Sikhi and Women
Islam, Hinduism and Christianity, all consider Women as inferior and no more than property owned by men; only Sikhi challenged this, more than 500 year ago.
Throughout history, women were treated as mere property whose only value was as a servant or for entertainment. They were considered seducers and distractions from man's spiritual path. Men were allowed polygamy but widows were not allowed to remarry but encouraged to burn themselves on their husband’s funeral pyre (sati).
Child marriage and female infanticide were prevalent and purdah (veils) were popular for women.
Women were also not allowed to inherit any property. Many Hindu women were captured and sold as slaves in foreign Islamic countries.
In such a climate Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhi shocked the entire society by preaching that women were worthy of praise and equal to men. Five hundred years later, the rest of mankind is only now waking up to this fundamental truth.
Action speaks louder than words
Guru Nanak Dev Ji broke the shackles of women by admitting them into the sangat (congregation) without any restrictions or reservations. Guru Nanak felt that his message was meant as much for women as for men.
Guru Angad Dev Ji encouraged the education of all Sikhs, men and women.
Guru Amar Das Ji condemned the cruel custom of sati, female infanticide and advocated widow remarriage.
Guru Amar Das Ji also believed that women wearing veils (purdah) was demeaning. The Guru refused to meet the queen of Haripur or to allow any women into the congregation wearing a veil.
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji respected women and declared, "women is the conscience of man".
Guru Gobind Singh Ji made the Khalsa initiation ceremony open to men and women alike, a woman being just as worthy.
A Sikh women is an individual in her own right, she does not have to take her husband's name and is Kaur till her death.
Sikhism requires women to be respected and praised; they are equal to man and are the very conscience of Humanity.
“We are born of woman, we are conceived in the womb of woman, we are engaged and married to woman. We make friendship with woman and the lineage continued because of woman. When one woman dies, we take another one, we are bound with the world through woman. Why should we talk ill of her, who gives birth to kings? The woman is born from woman; there is none without her. Only the One True Lord is without woman" (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Var Asa, pg. 473)
Among all the women and the men, His Light is shining (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Gauri pg 223-4)
"The blind-man abandons the wife of his home, and has an affair with another's woman. He is like the parrot, who is pleased to see the simbal tree, but at last dies clinging to it." (Bhagat Nam
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, the 6th Sikh Guru showed great respect for woman and declared: - “woman is the conscience of man".
Women in Hinduism
Hinduism states that women are under the control of men. The laws of Manu state,
'In childhood a female must be subject to her father,
in youth to her husband, when her lord is dead to her sons;
A woman must never be independent.'
Law 148, Chapter V.
in youth to her husband, when her lord is dead to her sons;
A woman must never be independent.'
Law 148, Chapter V.
Women in Christianity
The Bible puts women under the control of men:-
“I shall greatly increase the pain of your progeny, in the birth pangs you will bring forth children, and your craving will be for your husband who will dominate you” (Genesis 3:16-19)
Women in Islam
It teaches that women will go to hell if they are disobedient to their husbands (Q. 66:10). It maintains that men have an advantage over women (Q. 2:228). It not only denies women’s equal right to their inheritance (Q. 4:11-12), it also regards them as imbeciles and decrees that their witness is not admissible in the court (Q. 2:282).
This means that a woman who is raped cannot accuse her rapist unless she can produce a male witness. Muhammad allowed.
Muslims to marry up to four wives and gave them license to sleep with their slave maids and as many “captive” women as they may have (Q. 4:3).
'If your wives are over-bearing, advise them against it. If they do not care, refuse them sexual intercourse. If they still persist, then give them a thrashing.'
Quran, Al-Nissa 4-34.
Quran, Al-Nissa 4-34.
In Islam (Muslim) society it is the norm to marry into family, which is now giving rise to the abnormally high rates of disabilities.
The male takes a double share of the woman. Men are considered superior to women. “Man is more perfect than the woman in creation, and intelligence, and in the religious sphere, such as the suitability to be a judge, and a leader in worship”. Woman is deficient in intelligence and of great lust.
Islam exempts women from certain prayers. It is also preferred if women pray at home, rather than coming to the mosque. In fact, any Muslim man travelling to a mosque is more fortunate if he avoids contact with any woman. If such contact does occur, he is required to purify himself.
The Muslim woman is always associated with an old tradition known as the "veil".
In Islam, Menstruation is considered a hurt and pollutant (The actual term used is Azan). A man is instructed to avoid her.
The woman is actually cursed if she refuses sex with her husband.
Women have less right than men. Men can marry up to four times. Further, they may keep as many slave girls as is required.
The beating of women is permitted.
If a woman offered one of her breasts to be cooked and the other to be roasted, she still will fall short of fulfilling her obligations to her husband. If blood, suppuration, and pus, were to pour from the husband's nose and the wife licked it with her tongue, she would still never be able to fulfill his rights over her.
Women in Islam, victims of rape, are often at risk of being convicted of `zina' [fornication outside marriage] and are denied justice. Indeed, the crime of rape committed against them, through no fault of their own, is compounded by further victimization in being prosecuted by the state for `zina'. It also effectively allows a rapist to avoid prosecution by paying 'blood money' to a girl who is injured when raped.
Tamkeen is the readiness of the wife to submit to her husband's reasonable sexual enjoyment, and her prohibition from going out of the house, except in extreme circumstances, without her husband's permission. If any of the above provisions are not followed by the wife she is considered disobedient." It requires women to get permission from their husbands to work. Islam allows a husband the right to withdraw basic maintenance from his wife, including food, if she refuses to obey his sexual demands.
The thought of an old man becoming aroused by a child is one of the most disturbing thoughts that make us cringe as it reminds us of pedophilia and the most despicable people. It is difficult to accept that the Holy Prophet (Mohammed) married Ayesha when she was 6-years-old and consummated his marriage with her when she was 9. He was then, 54 years old.
Sahih Muslim Book 008, Number 3310:
'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old.
'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old.
Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 64
Narrated 'Aisha: that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death).
Narrated 'Aisha: that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death).
According to Christianity and Islam, God created Adam and Eve and no other Human being. Neither the Bible nor the Koran is clear how Adam’s son Cain, Abel and Seth produced children. The Bible only says, “When men began to multiply on the face of the earth, daughters were born unto them. The sons of God saw the daughters of men that were fair and took them wives of all which they chose”. (Genesis 6: 2-3)
According to story of creation, Adam and Eve, Adam seems to have committed incest.
There are many such references to incest in the Bible (II Samuel11:4-5, II Samuel 13-14, II Samuel 16:33, Genesis 38:18 and Genesis 20:12).
Sikhism is totally opposed to this view. Christian women must change their names after marriage. The concept of maiden and married names is alien to Sikh philosophy. Sikhs practicing it now do so out of ignorance. A Sikh woman is born with the surname Kaur and dies with the same surname. Thus, allowing her to keep her identity throughout her life.
Sikhism sets a high moral standard for all Sikhs, preachers and religious leaders. Sikhism completely rejects moral depravity in all, including prophets.
The Glory Of "KAUR"
PROUD TO BE A SIKH
WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA
WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH