A Sikh writer says, “In both the religions there is a striking similarity in the mode of saying congregational prayer. The ablutions preceding prayer, the reverential attitude in standing, the bowing down, the kneeling with posture, all are similar” Guru Nanak fixed no rigid qualification of face direction while in prayers. Though the Muslims say their Namaz facing towards the West (Ka’ba) still it is worthwhile to note that according to the Quranic injunctions there was an difference between the West or the East, etc, so long concentration on God was there. The Quran clearly says: “The East and the West are God’s. He quideth who He wills into the right path”. (Quran 2): 136 AlBagarah). Again, “The East and the West are God’s; whichever way ye turn, ye shall find the face of Allah; God is omnipresent and omniscient” (Quran 2: 109 AIBagarah). Prophet Mohammad says, “There is no piety in turning your faces towards the East or West; who believes in Allah is pious” (Quran 2: 172Al Bagarah).
The Prophet condemned those who simply made a mere show of devotion (Quran 1077). The Guru also stung severely the sinning sceptics. “How can”, he said, “the hearts of those who suck human blood be pure; when your clothes get stained with blood and you call them impure” (Var MayhJ). Dr. Bhagvan Das has quoted a beautiful anecdote, of conversation of a famous Muslim Sufi, Junnaid with a haji returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca. The anecdote significantly denotes that Islam did not favor a mere forma
lity of a haj unless the dirt of sin was removed and the traits of purity and human consideration were included, Guru Nanak too emphasized the same thing repeatedly in his various hymns and declamations which he held with the Muslim gazis, Brahmin priests, Jogis and sidhs. For him “Prayer or pilgrimage was not worth a mustard seed without the traits of mercy”. The Guru was quite candid in proclaiming that to remove the dirt of desire, was the true solutions for achieving salvation.
Regarding fasting too, Sikhism advises alopahar to check indulgence and curb passions, just as Islam enjoins upon the Ramadan fasts for the same purpose. The basic concept is the same; though the forms and modes differ. Both take it as means to right thinking, right action and achievement of truth. Both were emphatic that punishment or deliverance depended upon one’s actions. Prophet Mohammad said, “jazaum bema kanu ya mal’um” i.e. “requital or reward are just return for whatsoever thou doest”. Similarly, Guru Nanak said, “manda changa apna ape hi kita pawna’’i.e. “One teaps the fruit according to the good or bad he does”.
Both Guru Nanak and Prophet Mohammad advised complete self surrender to God, without any hope or fear for personal reward or punishment, happiness or sorrow It may be called prapati in Sikhism and fisabil lillah in Islam, or ‘sahj’ in the former and akhlas in the latter. ;
The Sikhs bow to the AdiGranth deeming it as repository of ‘dhur di bani’ i.e. the divine or heavenly descended Word, just as the Muslims rever the Quran as holy and “descended” divine message (verbum dei). The Sikhs reckon the Adi Granth as “Nam ka Jahaz” i.e. “Ship of the Name (God). Similarly, the Muslims value the Quaran as a light leading to God. The Quaran says, “Say, the Signs are indeed with God Iam a clear warner”. And, is it not enough for them that We have sent down to them the Book which is rehearsed to them…..?” (29:51:52 Al’ Ankabut). Prophet Mohammad said emphatically, “It is God who has sent down clear revelations to His servant. That he may bring you forth from darkness to the fight”.
Guru Nanak also had been directly inspired by God Himself. When Guru Nanak disappeared in the river Bain he had a vision of God’s Presence with Whom he directly conversed. Who gave him the nectar of Satnam and Who invested him with the Divine Guru ship and said Guru Nanak, “Whatever Word I receive from the Lord, I pass it on in the same strain”. This fact of divine revelation is repeatedly emphasized in the Sikh tradition and in the writings of the various Gurus, e.g. by Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Gobind Singh etc. Divine intuition is, hence the backbone of both the creeds, and attributes originality to them in spite of both containing much common to what was existent before their birth.
Prophet Mohammad was forceful in his denunciation of gods, idol worship etc., and repeatedly exhorted that those who do not follow him in this regard, will be thrust into the abyss of hell. Sikhism too suggests curses on the inhibitions of those who worship strange gods and asserts: “The blind idolatorouslive in utter darkness; these uncultured fools worship stone gods. The stone god sinks in stream. How can it help you to cross the ocean of life!” (Granth p. 556).
Both religions can, therefore, be called as Religions of Faith and Action. Guru Nanak tried to patch the two, Islamic and Hindu systems into one in their basic essentials, Even the etymolgy of “Muslim” and “Sikh” appears to be based on the same notion, Muslim is derived from Islam or taslim 1.e. Surrender and Peace. A “Muslim”, thus, means a follower (of the Peace), “Sikh” is from “seekh” of Persian which means follower or one who submits; or, from shishya of Sanskrit which means a disciple, a learner; or, a speaker of truth as in the Pali language. Sikhism means the path of discipline and discipleship.
Both, Nanakism and Islam, are very simple and free from the intricacies of mantra, haven a jog, yagna, and varuna, etc. Guru
Nanak starts with Aek Onkar i.e. in the Name of God. Emphasis laid on Aek Onkar by Guru Nanak, and on Allah by Prophet Mohammad, is in the same vein. Nanak’s, definition of God, as given at the very beginning of Japji (Aek Onkar, sat nam, kartapurakh, nir bho, nir vair, akal murat, ajuni saibhang, gur parsad) means that “There is but One God whose name is true, the Creator, devoid of fear and enmity, immortal, unborn, self-existent, bountiful and great; The opening chapter of the Quranal: Hakim (Sura al Fatiah) illustrates God as AlRehman, Al Rahim Rabbulalmin, Malik Yaumuddin etc. (Gracious and Merciful Lord of all the worlds, Master of the Day of Judgment etc.): Nanak’s True One was Adi (Original) and Akal (Deathless). He was also Primal, Formless, Limitless, Creator; Allseeing; Omnipresent. Heis Irrefutable, understandable, Altogether True (ad sach, jugad sach, haibhisach, Nanak hosi Bhisach), Nonbegotten (ajuni) Noncreated thapia na jae kita na hoye: Giver of boons (datar), of uncountable Names (asankh nav), and Unfathomable (asankh thao). “The true One was in the beginning; the True One was in the primal age; the True One, says Nanak, also shall ever be. Again, it is stressed that God is not subject to birth and death or destiny, He is casteless, unborn, self-existent and without fear or doubt; He hath no form\or color or outline. He becomes manifest by the True Word. Nanak says, He is Pure, Endless, and Infinite; He is All Light. God is in every heart; His light is in every heart. Again he says:
“God is neither setup nor installed, nor is made by anyone.
The Pure One is self existent”.
Thus, according to Nanak, God is Supreme and Sublime, Eternal and Formless; Un confinable and All-pervading.
The Quran depicts Allah as lam yalid wa lam yulad kullu shayin halekun illahwaja ha hu i.e. “He who is neither begetter nor begotten, who is immortal and the primal cause of all (Quran 18:110). Again, it says, Allaho be kulle Shaina muhit, Allaho nurussamavat wal ard” i.e. He is The Last (Quaran 57:3 AlHadid) “He is Allpervading and All encompasser” (Quran 41:45 ha min sajda).
Both Nanak and Mohammad described God as Love. Light and Truth. Nanak emphasized that A/lah, Khuda, and Rab was in fact one and the same as Ishwar, Hari and Hari and Ram. Even the word Allah, from wallah (“Wonderful”) used in Islam, for the wonderful Entity ie. God appears to have some terminological affinity with Wahguru used in Sikhism. The Sikh Gurus often described God’ as Karim, Rahim, Razik, Parvardigar etc. and chose the Muslim
Terminology or colloquialism for the purpose. A mere peep into the traits of God/as defined by Prophet Mohammad and Guru Nanak may disclose that both definitions bear the same stamp.
The belief enunciated in Sikhism (ek kuaow) tallies in essence with the Islamic concept that the universe came into being when God, the Creator, uttered the word Kun.
Unlike the Hindus who believed in the personal physical manifestation of God in the form of various avatars (God incarnates) and the Christians who thought Christ to be the Son of God, the Muslims and the Sikhs believed that all Apostles were but men, divinely inspired, subject to the worldly needs of food and drink and un exempted from death. (21 Anbiya 78, 25, 3435, 3641, 107111; 25 Furgan 79, 20).
The Guru rejected the theory of incarnation, so did the Prophet. The Muslims and the Sikhs believe that God had no wife or family and hence no particular son as such.
Both the religions, i.e. Islam and Sikhism, advocated need of an intercessor in the form of Prophet in the first case and of Guru in the second. The concept of “the guru as indispensible link is as old as the days of the Upanishads and, so Hinduistic in its base. But “Guru ship” in Sikhism assumed a unique character as prophet hood in Islam. In the Sikh creed the guidance of the Guru is as essential as of the Prophet Mohammad in Islam. Nanak says in Gauri Ashtapadi: “Without a religious guide, man would run riot in evil and haste to perdition”. He says further: “Through the Guru’s instruction it is known that God is in the heart.” Repetition of Nam i.e. SatNam or True One God, was advocated by Nanak as panacea. So was the Tepetition of a LaillahilLillah (there is no other god but God), was stressed upon the Musalmans. For every ill, Guru Nanak suggested the dose of Hari ka nam aukhad (God’s name is medicine) and Prophet Mohammad prescribed hayla Alaal falah (come to Allah, come to falah (come to Allah, come to fallah i.e. good). Iqbal’s couplet, given below, can beautifully convey the efficacy of the repetition of both Nanak’s SatNam and Mohammad’s Kalima. Zindgi gar meezia astobas. hurriat az fatfikr astobas.
The very essence of life is in repeating God’s name and the freedom from bondage can come only from the purity of thought.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 14, 1987
