Hinduism and Sikhism are Indian religions. Hinduism has pre-historic origins,Survey of Hinduism, A: Third Edition, Suny Press, Klaus K. Klostermaier, pages 1, 544 while Sikhism was founded in the 15th century by Guru Nanak. Both religions share many philosophical concepts such as karma, dharma, mukti, and mayaSikhism and death BBCReincarnation and Sikhism (religion), Encyclopædia Britannica although both religions have different interpretations of some of these concepts.
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Ideological Some historians, like Louis Fenech, view Sikhism as an extension of the Bhakti movement. Fenech states, "Indic mythology permeates the Sikh sacred canon, the Guru Granth Sahib and the secondary canon, the Dasam Granth and adds delicate nuance and substance to the sacred symbolic universe of the Sikhs of today and of their past ancestors".Louis Fenech (2014), in The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies (Editors: Pashaura Singh, Louis E. Fenech), Oxford University Press, , page 36, Quote: "Few Sikhs would mention these Indic texts and ideologies in the same breadth as the Sikh tradition, let alone trace elements of their tradition to this chronological and ideological point, despite the fact that the Indic mythology permeates the Sikh sacred canon, the Guru Granth Sahib and the secondary canon, the Dasam Granth (Rinehart 2011), and adds delicate nuance and substance to the sacred symbolic universe of the Sikhs of today and of their past ancestors." The Sikh scriptures use Hindu terminology, with references to the Vedas, and the names of gods and goddesses in Hindu bhakti movement traditions, such as Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Parvati, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Rama, Krishna, but not to worship.for example, Hari name is used ~8300 times, Ram name is used ~2500 times, Gobind & Gopal names are used ~500 timesTorkel Brekke (2014), Religion, War, and Ethics: A Sourcebook of Textual Traditions (Editors: Gregory M. Reichberg and Henrik Syse), Cambridge University Press, , pp. 673, 675, 672–686 Sukhmani Sahib refers to God by names such as Paarbrahm, Antarjaami, Hari and Prabhu.
Some historians do not see evidence of Sikhism as simply an extension of the Bhakti movement. While the Guru Granth Sahib acknowledges the Vedas, Puranas and Qur'an,Cole, William Owen; Sambhi, Piara Singh (1995), The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, Sussex Academic Press, , p. 157 it does not imply a syncretic bridge between Hinduism and Islam,Cole, William Owen; Sambhi, Piara Singh (1995), The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, Sussex Academic Press, , p. 40 but emphasises focusing on Nitnem banis like Japji, instead of Muslim practices such as circumcision or praying by prostrating on the ground to God, or Hindu rituals such as wearing thread. It refers to the spiritual concepts in Hinduism (Ishvara, Bhagavan, Brahman) and the concept of God in Islam (Allah) to assert that these are just "alternate names for the Almighty One".Singh, Nirbhai (1990); Philosophy of Sikhism: Reality and Its Manifestations, New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers; pp. 115–122
Struggle against Mughals
During the Mughal Empire period, both the Sikh and Hindu traditions believe that Sikhs helped protect Hindus from Islamic persecution, and this caused martyrdom of their Guru. The Sikh historians, for example, record that the Sikh movement was rapidly growing in northwest India, and Guru Tegh Bahadur was openly encouraging Sikhs to, "be fearless in their pursuit of just society: he who holds none in fear, nor is afraid of anyone, is acknowledged as a man of true wisdom", a statement recorded in Adi Granth 1427. While Guru Tegh Bahadur influence was rising, Aurangzeb had imposed Islamic laws, demolished Hindu schools and temples, and enforced new taxes on non-Muslims.Guru Tegh Bahadur BBC Religions (2009)
According to records written by his son Guru Gobind Singh, the Guru had resisted persecution, adopted and promised to protect Kashmiri Hindus. The Guru was summoned to Delhi by Aurangzeb on a pretext, but when he arrived with his companions, he was offered, "to abandon his faith, and convert to Islam", but after refusing the demand of the Mughal emperor, Guru Tegh Bahadur and his companions were arrested and tortured for many weeks. The Guru himself was beheaded in public.
Beliefs
Concept of God The oneness of God is at the core of Hinduism but it has some panentheistic and henotheistic tendencies. Scholars state all deities are typically viewed in Hinduism as "emanations or manifestation of genderless principle called Brahman, representing the many facets of Ultimate Reality".
The description of God in Sikhism is monotheistic and rejects the concept of divine incarnation as present in Hinduism.
Sukhmani Sahib describes God as Nirguna and Sargun as well in the following words:
niragun aap saragun bhee ohee || kalaa dhaar jin sagalee mohee || apane charit prabh aap banaae || . ||8||18|| He Himself is absolute and unrelated; He Himself is also involved and related. Manifesting His power, He fascinates the entire world. God Himself sets His play in motion.
Views on cattle Hinduism specifically considers the zebu (Bos indicus) to be sacred.
