# Presented at the Third Parliament of World Religions Meeting at Cape Town, S. Africa,
December 1-8, 1999.
The recognition of Human Right, as evidenced by the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Looking back into the pages of history, one finds numerous blatant violations of human rights exemplified by Spanish inquisitions and Holocaust of the recent past. In these dark pages of history, however, one can find some bright spots. The Sikh Gurus, over five hundred years ago, taught and practiced equality of all human beings irrespective of caste, color or gender. They not only exhorted their followers to strictly observe this quality and ensure and respect the dignity of every human being, but they themselves raised their voice to safeguard freedom of social and religious rights for even those outside their own community and religion. A unique example is one of the Sikh Gurus who gave his life to preserve the religious freedom for a faith other than his own.
Ever since the dawn of history the Darwin’s rule, "survival of the fittest", has been valid among human beings as well as animals, in spite of the claim of the former to possessing superior intellect. The stronger has subjugated the weaker and treated them according to their whims. This, more often than not, resulted in death and destruction of the subjugated community inflicted by the tyrannical and bigoted victors. In some cases the oppressed class has taken recourse to rebellion or revolt to relieve the intolerable living conditions imposed by the oppressive rulers, with equally grave consequences.
With the advancement of science and technology and development of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction, it was felt that such a rebellion could possibly act as a spark for the onset of an explosion such as a global war that may be a threat to the very existence of the human race. Thus soon after the second world war representative of the United Nations Organization (U.N.O.) member nations got together and gave a serious consideration to such an eventuality. This led to the formulation of what is known as "the Universal Declaration of Human Rights" which was adopted by the UN general assembly in December 1948 without a single dissenting vote. This event may be considered as one of the most significant achievements of the U.N.O.
The basic concept of this declaration, where the term "Human Rights" has been mentioned for the first time by name, is the recognition of dignity of the individual. The principles of Human Rights were drawn up to ensure that the dignity of everyone is properly and equally respected.
What human rights are and why they are important is clearly delineated in the preamble to the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights", which reads as follows :
1. Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.
2. Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human being shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people.
3. Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law.
On further going through the articles of this declaration one can easily conclude that it is the first multinational document which recognizes that, irrespective of race, color, sex, religion, national or social origin, or political leaning, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and should therefore act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Of particular significance is the inclusion of the term “sex” which makes it the first document free from gender bias unlike some important earlier documents. For example, the U.S. declaration of independence states, "we hold these truths to be self evident that all “MEN” are created equal----------".
It recognizes the right to religion, freedom of thought and expression, and respect individual and family privacy. Thus it is a multi-faceted, all inclusive document which recognizes political, religious, cultural and economic freedom for all human beings.
If one looks into the pages of history one would find numerous examples where suppression (religious, political or economic) resulted in rebellions and revolts leading to bloody battles. However, all these events were with a single objective of self preservation and thus single-faceted. An all encompassing multi-faceted movement with regards to universal rights is hard to find - until one looks at the movement of Sikhism started by its founder, Guru Nanak, over five hundred years ago, in the North Western region of India.
Guru Nanak propounded a code of conduct based on the following principles which can be considered as the true forerunner of the present charter of human rights :
1. Universal Brotherhood of Man
2. Right of Religious Freedom and Freedom of Worship.
3. Gender Equality
4. Just and Transparent System of Governance.
This code of conduct was further elaborated, fine-tuned and practiced by the nine Sikh Gurus who succeeded Nanak. They not only preached but also lived it to its last letter, even at the cost of their lives.
Before we further discuss in detail this code of conduct and the way it was practiced it will be appropriate to consider the political, religious and social milieu of the time it was propounded.
Political Conditions:
North India at that time was ruled by despotic Muslim kings of Lodhi dynasty who were bigots and zealots with little or no religious tolerance. Large number of Hindu temples were destroyed and religious taxes levied on non-Muslims. Corruption ran rampant and bribery by the religious judges was accepted as a routine. During Guru Nanak’s time Babar invaded India, defeated the Lodhi king and established the Mughal empire. However, this change of rulers did not improve the lot of Hindus. Guru Nanak himself writes about the political condition of that time:
"The age is knife, the kings are butchers; justice has taken wings and fled away". (SGGS, P.145)
Bhai Gurdas, the Sikh savant also describes the condition of Guru Nanak’s time:
"The kings are sinners, as if the fence itself is devouring the crop (that it is supposed to protect). The judges take bribes and take unjust decisions". (Var 1.30)
Social Conditions:
There were two distinct societies in the country, Hindus and Muslims, which were culturally far apart. Muslims though a minority, were the rulers and treated Hindus with contempt. Even within Muslims there was fragmentation.
Compartmentalization based on economic and social status was a rule rather than exception.
Hindu society was divided into four castes, Brahmins, Kshatrias, Vaishyas and Shudras, separated by impenetrable social barriers. Even while the Hindu society as a whole was oppressed and maltreated by the Muslims, there was absolutely no thought or inclination of brotherhood among them. The Shudras were treated worse than animals. Hindus believed in idol-worshipping while the Muslims claimed themselves to be iconoclasts. The result was a deplorable condition for Hindus.
The status of women in both Muslim as well as Hindu societies was inferior to men. She was kept within the four walls of the house, or fully veiled when outside and considered a material possession and a device for sexual pleasure. Among Hindus the situation of women was even worse. A widow was not allowed to remarry. She was either forced to burn at the funeral pyre of her deceased husband, a custom known as "sati", or she had to live all her life as an outcast.
