The National Conference on Community and Justice (NCCJ), a not for profit organization in Washington D.C. was involved in a project with former President Clinton's Race Initiative, to publish a booklet on "racism as a sin" from the perspective of different faiths.

NCCJ asked SMART to share the Sikh faith's view on this issue. The following is SMART's statement with excerpts from Gurbani:

Sikhism's View on Racism by Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART)

The Sikh faith strongly opposes discriminatory practices such as racism wherever they might be found. An anti-racist sentiment can be found in Sikh sacred texts, and it is also an important aspect of Sikh daily life.

Guru Nanak in Northern India founded Sikhism some 500 years ago, on reformist and egalitarian principles. In his propagation of this new faith, Guru Nanak spread messages of equality and peace, as well as opposition to all sorts of discriminatory practices in the material world in his teaching. These teachings, along with the writings of later Gurus, or teachers, are recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text of the Sikh faith.

Regarding discrimination based on appearance, the Guru Granth Sahib says:

First, Allah created the Light; then, by His Creative Power,
He made all mortal beings. From the One Light, the entire universe welled up.
So who is good, and who is bad? || 1 ||
O people, O Siblings of Destiny, do not wander deluded by doubt.
The Creation is in the Creator, and the Creator is in the Creation, totally pervading and permeating all places. || 1 || Pause ||
The clay is the same, but the Fashioner has fashioned it in various ways.
There is nothing wrong with the pot of clay,
There is nothing wrong with the Potter. || 2 ||
The One True Lord abides in all; by His making, everything is made.
Whoever follows His Message knows the One Lord.
He alone is said to be the Lord's slave. || 3 ||
-- Guru Granth Sahib, pages 1349, 1350

These passages specifically condemn discrimination based on social caste, but there is also a general criticism of discrimination based on superficial characteristics in the language of "clay."

Sikhs believe we are all made of the same clay, fashioned by God. What else is racism but a superficial kind of discrimination based on trivial distinctions in human form?

Sikhism opposes discrimination of all sorts, on the grounds that it is not for we--very fallible--human beings to judge one another. Rather, we are fashioned in the image of the Creator, Waheguru. Therefore, all life is sacred:

Fareed, the Creator is in the Creation, and the Creation abides in God.
Whom can we call bad? There is none without Him.
-- Guru Granth Sahib, page 1381

Opposition to discrimination is deeply ingrained in the Sikh way of life outside of the Guru Granth Sahib as well. Profound egalitarianism drives many of our social practices, such as the wearing of the Dastaar, or turban. This was a practice specifically established by the tenth and final living Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, as part of his ongoing battle to reform and eradicate the plague of caste from the Indian subcontinent. In order that Sikhs decisively break from a corrupt and deeply unjust society, Guru Gobind Singh required all Sikhs to carry 5 articles of faith with them (one of them being uncut hair). Guru Gobind Singh also gave all Sikh men the last name "Singh" (meaning lion) and all Sikh women the last name "Kaur" (meaning princess).

An aspect of the Sikh faith that appeared much earlier in Sikh history is the tradition of Langar--a communal kitchen which is a free and open dining hall in every Sikh Gurdwara (place of worship). Every Gurdwara, including those established in the United States, contains a dining hall, which is open to everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation. In India, these dining halls (called Langar halls) regularly feed some of the most destitute sectors in society, thus performing central charity work. In time, Sikh Gurdwaras will hopefully come to play such a role in the United States as well.

About SMART:

Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART) was founded in 1996. SMART is a non-partisan group focused exclusively on a program of advocacy centered in the United States. SMART's mission is to monitor media representations of Sikhs, to educate the broader American society about the Sikh faith, and to empower the Sikh community to understand and exercise their rights in the United States. SMART aims to represent the entire Sikh community in the United States, and has representatives in many different states.

SMART strongly believes in cooperating with other groups to achieve social justice and to end discriminatory practices such as racism, sexism, and xenophobia, which continue to be problems in the United States of America. SMART has worked with many other religious groups (such as Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Interfaith groups) to oppose discrimination against religious minorities.

For more information about the Sikhs and Sikhism please contact SMART at 877-91-SIKHS or via email at info@sikhmediawatch.org . Please visit our web site at www.sikhmediawatch.org . SMART, P.O. Box 1761, Germantown, MD 20875-1761 Tel: 1-877-91-SIKHS Fax: 202-318-4433 info@sikhmediawatch.org http://www.sikhmediawatch.org

Copyright (c) 2001 Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART). All Rights Reserved. Reproduction and redistribution without alteration is permitted provided the above copyright notice and this note is retained. If you wish to use only a portion of this document, or alter it for your use, please obtain written permission from SMART.

Nanak Naam Chardi Kalaa, Tere Bhanai Sarbat da Bhalaa.

(Nanak says! Through the Divine Name, may our spirits rise, and By your will, O God! May humankind prosper in peace.)