SikhiWiki:Today's featured article/October 14, 2009
The word "Sikhism" is derived from "Sikh", which is a Punjabi word that means a "dedicated" and "devoted" disciple or student. It is estimated that there are about 25 million Sikhs worldwide, making Sikhism or Sikhi, the 5th largest religion in the world.
Of these 25 million Sikhs, approximately 20 million Sikhs live in India, primarily in the state of Punjab in the north west part of the sub-continent. Outside the Punjab, large populations of Sikhs can also be found in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Sikhs are a significant minority in Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. In most of the foreign countries, they have faced hardships because of their appearance but are respected for their hard work and skills.
Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak, who was born in 1469. Nine other Gurus followed him from 1539 to 1708. The Gurus preached the same message to all the peoples of the world. They urged people of all religions or of no religion to work together in friendship. The taught that religion was a way to unite people of diverse backgrounds in the knowledge that we are all children of the same one Almighty God, the Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. .....More
