Sikhism on Idol Worship

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Sikhs do not worship Idols, as seen in this illustration of Bael (the Golden calf of the Canaanites)

ਤਾਕੌ ਕਰਿ ਪਾਹਨ ਅਨ੝ਮਾਨਤ ॥ ਮਹਾਂ ਮੂੜ੝ਹ ਕਛ੝ ਭੇਦ ਨ ਜਾਨਤ ॥
The fool considers Him a stone, but the great fool does not know any secret; (Guru Gobind Singh, Chopai Sahib)

Idol worship may refer to worship of a cult image, an object venerated as the representation as a deity. Idol worship was heavily discouraged by all Sikh Gurus. The worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a Monothestic God is defined as Idolatry. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered as Sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent. Which images, ideas, and objects, constitute idolatry, and which constitute reasonable worship, is a matter of contention with some religious authorities and groups using the term to describe certain other religions apart from their own (sometimes resulting in iconoclasm(Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction within a culture of the culture's own religious icons)).

This was believed to have been a manipulation by the priestly caste to keep the power in their hands. The concept of 'worship' does not exist in Sikhism. Sikhs only bow down to Guru Granth Sahib as a sign of respect for the Shabad or Word of God and they only mediate on God's name (Naam Simran). Guru Granth Sahib is a spiritual guide to reach God; the route to God's domain.

Guru Granth Sahib

In Brief, Following words are used by Guru Granth Sahib for Idol Worshippers :-

  • Idol Worshippers are ignorant fools (ਪਾਥਰ੝ ਲੇ ਪੂਜਹਿ ਮ੝ਗਧ ਗਵਾਰ ॥)
  • Idol Worshippers are Sinners and Loon Haram(Bastards).(ਗ੝ਨਹਗਾਰ ਲੂਣ ਹਰਾਮੀ ॥ ਪਾਹਣ ਨਾਵ ਨ ਪਾਰਗਿਰਾਮੀ ॥3॥)
  • Idol Worshippers works is wasted in vain. (ਜੋ ਪਾਥਰ ਕਉ ਕਹਤੇ ਦੇਵ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੇਵ ॥)
  • Idol Worshippers are Blind. (ਅੰਧੀ ਕੰਮੀ ਅੰਧ ਸਜਾਇ ॥)

Sikhs do not worship idols. What the Gurus say about idol worship is as follows:

ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੂਲੇ ਭੂਲੇ ਅਖ੝ਟੀ ਜਾਂਹੀ ॥ ਨਾਰਦਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਸਿ ਪੂਜ ਕਰਾਂਹੀ ॥
ਅੰਧੇ ਗ੝ੰਗੇ ਅੰਧ ਅੰਧਾਰ੝ ॥ ਪਾਥਰ੝ ਲੇ ਪੂਜਹਿ ਮ੝ਗਧ ਗਵਾਰ ॥
ਓਹਿ ਜਾ ਆਪਿ ਡ੝ਬੇ ਤ੝ਮ ਕਹਾ ਤਰਣਹਾਰ੝ ॥2॥

The Hindus have forgotten the Primal Lord; they are going the wrong way. As Naarad instructed them, they are worshipping idols. They are blind and mute, the blindest of the blind. The ignorant fools pick up stones and worship them. But when those stones themselves sink, who will carry you across? ||2|| (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang, 556)


ਘਰ ਮਹਿ ਠਾਕ੝ਰ੝ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥ ਗਲ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਹਣ੝ ਲੈ ਲਟਕਾਵੈ ॥1॥
ਭਰਮੇ ਭੂਲਾ ਸਾਕਤ੝ ਫਿਰਤਾ ॥ ਨੀਰ੝ ਬਿਰੋਲੈ ਖਪਿ ਖਪਿ ਮਰਤਾ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜਿਸ੝ ਪਾਹਣ ਕਉ ਠਾਕ੝ਰ੝ ਕਹਤਾ ॥ ਓਹ੝ ਪਾਹਣ੝ ਲੈ ਉਸ ਕਉ ਡ੝ਬਤਾ ॥2॥
ਗ੝ਨਹਗਾਰ ਲੂਣ ਹਰਾਮੀ ॥ ਪਾਹਣ ਨਾਵ ਨ ਪਾਰਗਿਰਾਮੀ ॥3॥
ਗ੝ਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਠਾਕ੝ਰ੝ ਜਾਤਾ ॥ ਜਲਿ ਥਲਿ ਮਹੀਅਲਿ ਪੂਰਨ ਬਿਧਾਤਾ ॥4॥3॥9॥

Within the home of his own self, he does not even come to see his Lord and Master. And yet, around his neck, he hangs a stone god. ||1|| The faithless cynic wanders around, deluded by doubt. He churns water, and after wasting his life away, he dies. ||1||Pause|| That stone, which he calls his god, that stone pulls him down and drowns him. ||2|| O sinner, you are untrue to your own self; a boat of stone will not carry you across. ||3|| Meeting the Guru, O Nanak, I know my Lord and Master. The Perfect Architect of Destiny is pervading and permeating the water, the land and the sky. ||4||3||9|| (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang, 739)


ਜੋ ਪਾਥਰ ਕਉ ਕਹਤੇ ਦੇਵ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੇਵ ॥
ਜੋ ਪਾਥਰ ਕੀ ਪਾਂਈ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਘਾਲ ਅਜਾਂਈ ਜਾਇ ॥1॥
ਠਾਕ੝ਰ੝ ਹਮਰਾ ਸਦ ਬੋਲੰਤਾ ॥ ਸਰਬ ਜੀਆ ਕਉ ਪ੝ਰਭ੝ ਦਾਨ੝ ਦੇਤਾ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਦੇਉ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ਅੰਧ੝ ॥ ਭ੝ਰਮ ਕਾ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਪਾਵੈ ਫੰਧ੝ ॥
ਨ ਪਾਥਰ੝ ਬੋਲੈ ਨਾ ਕਿਛ੝ ਦੇਇ ॥ ਫੋਕਟ ਕਰਮ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਹੈ ਸੇਵ ॥2॥

Their service is useless. Those who fall at the feet of a stone god their work is wasted in vain. ||1|| My Lord and Master speaks forever. God gives His gifts to all living beings. ||1||Pause|| The Divine Lord is within the self, but the spiritually blind one does not know this. Deluded by doubt, he is caught in the noose. The stone does not speak; it does not give anything to anyone. Such religious rituals are useless; such service is fruitless. ||2|| (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang, 1160)

ਘਰਿ ਨਾਰਾਇਣ੝ ਸਭਾ ਨਾਲਿ ॥ ਪੂਜ ਕਰੇ ਰਖੈ ਨਾਵਾਲਿ ॥
ਕ੝ੰਗੂ ਚੰਨਣ੝ ਫ੝ਲ ਚੜਾਝ ॥ ਪੈਰੀ ਪੈ ਪੈ ਬਹ੝ਤ੝ ਮਨਾਝ ॥
ਮਾਣੂਆ ਮੰਗਿ ਮੰਗਿ ਪੈਨ੝”ੈ ਖਾਇ ॥ ਅੰਧੀ ਕੰਮੀ ਅੰਧ ਸਜਾਇ ॥

In your home is the Lord God, along with all your other gods. You wash your stone gods and worship them. You offer saffron, sandalwood and flowers. Falling at their feet, you try so hard to appease them. Begging, begging from other people, you get things to wear and eat. For your blind deeds, you will be blindly punished. (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang, 1240)

Dasam Granth

In Brief, Dasam Granth have following words for Idol Worshippers:

  • Idol Worshippers are Animals.(ਕੋਊ ਬ੝ਤਾਨ ਕੋ ਪੂਜਤ ਹੈ ਪਸ੝)
  • Idol Worship is False Practice.(ਕੂਰ ਕ੝ਰਿਆ ਉਰਝਿਓ ਸਭ ਹੀ ਜਗ)
  • Idol Worshippers do not know what actually god is.
  • Guru Gobind Singh call himself Breaker of Idols in Zafarnama. (ਕਿ ਓ ਬ੝ਤ ਪਰਸਤੰਦ੝ ਮਨ ਬ੝ਤ ਸ਼ਿਕਸਤ ॥95॥)

In Shabad Hazarey:

