Conversion to Sikhism

From SikhiWiki
Revision as of 13:52, 5 November 2008 by Allenwalla (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigationJump to search

Perhaps you can add your name to this page if you are one of those who have joined the Khalsa, or know someone who has. Please only those who have changed their religion to Sikhism from another.

Hinduism to Sikhism

The names of the many lakhs of Hindus could never be listed in this article, thousands upon thousands of their names have been lost to history. Some of the most prominant have been:

  • Bhai Lehna ji a Hindu worshipper of Durga who lead worshippers to the Jawalamukhi Temple every year, was born in the village of Harike in Ferozepur district, Punjab. The son of Bhai Pheru and Mata Ramo, one day he was intrigued overhearing a song of worship being sung by one of Guru Nanak's Sikhs. Soon he was an avid devotee to Guru Nanak himself. After years of dedication and seva to the Guru's sangat, Guru Nanad Dev himself chose Bhai Lehna as the next Guru of his Sikhs giving him the new name of Angad.
  • Bhai Amardas Ji was a very religious Vaishanavite Hindu who spent most of his life performing all of the ritual pilgrimages and fasts of a devout Hindu. Bhai Amardas Sahib Ji heard some hymns of Sri Guru Nanak Dev being sung by Bibi Amro Ji, the daughter of Guru Angad. He was so moved by the Shabads that he immediately decided to go to Khadur to meet Guru Angad. At the time Bhai Amardas was 61 years old. Upon meeting Guru Angad Dev Sahib Ji, Bhai Sahib was so touched by the Guru's message that he soon became a devout Sikh involved in Sewa (Service) to the Guru and the Community. As a result of Bhai Sahib's commitment to Sikhi principles, dedicated service and devotion to the Sikh cause, Guru Angad appointed him Guru Amar Das the third Sikh Guru at the age of 73.
  • Pandit Kirpa Ram Dutt (the leader of the Kashmiri Pandits who saw a vision of Shiva (at Amarnath Cave) who advised him to seek the assistance of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. The Pandit later became the Sanskrit teacher of Guru Gobind Singh and eventually became a Khalsa and died as Shaheed Kirpa Singh fighting with his Guru in the battle of Chamkaur.
  • Chaman lal a ragi whose Amritdhari name is Bhai Chaman jeet Singh Lal. A controversy over a article in the Panthic weekly resulted in a no show at a scheduled appearance at Sis Ganj Sahib on New Year’s Eve last January.

Islam to Sikhism

If you're thinking of converting, but worried that your the only one who has ever left islam for sikhism, don't be - for many have done so, but some do not openly declare their apostaphy of islam and their embracing of another religion such as Sikhism. As you are aware many Muslims, around the world, think that apostates to Islam should be killed, even the dating of men of other religions by their daughters has lead several Muslim fathers to kill their own children in what is called an 'honor killing'. Fortunately many moderate Muslims consider this to be wrong.

Some who have taken this risk or don't consider it to be risky are listed below:

  • Alia Kaur, once of Leeds, is the sister of 7/7 London suicide bomber Hasib Hussain. Kaur embraced the Sikh way of life in the late 1990s. Her strict Muslim family disowned her after discovering about her conversion.
  • Muskan Kaur, formerly Muska Kakar – Muska is the daughter of a high ranking Afghanistan Army official in the Hamid Karzai administration and comes from a devout Muslim family. She now lives in the Holy city of Amritsar and has become something of a celebrity in the Punjabi media.
  • Ayesha Kaur Duggal, formerly Aisha Jafri -Born in Lahore, Ayesha is a medical doctor who studied at Lady Harding Medical College in Delhi.She is the wife of the eminent Kartar Duggal, author of several exegeses on Sikh Scripture and philosophy, and the sister-in-law of poet Ali Sardar Jafri. Ayesha was married at the Golden Temple in Amritsar according to Sikh rites.
  • Shemina Kaur, formerly Shemian Hirji - A Canadian born Muslim who, prior to her conversion to Sikhism, had published several scholarly papers, including ‘Teachers of Punjabi Sikh Ancestry: Their Perceptions of Their Roles in the British Columbia Education System’, written as part of her Master’s thesis.
  • Ajmer Singh, formerly Abul Turrani - A spy working for the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Ajmer Singh took Amrit at Anandpur Sahib in 1699 by the hand of Guru Gobind Singh himself.
  • Latif Singh Diaye - Latif is the son of renowned Senegalese-American Imam Xadir Diaye. Latif is a court stenographer and the author of ‘My Life As A Black Sikh’. Due to his father’s ultra-liberal interpretation of Islam, there was no issue with his apostasy and conversion into the Sikh faith.
  • Shaheed Lachhman Singh Babbar, formerly Bashir Mohammad – Babbar was a former Punjab police officer who embraced Sikhism when, ironically, in the company of Sikh separatists (the Babbar Khalsa?) whose organisation he was attempting to infiltrate.
  • Kuldeep Manak, formerly Latif Muhammed - A famous Punjabi singer who, after he embraced Sikh philosophy, released a number of Sikh devotional tracks.
  • Bhai Gurmohinder Singh, formerly Mahana Ali - Now a Sikh clergyman, Singh embraced Sikhism in 1947. He was part of a rare East Punjabi Sikh delegation that was later received by former Pakistani premiere Nawaz Sharif.
  • Sant Lakhbir Singh, formerly Karim Baksh – Born to devout Muslim parents, Singh converted to Sikhism in 1903.
  • Allayar - A wealthy Muslim horse dealer of Delhi who, after his conversion, became a Sikh preacher during the time of Guru Amar Das.
  • Ajmer Singh, formerly Ibrahim Brahmi - A Muslim recluse of the city Chhatteana, he received Sikh baptism by the hand of Bhai Maan Singh.

Christianity to Sikhism

Judism to Sikhism

Buddism to Sikhism

Shinto to Sikhism

Parsi to Sikhism

References