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A ''' | A '''masand''' was a representative and tithe collector in [[Sikhism]].<ref name="Farhadian2015p342">{{cite book|author=Charles E. Farhadian|title=Introducing World Religions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5VV-BAAAQBAJ&pg=PT342|year=2015|publisher=Baker Academic|isbn=978-1-4412-4650-9|page=342}}</ref> They were an officially appointed missionary minister representing the [[Sikh]] [[Guru]], who baptized conversions to Sikhism, and collected ''[[dasvandh]]'' ("the tenth" of income) as an offering to the Sikh community and religious establishment.<ref name="Farhadian2015p342"/> A masand forwarded the collected amount to the Sikh guru. | ||
== Etymology == | == Etymology == | ||
The word | The word masand (Punjabi: ਮਸੰਦ) is an adaptation of the [[Persian language|Persian]] term ‘masnad’ (Punjabi: ਮਸਨਦ),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Satbir |title=Sāḍā itihāsa: Pañjāba dā itihāsa, Volume 1 |date=1957}}</ref> which refers to ‘a seat’ that is at a lower level than the throne. The Guru was the highest authority while masands were emplaced to spread the message of Sikhism and given the authority to baptize individuals converting to Sikhism. During conversions happening in the absence of the Guru, the new convert would touch the feet of the masand or drink the water they had dipped their toe in, in order to become initiated into the Sikh religion.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Lewis R. Rambo|author2=Charles E. Farhadian|title=The Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U03gAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA494 |year=2014|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-971354-7|pages=494–495}}</ref> | ||
== History: Origin and Structure == | == History: Origin and Structure == | ||
It is unclear when the '' | It is unclear when the m''asand'' system started. It began with [[Guru Amar Das]] in some accounts,<ref name="Farhadian2015p342" /> by [[Guru Ram Das]] in other accounts,<ref name="MittalThursby2006p244" /> or [[Guru Arjan]] by still other accounts.<ref>History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1469-1606 C.E Volume 1, Surjit Singh Gandhi (2007), Atlantic Publishers & Dist, Page 321</ref> A masand was appointed for each religious administrative unit called the [[Sikh Manji]], a system that was founded by [[Guru Amar Das]].<ref name="cole20">{{cite book|author1=William Owen Cole|author2=Piara Singh Sambhi|title=The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zIC_MgJ5RMUC&pg=PA22| year=1995| publisher= Sussex Academic Press|isbn=978-1-898723-13-4|pages=20–21}}</ref><ref name="FenechMcLeod2014p29">{{cite book|author1=Louis E. Fenech|author2=W. H. McLeod|title=Historical Dictionary of Sikhism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xajcAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA29|year=2014|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-4422-3601-1|pages=29–30}}</ref> This system was expanded by later Sikh Gurus.<ref>Page 95, Sikhism Origin and Development, Dalbir Singh Dhillon. Atlantic Publishers & Distri</ref> | ||
== Role in Sikhism == | == Role in Sikhism == | ||
The | The masand system was critical in empowering Sikhism with an independent economic resource pool, that helped pay for gurdwara (temple) building, for building a Sikh army and the upkeep of Sikh soldiers, as well routine expenses such as ''langar'' (kitchen) which offered a free meal to visitors to the Sikh temples.<ref name="MittalThursby2006p244">{{cite book|author1=Sushil Mittal|author2=Gene Thursby|title=Religions of South Asia: An Introduction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MTqDAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT244 |year=2006|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-59321-7|pages=244–245}}</ref> | ||
The | The manji and masand system of revenue collection for Sikh temples and other purposes was a source of major dispute between the Sikh Gurus and the Mughal emperors. For example, [[Aurangzeb]] seized the tithe collections by the masands for use by the Mughal treasury, and demolished Sikh temples throughout Punjab to emphasize the Islamic character of the Mughal Empire.<ref name="Mandair2013p53">{{cite book|author=Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair|title=Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vdhLAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA53|date=8 August 2013|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|isbn=978-1-4411-0231-7|pages=52–53}}</ref> | ||
== Abolition of the | == Abolition of the masand system == | ||
Overtime, few | Overtime, a few masands became corrupt and started treating themselves as Gurus to collect money for their personal motives. Hence, Guru Gobind Singh ordered Sikhs not to recognize those masands as authority figures and prohibited having any type of relationship with them or their deputies.<ref>Page 135, The History of Sikh Gurus, Prithi Pal Singh, Lotus Press, Jan 1, 2006</ref> According to early Sikh literature including rahitnamas, the Sikhs, under Guru Gobind's command, punished, beat and killed certain masands whose corruption, exploitation, and greed or inability to deliver sufficient money and resources had affronted the Guru.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grewal |first=J. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YDLNDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT90 |title=Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708): Master of the White Hawk |date=2019-07-25 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-099038-1 |pages=88–92 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lorenzen |first=David N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L7nYvxCiAQcC&pg=PA44|title=Bhakti Religion in North India: Community Identity and Political Action|date=1994-11-09 |publisher=State University of New York Press |isbn=9781438411262 |pages=44 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
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== References == | == References == | ||
Latest revision as of 16:12, 18 May 2022
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A masand was a representative and tithe collector in Sikhism.[1] They were an officially appointed missionary minister representing the Sikh Guru, who baptized conversions to Sikhism, and collected dasvandh ("the tenth" of income) as an offering to the Sikh community and religious establishment.[1] A masand forwarded the collected amount to the Sikh guru.
