Sikhism: An Overview

The first step in the study of any religion is to have an overall picture of the beliefs and practices of that religion; since the detailed analysis of the concepts involved in the religion concerned will lead us to what is acknowledged by that religion. Every scholar of religion, it goes without saying, seeks to understand: the view of the religion he is studying on the world, creation, and its creator, the way in which the founder of that religion characterized himself, the way in which one can achieve salvation, the status of morals, the religious symbols, the rituals performed by its adherents, the most important scriptures, the number and distribution of its adherents, and so on. This involves a general overview of the religion concerned. The present paper is an attempt to provide a general overview of one of the world's youngest religions. This paper may be the first step in studying Sikhism as well as exploring its different aspects in detail.