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Unlock This CourseIn Human Rights and When They Can Be Limited you learned that human rights are basic freedoms and protections that every person has simply by being human. You also met the rights this lesson looks at: liberty, equality before the law, freedom of religion, freedom of opinion and freedom of speech. Now we ask what Sikhs teach about them.
Sikhism has no list called "human rights", but its core teachings lead Sikhs to support them. Sikhs often say these four ideas are the root.
As you saw in Evil and Suffering: Sikh Teachings and Sikh Attitudes to Bullying, Sikhs believe God's light is in every person. If everyone carries it, everyone has the same worth, whatever their religion, race or background.
No one is higher or lower in God's eyes. Sikhs show this in the langar, where everyone sits and eats together. So no person or group should be denied the rights others have.
Sikhs are taught to protect the weak. This duty is not only for Sikhs. It includes defending the rights of people of other faiths, even when it costs the Sikh something.
Sikhs believe God is just, and that people should work for fairness in society. Without justice, rights mean little.
Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Guru. In 1675 a group of Kashmiri Hindus came to him for help, because they were being pressed to give up their religion. The Guru was not defending the Sikh faith. He was defending the right of Hindus to practise their own religion. He was arrested and put to death in Delhi in 1675 on the order of the emperor Aurangzeb, after he refused to give up his own faith.
Sikhs remember him as a martyr who gave his life so that people of another faith could worship freely. He shows the Sikh duty to defend the rights of others, and he is a powerful example of freedom of religion.
For Sikhs the turban is part of their faith and identity. In Britain, Sikhs have campaigned for the right to wear it, and two events are well known:
Both show Sikhs using the law peacefully to protect freedom of religion and equal treatment.
Key terms:
There is no single Sikh ruling on this, but most Sikhs would say rights can sometimes be limited, for reasons that fit their teachings:
But Sikh history, with its martyrs who suffered when rulers limited religious freedom, makes Sikhs wary of limits that are not clearly needed. A non-religious person, such as a Humanist, may reach the same limits by a different route. They base them on reason and the harm to others, not on God's light in all.
Paper 1 (a) [3 marks, AO1]: Identify three human rights.
1. The right to liberty (1). 2. Freedom of religion (1). 3. Freedom of speech (1). (Equality before the law and freedom of opinion are also accepted.)
Paper 1 (b) [4 marks, AO1]: Choose one religion. Outline two Sikh teachings about human rights.
Sikhs believe the same divine light is in every person (1), so everyone has equal worth and the same rights (1). Sikhs also teach a duty to defend others (1), including people of another faith (1).
Paper 1 (c) [6 marks, AO1 and AO2]: Choose one religion. Explain why Sikhs support freedom of religion.
Sikhs support freedom of religion first because they believe God's light is in every person, so each person is equal and should be free to follow their own faith. Secondly, Sikhs do not try to force their religion on others, so they believe no one should be forced to give up theirs. Thirdly, Sikhs have a duty to defend the rights of others. Guru Tegh Bahadur gave his life in 1675 so that Kashmiri Hindus could practise their religion, and Sikhs remember him as a martyr and follow his example. This means that supporting freedom of religion is part of living as a Sikh, and not only a political idea.
Paper 1 (d) [12 marks, AO1 and AO2]: "Human rights should never be limited."
Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion.
Some people agree. Sikhs believe the same divine light is in everyone, so every person has equal worth and rights that are not a gift from the state. Sikh history supports this: rulers limited religious freedom, and Guru Tegh Bahadur died in 1675 defending the Kashmiri Hindus' right to worship. Sikhs also campaigned for the right to wear the turban, so unnecessary limits can hurt minorities. This is a strong argument for rights that are hard to remove.
But I think there are good arguments against the statement. Rights can clash. Freedom of speech does not include spreading hatred, because Sikhs want the good of all (sarbat da bhala). A person who has harmed others may lose their liberty after a fair trial, and Sikhs accept this when the aim is justice and not revenge. Without any limits, one person's freedom could destroy another's. Humanists agree that limits are sometimes needed, but they base them on reason and harm, not on God.
In conclusion, I disagree with the statement, because the same Sikh teaching that gives everyone rights also gives a duty to protect others. The deciding reason is that limits can protect the rights of the weak, as long as they are fair and clearly needed.
In the 12-mark question, use the word "never" in your conclusion. Say whether there are any cases where a limit is right, and name the Sikh teaching that decides it.