Sikh Beliefs about Peace and Conflict » Dharam Yudh: Just War and Weapons of Mass Destruction in Sikhism

Just War: a Sikh view

In Just War Theory, Holy War and Passive Resistance you met the Just War theory: the idea that war can only be right if strict conditions are met, such as last resort and proportionate force (no more force than is needed). It began with Christian thinkers, and today it is used by religious and non-religious people alike, because it tries to limit the harm of war. In Sikh Attitudes to Conflict: The Saint-Soldier and Zafarnama 22 you saw that the Sikh Gurus allowed fighting only when all other means had failed. Here we put those ideas together as the Sikh version of Just War.

Sikhs do not have a separate theory written by a philosopher. Their idea grows out of the Gurus' teaching and example, and it has a name: Dharam Yudh.

Key terms:

• Dharam Yudh: a war fought in defence of righteousness. Dharam means duty or what is right, and yudh means war.

The conditions of Dharam Yudh

For a Sikh, a war is Dharam Yudh only if it meets all of these conditions. Many of them match the usual Just War rules, but Sikhs add some of their own.

There is one more condition about who fights. Sikh teaching expects fighters to be committed soldiers, people who believe in the cause and will follow these rules, rather than hired fighters who fight only for pay and may not care about the rules. This links to the saint-soldier, who fights from duty and not for reward.

Compare this with the usual Just War list. Sikhs agree on last resort, right intention (here, no hatred or revenge) and proportionate force (least force). Their rule about looting and taking land, and their stress on committed fighters, are especially clear in Dharam Yudh.

According to Sikh tradition, Guru Gobind Singh fought only defensive battles and did not seize the land of those he defeated. Many Sikhs also tell the story of Bhai Kanhaiya, who is said to have given water to wounded soldiers on both sides of a battle, showing that even enemies are to be treated with compassion.

Is a Just War possible?

Most Sikhs believe that Dharam Yudh is possible in principle, because the Gurus taught that fighting can be a duty. Zafarnama 22 and the saint-soldier ideal both support this. But Sikhs also see how hard it is to meet every condition in real life.

• Yes, it can be possible: a war to stop a cruel attack, fought as a last resort with the least force, protecting civilians and taking nothing, would meet Sikh teaching.
• It is very hard: in a real war, fighters become angry, civilians get hurt, and each side believes its cause is righteous. If even one condition is broken, it is no longer Dharam Yudh.

Some Sikhs say that this makes Dharam Yudh a rare thing, to be used with great care. Others think that, because every condition must be met, Dharam Yudh is very rare in the modern world, especially with weapons of mass destruction.

Weapons of mass destruction

In Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism you learned what WMD are and that they can kill huge numbers of people. Here is the quick recall of the problems and benefits:

• Problems: they kill and injure huge numbers of people, including civilians; they cause long-lasting damage to the land; they cost vast sums that could be spent on helping people; and they could fall into the wrong hands.
• Benefits: deterrence, which means the fear of being destroyed may stop other countries from attacking, and some say this has helped to keep the peace.

Sikh attitudes to WMD

The Sikh Gurus lived long before these weapons, so there is no teaching about them by name. Sikhs apply the rules of Dharam Yudh.

• They cannot meet the rules of Dharam Yudh. A WMD cannot tell soldiers from civilians, so it breaks the rule of no harm to civilians. It uses far more than the least force needed. It also destroys land and homes, and life is a gift from God, so killing on this scale is a great wrong. Most Sikhs therefore say that using WMD can never be Dharam Yudh.
• Some Sikhs accept deterrence. They argue that holding such weapons, without ever using them, may protect the innocent by stopping an attack. This is a matter on which Sikhs disagree, and there is no single ruling.

Atheist and Humanist attitudes

Atheists do not believe in God, and Humanists base their morals on reason and concern for human well-being. As you saw in the shared lesson, neither group has a single view. Many take a view similar to the Sikh one for a different reason: because human life is precious and this is the only life people have, using WMD, which kill so many, cannot be justified. Many Humanists want WMD reduced or removed. Some atheists and Humanists, like some Sikhs, accept that deterrence may protect people while the weapons still exist. For these groups the reasons come from human reason and care for people, not from Dharam Yudh.

Terrorism and Dharam Yudh

Terrorism breaks the rules of Dharam Yudh because it deliberately targets innocent people. Dharam Yudh protects civilians, so Sikhs say terrorism can never be a righteous fight.

Exam-style question

Paper 1 (a) [3 marks, AO1]: Identify three conditions of a Just War.

Paper 1 (b) [4 marks, AO1]: Choose one religion. Outline two conditions of a Just War in this religion.

Paper 1 (c) [6 marks, AO1 and AO2]: Choose one religion. Explain why some people in this religion do not support the use of weapons of mass destruction.

Paper 1 (d) [12 marks, AO1 and AO2]: "A Just War is not possible today." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion.