Rehat
The final version of the Rehat Maryada was controversially approved by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar in 1945.
Guru Gobind Singh provided what is known as 52 Hukams and instructed his followers to formalize them by writing Rehat Namas.
[citation needed] There was no standard rehat but there were many with the same points and concepts, like the Muktinamah (ਮੁਕਤੀਨਾਮਾਹ), Bhai Nand Lal's Rehatnamah (ਰਹਿਤਨਾਮਾਹ, 1695) and Tankhahnamah (ਤਨਖਾਹਨਾਮਾਹ, circa 1704), 54 Hukams (੫੪ ਹੁਕਮ) etc.
The early Sikh rahit namas were markedly anti Mughal, the rahits derided Mughals as being "polluting"; injunctions included avoiding contact with the ritually sacrificed meat of all faiths, a ban on sexual contact with Muslim women, and a proscription on all intoxicants.
Furthermore, an early rahit-nama asserted that karah parsad, whilst to be distributed to everyone irrespective of their religious background, was not to be consumed by a Sikh in the company of a Mughal.
William Hewat McLeod writes that these injunctions were a reflection of a period of extended warfare between the Sikhs and Muslims during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
[13][14][15][16] Six Rahitnamas were placed in the time of Guru Gobind Singh, the Tankhahnama of those in particular stresses hostility towards Mughal Aristocrats, referred to as "Turks".
[17][18][19] The twentieth century versions of the rahit; drawing upon and furthering developing earlier forms of rahits were representative of an effort to systemize codes presented in different versions and modify them in line with the evolving Sikh orthodoxy associated with the Singh Sahba reform movement.
W.H McLeod further comments that while Guru Gobind's utterance of the rahit does not oppose nor is it inconsistent with the traditional version used today, it is suggested that he announced a considerably simpler one.
[21] He also noted that while the eighteenth century rahits disagreed on many points, a universal belief that the Khalsa was the principal sovereign not just of India, but the entire world, was accorded among them, and that many of the earliest rahit-namas violated certain Sikh precepts in the Guru Granth Sahib- including observation of caste status.
He also notes that the eighteenth and nineteenth century Sikh manuscripts proclaimed Guru Gobind Singh to be the avatar of Vishnu and four of the five Panj Pyare as the incarnations of a Hindu demigod (Lava) and three Hindu bhakts (the exception being Himmat Singh- considered an incarnation of a hunter).
A general meeting of the SGPC was held on 15 March 1927 to establish a subcommittee with the task of producing a draft Code of Conduct.
On 1 October, the sub-committee submitted its report to the SGPC Secretary recommending a special session of the Committee be convened to consider the final draft and approve it for acceptance.
[23] The SGPC then received comments on the draft from a subcommittee of 50 individuals and 21 Panthic Associations (including international organisations), all of whom are listed in the Introduction to the Sikh Rehat Maryada.
[24] After nearly three years, on 1 August 1936, the broader subcommittee approved the draft, and the general body of the SGPC ratified it on 12 October 1936.
[25] A Sikh is defined as any person, male or female, who faithfully: There are two aspects to a Sikh living: first is the adherence to a personal discipline and the development of a strong family life; the other is the involvement in communal life and to ensure community well-being and infra-structure for support of the weak within the community local and globally.
This is the practical aspect of the three pillars of Sikhism promoted by Guru Nanak called Vand Chhako ('share what you eat [or have]').
It is the duty of the Sikh to hold a continuous dialogue with all members of the larger community, to treat them as equals, and respect their religions and their customs.
The main philosophy behind the langar is two-fold: to provide training to engage in seva and an opportunity to serve people from all walks of life; and to help banish all distinctions between high and low castes.
The Sikh is to arise in the early hours and recite Nitnem, a collection of Gurbani to be read in the morning (Five Banis), evening (Rehras), and night (Kirtan Sohila), followed each time with the Ardas prayer.
The Ardas signifies that the Sikh need only seek the support of the Almighty Lord before beginning any new task or venture.
An Akhand Paath is the non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib carried on during difficult times or during occasions of joy and celebration.
Reading the Gurbani too fast, so that the person listening in cannot follow the contents, is discouraged and is considered as disrespect for the Scriptures and the congregation (sangat).
