🌟 One God, one light
A hymn by the poet Kabir in the Guru Granth Sahib (page 1349) says that the whole world came from the one light of God, so who is good and who is bad? Sikhs take this to mean that no group of people is higher than another.
Sikh Beliefs about Rights, Equality and Social Justice » Sikhism and Racial Harmony
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 4.3 (Sikhism)
- Sikh teachings that oppose prejudice, discrimination and racism
- Why Sikhs say the whole human race is one
- Examples of racial harmony in Sikh practice, such as the langar and Khalsa Aid
- How Sikhs have faced racism themselves
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Unlock This CourseRacial harmony: a quick recall
In The Multi-Ethnic Society, Racism and Racial Harmony you learned that racism is prejudice or discrimination against people because of their race or ethnic group, and that racial harmony means people of different backgrounds living together peacefully and respectfully. Now we ask what Sikhs teach about this, and how they put it into practice.
Sikh teachings that oppose racism
Sikhs believe in one God who made every person. Because all people come from the same Creator, no race can be better or worse than another. In Sikhism and Human Rights you met the idea that the same divine light is in everyone. Racial harmony follows from this belief.
🌍 One human race
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, taught that the whole human race should be recognised as one. Sikhs often use this teaching when they speak about racism, because it makes no difference between people of different skin colour, country or language.
Sikhs also remember the oneness of humanity from Sikh Attitudes to Bullying: the idea that all people belong to one human family. Prejudice divides this family, so Sikhs see it as wrong.
The Gurus also rejected caste, the traditional ranking of people by birth. You learned in Equal Rights and Opportunities in Sikhism that Sikhs do not accept that anyone is higher by birth. The same reasoning applies to race: no one is born higher or lower.
Key terms:
- Racial harmony: people of different races and ethnic groups living together peacefully and fairly (recalled from the earlier lesson).
- Sarbat da bhala (recap from Sikh Attitudes to Conflict: The Saint-Soldier and Zafarnama 22): the Sikh wish for the welfare of all people, said at the end of Sikh worship.
Racial harmony in Sikh practice
🍲 The langar
The langar is the free meal served in every gurdwara. Anyone may eat, whatever their race, religion or wealth. Everyone sits on the floor and eats the same food together, so no one is placed above anyone else.
🚪 Open doors
A gurdwara has four doors, one on each side. Sikhs say this shows that people from every direction, of every background, are welcome. The doors are studied in more detail later in the course.
🤝 Sewa for all
Sewa (selfless service) is given to anyone in need, not only to Sikhs. Khalsa Aid, a Sikh charity founded in 1999, gives help to people of every background when disasters strike around the world.
In these examples, Sikhs help people because they are human, and not because of their race or religion. Many gurdwaras in the UK also invite neighbours of all backgrounds to eat in the langar, which helps different communities to meet and understand each other.
Sikhs and racism
Sikhs have also been on the receiving end of racism. Sikh men who wear a turban have sometimes been abused or attacked, partly because some people wrongly guess their race or religion from how they look. Sikhs say that such treatment shows why the teaching of one human race matters, and many speak out for everyone who suffers from prejudice.
Different views and the gap with practice
Most Sikhs agree that racism has no place in their faith. Yet, as with equality, some Sikhs say practice can fall short. Individuals may hold prejudiced ideas picked up from their wider society, even though the Gurus taught against them. Sikhs who care about racial harmony reply that the answer is to follow the Gurus' teaching more closely. Some also point out that laws, such as the Equality Act 2010, and non-religious groups, such as Humanists who also hold that all people have equal worth, work for the same aim.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes
- Describing the langar without saying why it shows racial harmony. Always add: everyone eats together, so no race is above another.
- Writing only about caste. Caste is about birth rank; this lesson is about race, so link the teaching to race directly.
- Saying that all Sikhs live perfectly by the teaching. Use "most Sikhs" and note that practice can differ.
- Saying that the langar is only for Sikhs. It is open to everyone.
Exam-style question
Paper 1 (a) [3 marks, AO1]: Identify three ways racial harmony is shown in the Sikh community.
Model answer
1. The langar, where everyone eats together (1). 2. The four doors of the gurdwara open to all (1). 3. Sewa through charities such as Khalsa Aid (1).
Paper 1 (b) [4 marks, AO1]: Choose one religion. Outline two teachings about racial harmony in this religion.
Model answer
Sikhs believe in one God who made everyone (1), so no race is better than another (1). Guru Gobind Singh taught that the whole human race should be recognised as one (1), which means Sikhs should not discriminate against anyone for their race (1).
Paper 1 (c) [6 marks, AO1 and AO2]: Choose one religion. Explain why Sikhs support racial harmony.
Model answer
Sikhs support racial harmony first because they believe in one God who made all people. This means the same divine light is in everyone, so no race can be higher than another. Second, Guru Gobind Singh taught that the human race is one, so Sikhs see prejudice as splitting a single family. Third, the Gurus rejected caste, so Sikhs do not accept that anyone is higher by birth, and this applies to race too. Finally, Sikhs put the teaching into practice in the langar, where people of every background eat together, and through sewa such as the work of Khalsa Aid. Because of these teachings and examples, Sikhs believe that racial harmony is part of living as a Sikh.
Paper 1 (d) [12 marks, AO1 and AO2]: "Religious people are the best at promoting racial harmony."
Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion.
Plan
For: Sikhs believe in one God and one human race, which gives a deep reason to oppose racism; the langar and Khalsa Aid put the teaching into action for people of every background.
Against: some believers still hold prejudiced views, so practice can differ from teaching; laws such as the Equality Act 2010 can punish discrimination, and Humanists and anti-racism groups also work for harmony without a religious belief.
Possible conclusion: Religious communities, such as the Sikh community, give a strong reason and a daily example of harmony, but they are not the only ones, and not always perfect, so they are among the best rather than clearly the best.
Exam tip
For racial harmony answers, name the teaching (one God, one human race) and link it to a real example such as the langar, then say why it shows harmony.
Recap
- Sikhs believe that one God made all people, so no race is better than another.
- Guru Gobind Singh taught that the whole human race is one; the Gurus also rejected caste.
- The langar, the four open doors and sewa such as Khalsa Aid show racial harmony in practice.
- Sikhs have themselves faced racism, which is why many speak out against it.
- Practice can fall short of the teaching, and laws and non-religious groups also work for harmony.