ਕਹਾ ਭਯੋ ਜੋ ਅਤਿ ਹਿਤ ਚਿਤ ਕਰ ਬਹ੝ ਬਿਧਿ ਸਿਲਾ ਪ੝ਜਾਈ ॥
ਪ੝ਰਾਨ ਥਕਿਓ ਪਾਹਨ ਕਹ ਪਰਸਤ ਕਛ੝ ਕਰ ਸਿਧ ਨ ਆਈ॥1॥
ਅਛਤ ਧੂਪ ਦੀਪ ਅਰਪਤ ਹੈ ਪਾਹਨ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਖੈਹੈ ॥
ਤਾ ਮੈਂ ਕਹਾਂ ਸਿਧਿ ਹੈ ਰੇ ਜੜ ਤੋਹਿ ਕਛੂ ਬਰ ਦੈਹੈ॥2॥
ਜੌ ਜੀਯ ਹੋਤ ਤੌ ਦੇਤ ਕਛ੝ ਤ੝ਹਿ ਕਰ ਮਨ ਬਚ ਕਰਮ ਬਿਚਾਰ ॥
ਕੇਵਲ ਝਕ ਸਰਣ ਸ੝ਆਮੀ ਬਿਨ ਯੌ ਨਹਿ ਕਤਹਿ ਉਧਾਰ॥3॥9॥

Statue/Murti of Vishnu, his Avatars and other members of the Hindu Pantheon - meaningless to Sikhs

So what if you worshipped statues, monuments or pictures? Worshiping these, your soul has been tired (meaning you are close to death) but you have not found anything. You donate rice rice, you burn joss-stick, wick lamps or frankincense, you burn oil lamps and perform many other rituals but that statue does not get you anything because it has no life. You fool! What do you get out of performing these rituals? What can a stone give you? If this stone had life, then it would have been able to give you something. Think this over and start reciting God’s praises, then you will know the right path and you will know that without God, you cannot get away from this cycle of birth and death. :::::(Shabad Hazaray, Guru Gobind Singh Ji)

In Akal Ustat:

ਕਾਹੂ ਲੈ ਪਾਹਨ ਪੂਜ ਧਰਯੋ ਸਿਰ ਕਾਹੂ ਲੈ ਲਿੰਗ ਗਰੇ ਲਟਕਾਇਓ ॥
ਕਾਹੂ ਲਖਿਓ ਹਰਿ ਅਵਾਚੀ ਦਿਸਾ ਮਹਿ ਕਾਹੂ ਪਛਾਹ ਕੋ ਸੀਸ੝ ਨਿਵਾਇਓ ॥
ਕੋਊ ਬ੝ਤਾਨ ਕੋ ਪੂਜਤ ਹੈ ਪਸ੝ ਕੋਊ ਮ੝ਰਿਤਾਨ ਕੋ ਪੂਜਨ ਧਾਇਓ ॥
ਕੂਰ ਕ੝ਰਿਆ ਉਰਝਿਓ ਸਭ ਹੀ ਜਗ ਸ੝ਰੀ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਕੋ ਭੇਦ੝ ਨ ਪਾਇਓ ॥10॥

While worshipping stones some people are bowing before them and some others are withholding idols of stones in their necks. Some people have faith that God is in the south while others consider God is toward the west and they are bowing their heads in those directions. Some people are worshiping idols foolishly while others are adoring the dead. The whole world is busy in such false performances without knowing the secret mystery of God. (Akal Ustat, Guru Gobind Singh Ji)

In Bachittar Natak:

ਤਾਹਿ ਪਛਾਨਤ ਹੈ ਨ ਮਹਾ ਪਸ੝ ਜਾ ਕੋ ਪ੝ਰਤਾਪ੝ ਤਿਹੂੰ ਪ੝ਰ ਮਾਹੀ ॥
ਪੂਜਤ ਹੈ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਕੈ ਜਿਹ ਕੇ ਪਰਸੈ ਪਰਲੋਕ ਪਰਾਹੀ ॥
ਪਾਪ ਕਰੋ ਪਰਮਾਰਥ ਕੈ ਜਿਹ ਪਾਪਨ ਤੇ ਅਤਿ ਪਾਪ ਲਜਾਹੀ ॥
ਪਾਇ ਪਰੋ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਕੇ ਜੜ ਪਾਹਨ ਮੈਂ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੯੯॥

O foolish beast! You do not recognize Him, Whose Glory hath spread over all the three worlds. You worship the creatures of God, on account of which your future (in the yond) is lost. For self interest you do such sin that even then great sin is ashamed of that. O ignorant, fall at the feet of the Lord. God does not reside in these stones.

(Bachittar Natak, Guru Gobind Singh Ji)

In 33 Swaiyey:
ਕਾਹੇ ਕਉ ਪੂਜਤ ਪਾਹਨ ਕਉ ਕਛ੝ ਪਾਹਨ ਮੈ ਪਰਮੇਸ੝ਰ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
ਤਾਹੀ ਕੋ ਪੂਜ ਪ੝ਰਭੂ ਕਰਿ ਕੈ ਜਿਹ ਪੂਜਤ ਹੀ ਅਘ ਓਘ ਮਿਟਾਹੀ ॥
ਆਧਿ ਬਿਆਧਿ ਕੇ ਬੰਧਨ ਜੇਤਕ ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਲੇਤ ਸਭੈ ਛ੝ਟਿ ਜਾਹੀ ॥
ਤਾਹੀ ਕੋ ਧਯਾਨ੝ ਪ੝ਰਮਾਨ ਸਦਾ ਇਨ ਫੋਕਟ ਧਰਮ ਕਰੇ ਫਲ੝ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੨੦॥

Why do you worship stones? The Lord-God is not within those stones; you may only worship Him, whose adoration destroys clusters of sins; with the remembrance on the Name of the Lord, the ties of all suffering are removed; ever mediate on that Lord because the hollow religious will not bear any fruit.

(33 Swayeas, Guru Gobind Singh Ji)

ਫੋਕਟ ਧਰਮ ਭਯੋ ਫਲ ਹੀਨ ਜ੝ ਪੂਜ ਸਿਲਾ ਜ੝ਗਿ ਕੋਟ ਗਵਾਈ ॥
ਸਿੱਧ ਕਹਾ ਸਿਲ ਕੇ ਪਰਸੇ ਬਲ ਬ੝ਰਿੱਧ ਘਟੀ ਨਵਨਿੱਧ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥
ਆਜ੝ ਹੀ ਆਜ੝ ਸਮੋ ਜ੝ ਬਿਤਯੋ ਨਹਿ ਕਾਜ ਸਰਯੋ ਕਛ੝ ਲਾਜ ਨ ਆਈ ॥
ਸ੝ਰੀ ਭਗਵੰਤ ਭਜਯੋ ਨ ਅਰੇ ਜੜ ਝਸੇ ਹੀ ਝਸ ਸ੝ ਬੈਸ ਗਵਾਈ ॥੨੧॥

The hollow religion became fruitless and O being ! you have lost millions of years by worshipping the stones; you will not get power with the worship of stones; the strength and glory will only decrease; In this way, the time was lost uselessly and nothing was achieved and you were not ashamed; O foolish intellect! You have not remembered the Lord and have wasted your life in vain. :::::(33 Swayeas, Guru Gobind Singh Ji)

In his Zaffarnama Guru Gobind Singh Ji gives the cause of opposition to him by the hill kings.

ਮਨਮ ਕ੝ਸ਼ਤਨਮ ਕੋਹੀਯਾਂ ਬ੝ਤ ਪਰਸਤ ॥
ਕਿ ਓ ਬ੝ਤ ਪਰਸਤੰਦ੝ ਮਨ ਬ੝ਤ ਸ਼ਿਕਸਤ ॥95॥

I have killed the hill Rajas (kings) who were bent on mischief. They were stone idol worshippers, I am the breaker of idols and I worship the one Lord.

(Zaffarnama, Guru Gobind Singh Ji)
Sikhs protesting Hindutva images which attempt to relate Shikhi with Hiduism

Other Texts

It is written in Dubistan-i-Mazahib:

ਨਾਨਕ ਪੰਥੀ ਜੋ ਗ੝ਰੂ ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਹੈਨ, ਓਹ ਬ੝ੱਤ ਔਰ ਬ੝ੱਤਖਾਨਿਆਂ ਪਰ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਰੱਖਦੇ ।

Followers of Guru Nanak (Sikhs) do not have faith in idols and temples of idols. The Sikhs are not idol worshippers. The greatest proof of that is that none of the Gurus raised any temple where an idol was installed.