Etymology[edit]
The word masand (Punjabi: ਮਸੰਦ) is an adaptation of the Persian term ‘masnad’ (Punjabi: ਮਸਨਦ),[2] which refers to ‘a seat’ that is at a lower level than the throne. The Guru was the highest authority while masands were emplaced to spread the message of Sikhism and given the authority to baptize individuals converting to Sikhism. During conversions happening in the absence of the Guru, the new convert would touch the feet of the masand or drink the water they had dipped their toe in, in order to become initiated into the Sikh religion.[3]
History: Origin and Structure[edit]
It is unclear when the masand system started. It began with Guru Amar Das in some accounts,[1] by Guru Ram Das in other accounts,[4] or Guru Arjan by still other accounts.[5] A masand was appointed for each religious administrative unit called the Sikh Manji, a system that was founded by Guru Amar Das.[6][7] This system was expanded by later Sikh Gurus.[8]
Role in Sikhism[edit]
The masand system was critical in empowering Sikhism with an independent economic resource pool, that helped pay for gurdwara (temple) building, for building a Sikh army and the upkeep of Sikh soldiers, as well routine expenses such as langar (kitchen) which offered a free meal to visitors to the Sikh temples.[4]
The manji and masand system of revenue collection for Sikh temples and other purposes was a source of major dispute between the Sikh Gurus and the Mughal emperors. For example, Aurangzeb seized the tithe collections by the masands for use by the Mughal treasury, and demolished Sikh temples throughout Punjab to emphasize the Islamic character of the Mughal Empire.[9]
Abolition of the masand system[edit]
Overtime, a few masands became corrupt and started treating themselves as Gurus to collect money for their personal motives. Hence, Guru Gobind Singh ordered Sikhs not to recognize those masands as authority figures and prohibited having any type of relationship with them or their deputies.[10] According to early Sikh literature including rahitnamas, the Sikhs, under Guru Gobind's command, punished, beat and killed certain masands whose corruption, exploitation, and greed or inability to deliver sufficient money and resources had affronted the Guru.[11][12]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Charles E. Farhadian (2015). Introducing World Religions. Baker Academic. p. 342. ISBN 978-1-4412-4650-9.
- ↑ Singh, Satbir (1957). Sāḍā itihāsa: Pañjāba dā itihāsa, Volume 1.
- ↑ Lewis R. Rambo; Charles E. Farhadian (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion. Oxford University Press. pp. 494–495. ISBN 978-0-19-971354-7.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sushil Mittal; Gene Thursby (2006). Religions of South Asia: An Introduction. Routledge. pp. 244–245. ISBN 978-1-134-59321-7.
- ↑ History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1469-1606 C.E Volume 1, Surjit Singh Gandhi (2007), Atlantic Publishers & Dist, Page 321
- ↑ William Owen Cole; Piara Singh Sambhi (1995). The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Sussex Academic Press. pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-1-898723-13-4.
- ↑ Louis E. Fenech; W. H. McLeod (2014). Historical Dictionary of Sikhism. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 29–30. ISBN 978-1-4422-3601-1.
- ↑ Page 95, Sikhism Origin and Development, Dalbir Singh Dhillon. Atlantic Publishers & Distri
- ↑ Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair (8 August 2013). Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 52–53. ISBN 978-1-4411-0231-7.
- ↑ Page 135, The History of Sikh Gurus, Prithi Pal Singh, Lotus Press, Jan 1, 2006
- ↑ Grewal, J. S. (25 July 2019). Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708): Master of the White Hawk. Oxford University Press. pp. 88–92. ISBN 978-0-19-099038-1.
- ↑ Lorenzen, David N. (9 November 1994). Bhakti Religion in North India: Community Identity and Political Action. State University of New York Press. p. 44. ISBN 9781438411262.
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