, in reaction to this, added a militaristic dimension to the Sikh faith. He introduced the concept that the Guru has both spiritual authority (piri) as well as a worldly and temporal role (miri). Miri–piri requires one to be a saint first and a soldier second. This means that a Sikh’s saintliness and spirituality should come first, and that spirituality should guide them in their worldly and temporal matters. It was a concept central to the Sikh dharma from the very outset of Guru Nanak’s time right through to the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Nanak was a saint, but he was also a family man....

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• List of illustrations
• About the authors
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• List of abbreviations
• Introduction
• 1 The evolution of the Sikh dharam and identity
• 2 Sikhs in Britain post-9/11
• 3 UK – do Sikhs count?
• Conclusion
• Glossary
• Bibliography
• Index