A Hindu Sikh Conversation

Hindu: by making references to Gurbani you have proved that there is no idol worship in Sikh religion. But is not the worship of Guru Granth Sahib another form of idol worship? You take Granth as the personification of the Guru and offer to Granth Karah Prasad (sacred food) on a plate.

Sikh: Sikhs respect the Granth Sahib as an order from the Lord, and from the Granth we get metaphysical and worldly truths. It is not as in idol worship and it is not idol worship. Karah Prasad in a plate is kept for the Granthi (priest in attendance) and not for the Granth, to be consecrated by the Granth.

Throughout the world the royal proclamation is shows respects, one puts that to forehead and bows to it. The same is true with respect to Granth Sahib. The Primal Father is the True King and it is His proclamation. If somebody, without understanding copies the Hindu priests it is not the fault of Sikh principles.

Hindu: In the Granth it is written that Dhanna Bhagat the Dhaliwal Jat met Hari through Thakur (sacred stones of the Hindus) and Namdeva met God through idol worship. Even Bhai Gurdas has mentioned in his Vars about Dhanna and Namdeva. That proves they had at one time worshipped idols.

Sikh: In the Granth Sahib this is the only reference:

ਇਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਸ੝ਨਿ ਕੈ ਜਾਟਰੋ ਉਠਿ ਭਗਤੀ ਲਾਗਾ ॥ ਮਿਲੇ ਪ੝ਰਤਖਿ ਗ੝ਸਾਈਆ ਧੰਨਾ ਵਡਭਾਗਾ ॥4॥2॥

Hearing this, Dhanna the Jaat applied himself to devotional worship. The Lord of the Universe met him personally; Dhanna was so very blessed. ||4||2|| (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang, 487)

Bow and pray only to God, WaheGuru!

There is no mention of idol worship. However, in the Bhagat Mala, the work of some Hindus, there are stories and illustrations about idol worship. Bhai Gurdas has given a short summary of that for the knowledge of the Sikhs. These stories are not written by Sikhs and so Sikhs are not responsible for those, through translation.

There is no doubt that Namdeva and other Bhagats were worshippers of idols to begin with but when they obtained true knowledge from the True Guru they abandoned idol worship and considered God pervading all and everything; as is evident from their sayings:

ਸਤਿਗ੝ਰ੝ ਮਿਲੈ ਤ ਸਹਸਾ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਕਿਸ੝ ਹਉ ਪੂਜਉ ਦੂਜਾ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਈ ॥3॥
ਝਕੈ ਪਾਥਰ ਕੀਜੈ ਭਾਉ ॥ ਦੂਜੈ ਪਾਥਰ ਧਰੀਝ ਪਾਉ ॥
ਜੇ ਓਹ੝ ਦੇਉ ਤ ਓਹ੝ ਭੀ ਦੇਵਾ ॥ ਕਹਿ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਹਮ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ॥4॥1॥

Meeting the True Guru, doubt is dispelled. Who else should I worship? I can see no other. ||3|| One stone is lovingly decorated, while another stone is walked upon. If one is a god, then the other must also be a god. Says Naam Deva, I serve the Lord. ||4||1|| (Bhagat Naamdev Ji, Ang 525)

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਝ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥ ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪ੝ਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥ ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਝ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥2॥
ਸਤਿਗ੝ਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥ ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੝ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸ੝ਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੝ਰਹਮ ॥ ਗ੝ਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦ੝ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥3॥1॥


Wherever I go, I find water and stones. You are totally pervading and permeating in all. I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas. I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2|| I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru. You have cut through all my confusion and doubt. Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God. The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1|| (Bhagat Ramanand Ji, Ang 1195)

It will be a great injustice if someone clever and an adversary of truth says that in Sikhi worship of Durga and the Ganges is accepted because Guru Angad before coming to Guru Nanak Ji worshipped Durga and (Guru) Amar Das likewise went for pilgrimage to the Ganges. Dear Hindu, you should try to understand the underlying principle in the stories of the Bhagats.

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