How to Convince a Sikh about Islam? http://www.islamawareness.net/Sikhism/convince.html Sikhism as we know it today is the result of the teachings of the ten Gurus, the first of which was Guru Nanak (1469-1539) and the tenth and last of which was Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708).
Guru Nanak spread a simple message: "We are all one, created by the One Creator of all Creation." There is no definitive biography of Guru Nanak, though there have been many attempts to write the story of his life by his devotees after his death. According to Dr. Hari Ram Gupta, author of A Life-Sketch of Guru Nanak, Nanak started his mission at a time when both Hinduism and Islam as practiced in the Indian Subcontinent had become distorted and degraded. The caste system was at its worst, and all kinds of corruption had become rampant in society. Men of vision were worried, and they attacked the rot that had set in the society. Rather than address the socio-political problems, the reformers of the day tried to initiate a spiritual movement that would turn people towards God. They believed that this was the way to cure the ills of the society. Guru Nanak was indeed the most important of these reformers. He was born to a simple Hindu family. From an early age, he made friends with both Hindus and Muslims and acquired a good knowledge of Hinduism and Islam. He used to spend long hours in discussions with Muslim and Hindu holy men of the area. There is a story of how he disappeared for three days and came back with enlightenment. It is reported that he was no longer the same person he had been. Then he uttered these words: "There is but One God, His name is Truth, He is the Creator, He fears none, He is without hate, He never dies, He is beyond the cycle of births and death, He is self illuminated, He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru. He was True in the beginning, He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True, He is also True now." (Japji) These words are enshrined at the beginning of the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. It was 1499 and Guru Nanak was thirty years old at this time. After this, with a Muslim companion, Guru Nanak undertook long journeys as part of a spiritual mission. He took twelve years to return from this first journey. He then set out on a second journey traveling as far south as Sri Lanka. On his third journey Guru Nanak traveled to the north to Tibet. Guru Nanak visited Sheikh Ibrahim, the Muslim successor of Baba Farid, the great Sufi dervish of the twelfth century at Ajodhan. When asked by Ibrahim which of the two religions was the true way to attain God, Guru Nanak replied, "If there is one God, then there is only His way to attain Him, not another. One must follow that way and reject the other. Worship not him who is born only to die, but Him Who is eternal and is contained in the whole universe." On his fourth great journey Guru Nanak dressed in the blue garb of a Muslim pilgrim and traveled to Makkah. He visited Madinah and Baghdad, too. After having spent a lifetime in traveling abroad and setting up missions, an aged Nanak returned home to Punjab. He settled down at Kartharpur with his family. People came from far and near to hear his hymns and preaching. After Guru Nanak’s death in September 1539, his Hindu followers thought him to be a Hindu and his Muslim followers thought him to be a Muslim. That is to say, both Muslims and Hindus viewed him from the perspective of their respective faiths. It was the later disciples of Nanak who gave shape to a new religion, of which Nanak is considered the first Guru. In 1604, Arjan Dev (one of the ten Gurus) compiled the hymns of Guru Nanak along with the compositions of both Hindu and Muslim holy men, like Jaidev, Surdas, Sheikh Farid, and Kabir. The compiled book was enshrined by Arjan in the Golden Temple and was called the Adi Granth. It was the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, who organized the community of Sikhs into a khalsa — "a spiritual brotherhood devoted to purity of thought and action." He taught his followers to wear long hair (kesh, denoting saintly appearance), underwear (kachha, denoting self-control), iron bangle (kara, denoting purity in acts), comb (kangha, denoting cleanliness of mind and body), and sword (kirpan, denoting fight for a just cause). The Sikh scripture called the Adi Granth (called respectfully as Guru Granth Sahib) is considered the Supreme Spiritual Authority and Head of the Sikh religion, rather than any living person. It contains the works of not only the ten Gurus but also the hymns by sufis like Sheikh Farid (1175 - 1265) and Sheikh Bhikan (who died during the early part of Akbar’s reign). >From the foregoing, we understand the following: Guru Nanak was a religious reformer at best; he was not the founder of any new religion. Sikhism is the creation of the Gurus, particularly of Guru Gobind Singh, whose compositions and innovations form the content and the framework of the new religion. The scripture of Sikhism is not any revelation from God but only the compositions of the Gurus as well as those of certain Muslim and Hindu mystics. For this reason, there is no meaning in talking about the authenticity of the book as