Sikhs and Hindus traditionally held the cow as sacred due to their role in providing sustenance and haulage. According to Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair, many Sikhs refrain from eating beef as cows, oxen, and buffalo are a central part of the livelihood of rural Sikhs, with many Sikhs coming from agricultural-backgrounds. Thus, Sikhs generally respect cattle and do not slaughter them for food. Sikhs generally avoid eating beef because the cow & the buffalo have been integral part of rural Sikh livelihoods but do not go to the lengths of the Hindus by considering it to be sacred. Similarly, Sikhs avoid eating pork in the company of Muslims. However, there is no religious prohibition about eating beef and pork. Guru Amar Das condemned atrocities against Brahmins and cattle. According to W. Owen Cole and P. S. Sambhi, an aggregate of evidence tentatively suggests that the Guru refrained from censuring Hindu traditions in order to induct Hindu followers. Under Sikh rule, cow slaughter was punishable by death; the prohibition was maintained by even the British after the annexation of Punjab to placate Hindu-Sikh sentiments. During the 1860s, the Namdhari Sikhs opposed cattle-slaughter. According to a Khalsa Bahadur (Lahore) article dated to 5 September 1903, the Sikhs consider cattle to be a useful animal but do not go to the lengths of the Hindus by considering it to be sacred.
Idol worship
Hindus accept the worship facilitated with images or murtis (idols), particularly in Agamic traditions, such as Vaishnavism and Shaivism.V Bharne and K Krusche (2012), Rediscovering the Hindu Temple: The Sacred Architecture and Urbanism of India, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, , pages 37–42 Some scholars state it is incorrect to state that all Hindus worship idols and more correct to state that for some, the idol is a means to focus their thoughts, for some idols are a manifestation of spirituality that is everywhere, and for some, even a linga, a sunrise or a river or a flower serves the same purpose.Jeaneane Fowler (1996), Hinduism: Beliefs and Practices, Sussex Academic Press, , pages 41–43Swarup Chandra (1998), Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, Swarup & Sons, , page 149
Sikhism prohibits idol worship,D.G. Singh (2002), Idolatry is impermissible in Sikhism, Sikh Review, Volume 50, Issue 5, pages 35-37 in accordance with mainstream Khalsa norms and the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, “Both institutions [SGPC and Akali Dal] were envisaged as instruments of the Sikh community for the furtherance of a purified way of religious and social life, without idolatrous priests and in repudiation of ritualism and caste distinctions. Such indeed had been the fundamental teaching of the Gurus.” a position that has been accepted as orthodox. The prohibition on idol worship is traceable in Sikhism since the early 20th century, a change led by the Tat Khalsa of the Singh Sabha Movement of late 19th-century.
Heaven and Hell
According to Hinduism, the soul is sent to heaven or hell before it is sent back to a new reincarnation. The souls are reborn into another being as per their karma.
Sikhs believe that heaven and hell are also both in this world where everyone reaps the fruit of karma. They refer to good and evil stages of life respectively and can be lived now and here during our life on Earth.
Pilgrimage
Hinduism considers pilgrimage as helpful for one's spiritual development. According to Karel Werner's Popular Dictionary of Hinduism, "most Hindu places of pilgrimage are associated with legendary events from the lives of various gods. Almost any place can become a focus for pilgrimage, but in most cases they are sacred cities, rivers, lakes, and mountains."
Sikhism does not overtly promote pilgrimage as a religious practice.
According to a study published by Madanjit Kaur, there exists documentary proof in the form of vahis (ledgers maintained by genealogists and priests at various places of pilgrimage) that Guru Tegh Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh and his widows visited various Hindu tirthas, appointed their family purohits to those sites, and directed their followers to honor the appointed purohits.
Śrāddha Hindus offer Śrāddha every year in memory of their ancestors. On the corresponding day, the descendants invite the Brahmin and feed them in memory of their parents and grandparents, in the belief that this will give some benefit to the soul of their dead ancestors.
According to Sikhism, such food can provide benefit to the Brahmins, but the benefit can't reach the ancestors. All that can provide benefit to the deceased is his own good actions and service to humanity. As per Sikh belief, it is much better to respect one's parents while alive than offering food to Brahmins after their death.
Auspicious days According to certain shastras of Hinduism, some moments, days and lunar dates are regarded as auspicious. On all these days special rituals are observed. It is a common practice in Hinduism to perform or avoid activities like important religious ceremonies on the basis of the quality of a particular muhurta. One or more Muhūrtas are recommended by the Vedic scriptures when performing rituals and other ceremonies.
The Sikh Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib denounces belief in auspicious days. Sikh Gurus rejected the idea that certain days are auspicious while some others are not.
Fasting Fasting is an important part of Hinduism and fasts are observed on many occasions. Fasts are an important aspect of Hindu ritual life, and there are many different types. In some cases, fasting simply means abstaining from certain types of foods, such as grains. Devotees fast for a variety of reasons. Some fast to honor a particular deity, and others fast to obtain a specific end.
Sikhism does not regard fasting as a spiritual act. Fasting as an austerity or as a mortification of the body by means of willful hunger is discouraged in Sikhism. Sikhism encourages temperance and moderation in food i.e. neither starve nor over-eat.
Caste system There are four varnas within Hindu society. Within these varnas, there are also many jati. The first is the Brahmin (teacher or priest), the second is the Kshatriya (ruler or warrior), the third is the Vaishya (merchant or farmer) and the fourth is the Shudra (servant or labourer). People who are excluded from the four-fold varna system are considered untouchables and are called Dalit.