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ABSTRACTS OF SIKH STUDIES : APRIL-JUNE 2005 / 537 NS
everywhere (including the animal sacrificed). Then what is halal
that you claim to offer to God
COMMONLY USED SIKH TERMS
There are some popular but not correct translations of very
commonly used Sikh terms. The following four examples given by a
British-born English teacher married to a Sikh in Canada, illustrate
the point :
1. Baptised Sikh : Baptism is a Christian term. Therefore, an amritdhari
Sikh cannot be a baptised Sikh. We know, there is no amritdhari
Christian. Amritdhari Sikh may be explained as a person formally
initiated into the Sikh faith through the amrit ceremony.
Further, there is no parallel word in English for amrit. Amrit is
not even nectar, which is the drink of the Greek and Roman
gods.
2. Sikh Church : Church is a Christian place of worship. Sikh Church
to mean gurdwara is as wrong as to call a Church a Christian gurdwara.
‘Gurdwara’ may be described as a place for Sikh congregation and
religious services. It is not a Sikh worship place either, because Sikhs do
not worship Guru Granth Sahib as Hindus worship the statues of
their gods.
3. Saint : Sant is not a saint. For the western people saint is a special
title conferred posthumously only on Christian holy people who
possessed the power of performing miracles. We may use the
Punjabi word sant and explain it.
4. Jathedar Akal Takht is not the Pope of the Sikhs. The statement
sends the wrong signal to the English-knowing people. The status
of the jathedar may be explained when there is need for it.
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