History of Sikhism: Difference between revisions

The '''history of Sikhism''' is closely associated with the [[history of Punjab]] and the socio-political situation in the north-west of the Indian subcontinent in the 16th century. From the rule of India by the Mughal Emperor [[Jahangir]] ({{reign | 1605 |1627}}), Sikhism came into conflict with Mughal laws, because they were affecting political successions of [[Mughals]] while cherishing saints from [[Islam]]. Mughal rulers killed many prominent Sikhs for refusing to obey their orders,<ref name=IslamistPersecution8>Pashaura Singh (2005), Understanding the Martyrdom of Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Journal of Punjab Studies, 12(1), pages 29-62</ref> and for opposing the persecution of [[Sikhs]].<ref name="IslamistPersecution9">{{cite journal  | last = McLeod  | first = Hew  | title = Sikhs and Muslims in the Punjab  | journal = South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies  | volume = 22  | issue = s1  | pages = 155–165  | year = 1987  | doi = 10.1080/00856408708723379 }}</ref> Of [[Sikh gurus|total 10 Sikh gurus]],<ref name="IslamistPersecution1">V. D. Mahajan (1970). Muslim Rule In India. S. Chand, New Delhi, p.223.</ref><ref name="IslamistPersecution3">{{cite book|title= Later Mughals|first= William|last= Irvine|publisher= Harvard Press |isbn= 9781290917766|year= 2012}}</ref><ref name="IslamistPersecution4">{{cite book |author1= Pashaura Singh |author2= Louis Fenech | title= The Oxford handbook of Sikh studies | publisher= Oxford University Press | location= Oxford, UK | year= 2014 | isbn= 978-0-19-969930-8 | pages= 236–238}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last= Gandhi | first= Surjit | title= History of Sikh gurus retold | publisher=Atlantic Publishers | year=2007 | isbn=978-81-269-0858-5 | pages=653–691}}</ref><ref name="IslamistPersecution5">{{cite book | last= Singh | first= Prithi | title= The history of Sikh gurus | publisher= Lotus Press | year= 2006 | isbn= 978-81-8382-075-2 | page= 124}}</ref> two gurus themselves were tortured and executed ([[Guru Arjan |Guru Arjan Dev]] and [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]]),<ref name="Singh2003">{{cite book|last= Singh|first= Prof. Kartar|title= Life Story Of Guru Nanak|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=nhKMUnfLZLEC&pg=PA88|access-date= 26 November 2010|date= 2003-01-01|publisher= Hemkunt Press|isbn= 978-81-7010-162-8|page= 90}}</ref><ref name="IslamistPersecution2">{{cite book | last= Siṅgha | first= Kirapāla | title= Select documents on Partition of Punjab-1947 | publisher= National Book | year= 2006 | isbn= 978-81-7116-445-5 | page=234}}</ref> and close kin of several gurus brutally killed (such as the seven and nine-year old sons of [[Guru Gobind Singh]]),<ref name="pri">{{cite book | last = Singh | first = Prithi Pal | title = The history of Sikh Gurus | publisher = Lotus Press | pages = 158 | isbn = 81-8382-075-1 | year = 2006 }}</ref><ref name="IslamistPersecution6">{{cite web|url= http://www.sikhpoint.com/religion/sikhcommunity/bandasinghbahadur.htm/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=8|title= Life of Banda Singh|first= Ernest|last= Abel}}{{Dead link|date= January 2020 |bot= InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted= yes }}</ref> along with numerous other main revered figures of Sikhism were tortured and killed (such as [[Banda Bahadur]] (1716), [[Bhai Mati Das]], [[Bhai Sati Das]] and [[Bhai Dayala]]),<ref name="IslamistPersecution5" /><ref name="pri" /><ref name="IslamistPersecution6" /> by Mughal rulers for refusing their orders,<ref name="IslamistPersecution8" /><ref name="IslamistPersecution1" /><ref name="IslamistPersecution6" /><ref name="pri" /> and for opposing the persecution of [[Sikhs]] and [[Hindus]].<ref name=IslamistPersecution9/><ref name=IslamistPersecution2/><ref name=IslamistPersecution3/><ref name=IslamistPersecution5/> Subsequently, Sikhism militarised itself to oppose Mughal hegemony. The emergence of the [[Sikh Confederacy]] under the [[misl]]s and [[Sikh Empire]] under the reign of the Maharajah [[Ranjit Singh]] ({{reign | 1792 | 1839}}) was characterised by religious tolerance and [[Religious pluralism|pluralism]] with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The establishment of the [[Sikh Confederacy|Sikh Empire]] in 1799 is commonly considered the zenith of Sikhism in the political sphere,<ref name="Lafont">{{cite book | last = Lafont  | first = Jean-Marie  | title = Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Lord of the Five Rivers (French Sources of Indian History Sources)  | publisher = Oxford University Press  | date = 16 May 2002  | location = USA  | pages = 23–29 | isbn = 0-19-566111-7}}</ref> during its existence (from 1799 to 1849) the [[Sikh Confederacy|Sikh Empire]] came to include [[Kashmir]], [[Ladakh]], and [[Peshawar]]. A number of Muslim and Hindu peasants converted to Sikhism.<ref name="Singh2008">