a Divine Revelation. Because neither the book nor the authors claim it to have been revealed by God. As Muslims, we can perform da`wah to the Sikhs, chiefly by appealing to their faith in the Oneness of God. We can tell them that Guru Nanak was most probably a Muslim when he died; the available evidence favors that conclusion. Anyway he did not try to replace Islam with a new religion; on the other hand, his utterances point to the fact that he certainly believed Islam to be the True Religion of God. >From Sikhism to Islam http://muslimconverts.com/converts/Zaynah.htm As salaam Alikum Wa Rahmatuallah Wa Barakatuh Dearest Brothers and sisters, Let me tell you my story. My conversion to Islam was long overdue, I started learning about Islam from about the age of 15, but I only took my Shahadah earlier this year, (I am now 25 years old). I had always had an interest in Religion as I believe that it helped me become less ignorant towards people, and more tolerant towards people of different races. Although at that time I thought I was well in tune with my birth religion, I was starting to feel more drawn to Islam, not just because of the religious teachings but also for the Political and social aspects as well. I was lucky at that time as I had a lot of friends that were also Muslim so I received a lot of Dawah from them. I had decided that I was going to do a project for my sociology GCSE on Malcolm X, I read his autobiography which I really connected with. (Incidentally I passed my Sociology GCSE with an A* grade because of my project). As time went on I was starting to learn more and more about Islam, and if I am honest I knew then that it was the right path for me but I let my ignorance get the better of me. I should have taken my Shahadah then but tried to justify it to myself that if Allah (SWT) had wanted me to become muslim he would have made me one from birth. I later learned from reading that "Muslim" actually means to be born in submission of god, so technically we are all born muslims. I went on to college where I let Jahilah control my life, I was out drinking,smoking,clubbing and generally just acted like a kuffar, but deep down I always did question myself was I any happier? The answer NO I wasn't. Anyway even throughout college some of my closest and reliable friends were muslim, and where I came from it was almost unheard of that Sikhs and muslims would even hang out together let alone be good friends. At this point I became very confused spiritually. I looked into other religions as I wanted more from my life but I was scared because I came from a sikh family and it is unheard of that a sikh would convert to Islam. I read about Hinduism,Christianity,Buddhism and Sikhism, I still felt that I was not getting the answers I needed that Islam was giving me. At this point I became very lonely, as I felt I didn't belong anywhere. I knew I should have taken my shahadah but I didn't. I couldn't be with my friends being a Jahil and I couldn't be with my friends that were practicing Islam. I decided to become Agnostic. I did however change my lifestyle, I stopped drinking, I stopped eating haram. I finished my relationship with my boyfriend (who was muslim) My way of dressing had never been a problem because I had never been one to show to much flesh. I thought this is it. I am happy (well that's what I tried to convince myself). I thought my life would be easier I had given up all the wrong things and my family were happy as well. But deep down I wasn't. I use to think about all the major events and milestones that had taken place so far in my life, and at every point I either was thinking of becoming muslim or my muslim friends were connected to it in some way Then earlier this year a very dear friend of mine was killed while out in Cambodia (she was doing voluntary work there). She was also Sikh but wanted to become Muslim, we had planned to take our Shahadah together and move in together as we both knew that our families were not going to accept our decision. I was very upset, and one night in February I was particularly upset when I saw a bright, white light come beaming through my curtains, I fell down in Sajdah and I recited my Kalma, and that was it I WAS A MUSLIM! I started doing my salah 5 times a day I felt so much better for it. I can never explain how good I feel after my salah. I told my parents the truth as the pressure was on for marriage,and as I expected they have disowned me, but Inshallah they will come round one day. I now live with my sister who incidentally is also muslim Mashallah for 8 years now. I don't view Islam as a religion but a way of life. I am still only in the learning stages but Inshallah I will get there. I feel truly blessed that Allah (swt) persevered with me, and blessed me with the strength to become part of his deen. To other brothers and sisters who are thinking of coming on deen, please don't leave it that long and suffer the mental anguish I did for 10 years, and don't fear your family or duniya for you know what you are doing is right, and Inshallah the rewards will not only be paid here but also in the afterlife. Jaziak Allah Kharian Zeynah ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! 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