Religious Conditions:
As already mentioned Hinduism was the religion of the oppressed majority with no freedom whatsoever. The Hindu religion was further subdivided into many sects and cults each degenerated into ritualism and formalism. Hindu temples were desecrated with impunity, taxes were levied on Hindu sacred places and forcible conversion to Islam was quite common.
Such were the conditions when Guru Nanak proclaimed unity and brotherhood of humankind. According to him no one was superior or inferior simply because of his/her birth. All human beings were equal; everyone had the same light of God in him/her. The class prejudices and caste compartments were only man-created. He advocated the removal of all social barriers between one human being and another. His was the first voice to proclaim the equality of women. He said :
"How could we consider her inferior who has given birth to the kings"? (SGGS, P 473)
The third Sikh Guru, Amar Das, gave a practical shape to the doctrine of equality of women of Guru Nanak. He gave permission to widows to remarry and strongly condemned the practice of “sati”. No woman was allowed to wear a veil while in Sikh congregation. Furthermore, he gave equal status to women in the performance of religious duties, something unheard of in Hindu or Muslim society. He appointed eight (out of twenty two) women to the highest religious positions for missionary work in the country.
Guru Nanak himself was born in a Kshatria family, a superior caste according to Hindu classification. However, during his travels he frequently stayed and ate with people belonging to low class (shudras). Moreover, a Muslim bard (low social status in Muslim society) was his companion throughout his travels. When asked sarcastically the reason for such a socially unacceptable behavior, he replied:
"God’s Grace showers where the lowly ones are cared for". (SGGS, P.15)
As a practical approach to the eradication of caste, color, creed and status prejudices he started the institution of “LANGAR” or common kitchen where everyone, irrespective of caste, creed, color, sex, social status or geographical origin, would sit together at the same level to partake food. Even Akbar, the emperor of India, when visiting the third Guru, had to comply with this tradition. Even today, all over the world, wherever there is a Sikh Gurdwara, this tradition of serving of free food to everyone, without any discrimination or prejudice is alive and well.
Guru Nanak’s successors further set two ever lasting examples of human equality transcending barriers of caste and creed. The fifth Guru, Arjun Dev, compiled the poetic compositions of his predecessor Gurus and his own in one volume which is now the holy scripture of the Sikhs. In this volume, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, he also included the compositions of some Hindu bhaktas and Muslim faqirs. Furthermore, many Hindu bhaktas included therein belonged to the lowest caste of shudra who were not even allowed to enter the Hindu temples.
The foundation stone of Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs, was laid by a Muslim Sufi faqir, Mian Mir, on an invitation from the fifth Guru.
The sixth Guru, Har Gobind, gave what is known as the principle of "Miri-Piri" which is symbolized by two crossing swords in the Sikh emblem representing the co-existing of spiritual and temporal attributes. This essentially was a grand plan for a transparent and just system of governance wherein spiritual pursuits would go hand in hand with the well being of the public.
The most difficult test of Guru Nanak’s code of conduct came at the time of the ninth Guru, Tegh Bahadur, over three hundred years ago. At that time the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was ruling India. He adopted a resolute and uncompromising policy of mass conversion to Islam. He ordered the closure of Hindu schools and demolition of temples. Mosques were built at the sites of demolished historic temples. A tax (the Jizia) was imposed on all non-Muslim subjects. The governor of Kashmir, a zealot, executed the emperor’s orders with utmost severity. He gave an ultimatum to his Hindu subjects to choose between conversion to Islam and death. A deputation of Brahmins from Kashmir came to the ninth Guru, Tegh Bahadur, and requested him to intercede on their behalf. The Guru suggested to them to tell the governor that if the Guru embraced Islam then all of them will follow him. The governor conveyed this information to the emperor who summoned the Guru to his capital, Delhi. Wealth and power were offered to the Guru in return to his embracing Islam. When he refused to accept this proposal he was threatened with dire consequences. To prove this threat three of his close companions were executed using most ruthless means before his eyes. One was sawn into two pieces like a wooden log, the second was boiled in a caldron of water and the third was wrapped in cotton and burned alive. When the Guru still did not give in he was executed. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, describes this sacrifice thus:
"He sacrificed his life to protect the religion of Hindus, their sacred thread and the frontal mark. In this dark age of Kali he performed the supreme act of sacrifice".
This is a unique example in the history of human kind where someone gave his life for the freedom of a religion other than his own. According to Owen Cole, "He died not only for the rights of Sikhs to enjoy freedom of worship but also for Hinduism and religious tolerance in general."
An important aspect of human rights is the right to life and well being. However, in blatant disregard to this right, pages of history are littered with ruthless skirmishes, battles and wars for domination which resulted in loss of innumerable lives. The number of wounded even exceeded those who were killed. More often than not the wounded soldiers were abandoned and left to their sufferings and horrible deaths.
Jean Henry Durant is usually credited with first recognizing the plight of wounded soldiers after witnessing the battle of Solferino in 1859. It is the result of his tireless efforts that led to the formation of what we now know as the Red Cross Society.
However, over 150 years before the battle of Solferino, a battle was fought in Punjab. The tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, was forced to fight this battle, to uphold the human rights, against the forces of the then despotic Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. The Guru saw the plight of the wounded soldiers who were being left unattended in the battle-field. Many were dying of thirst due to scorching heat and many more due to excessive bleeding of their wounds because of absence of any medical aid. He organized a small group of dedicated Sikhs, under the leadership of Bhai Kanhiya, whose duty was to provide the wounded soldiers with water and first aid without discrimination as to which side they belonged to.
Even today the followers of this group, known as "Seva Panthis" or the service brigade, devote their lives in carrying out the work of serving humankind irrespective of caste, color, or creed, by running free health clinics and hospitals in India.