Sikhism Paperback – 25 Sep 1997

At the time this book was published in 1997, Hew McLeod was "a New Zealander (who) ... For nine years he taught in the Punjab. In 1971 he returned to teach history at the University of Otago, where he has remained ever since... All of his books and most of his published articles concern Sikh history, religion, and society."Here are some quotations from the book:"The new Guru (Tegh Bahadur) then asked how many Sikhs had given their lives for him and in reply was informed that there were only three. All others were able to conceal their identity because they bore no outward sign of being a Sikh. The Guru then resolved that all should bear obvious symbols such that a single Sikh would stand out in a crowd of thousands." (Pg. 47)"The line of personal Gurus was at an end and the Guru would thereafter be present in the Granth and the Panth." (Pg. 59)"Today, as in generations past, the Guru Granth Sahib is venerated beyond all else in Sikhism, and ... it is shown the utmost respect at all times. Non-Sikh observers sometimes suggest that the Sikh attitude really amounts to idolatry. Sikhs are quick to respond to this, agreeing that certainly they pay the sacred volume extreme reverence but emphasizing that this reverence never proceeds to the point of actually worshipping it." (Pg. 106-107)"Sikhism is strictly a lay organization, by which is meant that the Sikhs do not believe in ordination and there are no Sikh clergy. References in the popular press to Sikh 'clergy' or 'priests' are mistaken usages." (Pg. 139)"Sikhs ... are renowned as drinkers of hard liquor and will make no effort to conceal the fact that it is for them an important means of relaxation... A large majority of all Sikhs simply prefer to enjoy their alcohol and not be bothered by any attempt to defend it." (Pg. 215)"As a religious system, orthodox Sikhism teaches that women are completely equal to men in all respects." (Pg. 241)

This book gives you the basic overview of Sikh history. Unfortunately, at times the author seems more concerned with his opinion that no reasonable person could believe in any of this than he is with actually recording the facts. It's becoming a little too cliche to talk about a religion and to label its followers as blind to the realities of the world. This books seems more concerned with discounting Sikhism than exploring its dogma.

alot of people think MCLEOD was a christian missionary he was! that is until he went to India and came back an ATHEIST!he lost all faith in his christian religion and fell in love with sikhism! however he was a historian!! and is not going to beaccepting everything at face value! sikhs like any other group believe some fantastic things! a historian can only look at facts!!its a great book! every other book is usually a gushing tribute and sectarian!

"Sikhism" is an excellent, objective history and overview of the Sikh religion. It is written from an academic's perspective; as such, some observations may not sit well with a devoted follower of the religion--the same as a Christian might be uneasy with an academic treatise on Christianity. But, as another reviewer points out, the author is not disrespectful toward the Sikhs; to the contrary, I get the impression he has a certain fascination with the religion; and that feeling comes through the book. I could hardly put it down.Examples of subject matter: the author explains the origin of the Langer, or free kitchen--and why they generally serve only vegetarian food even though most Sikhs are not vegetarian. Also, the history and meaning of the beard, turban, and other outward symbols of the Sikh, are thoroughly explained. I found particularly interesting the discussion of the 10 Sikh gurus. Since they lived not so far in the past (16th-18th century?) there is actually some recorded history of their lives.The author's style is concise and easy to read. The only difficulty for this Western reader was dealing with the many unfamiliar Sikh terms. But they were necessary for understanding and not too difficult.For anyone with a serious interest in learning about the Sikhs, I highly recommend this book.

This is a history of Sikhism. It covers the history, the religion, and the society, as well as covers the questions involved in determining authoritative information.The history covers the Ten Gurus and the Panth. The religion section covers the doctrine, the Khalsa and its code of honor, worship, sacred writings, and different sects. The society section discusses what defines a Sikh and discusses the Sikh diaspora.Included in the appendix are excerpts from Sikh scripture. This and the list of references were very helpful in expanding understanding of this religion.I would recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about the Sikh religion from outside the religion. The tone of the book is that of a non-practitioner.