Jan-March 2006 - Institute of Sikh Studies

WOMAN IN SIKHISM11thing for her to do was to bear children, and to make them religious.Even, up to this day – it is not possible for a woman among Christiansto be ordained as a preacher. At the Kikiyuyu Conference, held someyears ago, the leaders of Christians though tried to improve the positionof woman in this respect, but the words of St. Paul stood in their way,and they could not succeed. Among Mohammadens too the positionof woman is the same. She cannot utter the call to prayer, or becomean Imam in a mosque; i.e., she cannot lead a congregation in prayer.Among Hindus, except in the case of Buddhists, woman suffers thesame disabilities. She cannot have a personal religion or spiritualresponsibility as apart from her man (father, husband, or son). Henceit is considered incumbent on a man to get a male child, who shouldlook after his spiritual interests in this or the next world. How muchevil has resulted from this prenicious doctrine !WHAT IS THE POSITION OF WOMAN IN SIKHISM?Guru Nanak restored to woman the fullest rights belonging toher in society. He says in his Asa-di-Var:It is by woman, the condemned one, that we are conceived, and from her thatwe are born; it is with her that we are betrothed and married.It is woman we befriend, and she who keeps the race going.When one women dies, another is sought for; it is with her that we getestablished in society.Why should we call her inferior who gives birth to great men?Woman was given back her personal share in religion. She wasto have the same responsibility in spiritual matters as man, and was inevery way his equal in the sight of God:All (women as well as men) acknowledge the same God as their own, pointout any who does not.Each person is responsible himself for his actions, and shall have to settlehis account himself.”Religious congregations were thrown open to woman. They wereto participate freely in all religious and secular observances, and nosocial custom was to hinder them from doing so. Sikh women are tothis day seen attending all occasions of public worship, all conferences,along with the members of the other sex; and their conjoint as well asalternate singing, in which they often lead the chorus, must move the