Gurmata

A Gurmata (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਮਤਾ; literally, 'Guru's intention' or 'advice of the Guru'), alternatively romanized as Gurumatta, is an order upon a subject that affects the fundamental principles of Sikh religion and is binding upon all Sikhs.^[1]

Role

Gurmata is similar to Fatwa in the Muslim tradition with a difference that Fatwa is not binding on all Muslims while Gurmata is binding on all Khalsa, however it is not binding on non-Khalsa Sikhs.^[2]^[3]^[4]

History

Gurmatas were used in the 18th century to refer to the resolutions passed by the Sarbat Khalsa, a large gathering of esteemed Sikhs.^[5] In the 18th century, gurmatas were issued during Baisakhi and Diwali gatherings.^[6] Most of the gurmatas were issued from Amritsar for logistical reasons since the Sikh would gather at the city for the aforementioned celebrations.^[6]

Significant Gurmatas

Date	Significance
October/November 1723	Tat Khalsa and Bandai Khalsa settle their differences.^{[citation needed]}
1726	Sarbat Khalsa passes Gurmata to raid Mughal precious metal transports, confiscate Mughal armories, and eliminate Mughal informers^[7]
1733	Sarbat Khalsa accepts jagir given by Mughal government^{[citation needed]}
14 October 1745	During Diwali, the Sarbat Khalsa passes Gurmata organizing Khalsa into 25 jathas^[8]
29 March 1748	Sarbat Khalsa passes Gurmata reorganizing Khalsa into 11 misls^[9]
1753	Official establishment of the Rakhi system^[10]
7 November 1760	Sarbat Khalsa passes Gurmata to attack Lahore^[11]
27 October 1761	Gurmata passed during the annual Diwali meeting at Amritsar that supporters, such as agents, informers and collaborators, of the Durrani Empire must be annihilated.^[12]^[13] The first target chosen was Aqil Das, then-head of the heretical Hindali sect and colluder of Ahmad Shah Abdali.^[13] Also decided in this Gurmata was that Sikhs should take control of Lahore.^[14]
1920	Teja Singh Bhuchhar was announced as the Jathedar of the Akal Takht^{[citation needed]}
26 January 1986	Sarbat Khalsa elects and inaugurates 5 member panthik committee to make decisions on behalf of the Sikh diaspora.^{[citation needed]}
16 February 1986	Sarbat Khalsa was held at Anandpur Sahib (City of Bliss).^{[citation needed]} Sarbat Khalsa unified the panth.^{[citation needed]}
10 November 2015	Sarbat Khalsa was held at Chabba Village, where Jagtar Singh Hawara was appointed new Jathedar of Akal Takht.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Cole, W. Owen (1997). A popular dictionary of Sikhism. Piara Singh Sambhi. Lincolnwood, Ill.: NTC Pub. Group. ISBN 978-0-203-98609-7. OCLC 648154652. Gurmatta - A decision affecting the whole Sikh community. The Rahit Maryada defines the areas which may be covered by a gurmatta as 'subjects calculated to clarify and support the fundamental principles of Sikhism, such as safeguarding the position of the Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib, purity of ritual, and panthic organization'. Political, educational and social matters may also be dealt with at panthic meetings but on these only resolutions, mattas, may be passed. These are not as sacred or inviolable as gurmattas. A gurmatta may only be passed by the Sarbat Khalsa, that is a properly constituted assembly of the Panth which has been publicly announced and to which they have been summoned. In this way it resembles the gatherings of Sikhs in the presence of the human Gurus at Hola Mohalla, Baisakhi, and Diwali, at which such decisions were often made, though, of course, it must be held in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. In 1805 Maharaja Ranjit Singh abolished assemblies of the Sarbat Khalsa for this purpose, but the practice has recently been re-established.
^ Nayyar, Raman (December 2019). Institution of Gurmata: Significance and Role in the Eighteenth Century (PDF). Vol. Two. Gyankosh: An Interdisciplinary Journal. ISSN 2581-8252.
^ "Sarbat Khalsa & Gurmata | Khushwant Singh | SikhRI Articles". sikhri.org. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
^ "Sikhism FAQs:Explain The Procedure And Significance Of Gurmatta (Guru's Decisio - Gateway To Sikhism". 11 December 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
^ Herrli, Hans (2004). The coins of the Sikhs (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. p. 17. ISBN 81-215-1132-1. OCLC 56367207. Gurumatta - The word means: advice of the Guru and it is the name given to the resolutions of the Sarbat Khalsa, the diet or general assembly of the Sikhs.
^ ^a ^b Madra, Amandeep Singh; Singh, Parmjit (27 September 2016). Sicques, Tigers or Thieves: Eyewitness Accounts of the Sikhs (1606-1810). Springer. p. 109. ISBN 9781137119988.
^ Singh, Jagraj (2009). A Complete Guide to Sikhism. Unistar Books. p. 54. ISBN 9788171427543. Banda Singh was captured alive and executed in Delhi by the Moghul Government of Hindustan in 1716, after which two most powerful nations of Asia at that time, the Mughal Emperor of Hindustan from Delhi and Ahmad Shah Abdali King of Afghanistan from Kabul vowed to wipe out the Sikhs from the face of the earth. The Sikhs left their homes and hearths and escaped to the safety of jungles, mountains of the Punjab and desert of the adjoining Rajputana, refused to submit and continued their struggle for the independence of the Sikh Nation. They re-organized themselves and first Sarbat Khalsa meeting was held at Akal Takhat Amritsar under the leadership of Jathedar Darbara Singh on the Vaisakhi day in 1726. Thereafter Amritsar became the headquarters of Dal Khalsa, Buddha Dal, Taruna Dal and then 12 Misls.
^ Dilagīra, Harajindara Siṅgha (1980). The Akal Takht. Punjabi Book Company. p. 34.
^ Singh, Harbans. The Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Vol. 2: E-L. Punjabi University, Patiala. pp. 362–3.
^ Ahluwalia, Jasbir Singh (2003). Liberating Sikhism from 'the Sikhs': Sikhism's Potential for World Civilization. Chandigarh, India: Unistar Books. p. 85.
^ Gurdeep Kaur (2000). Political Ethics of Guru Granth Sahib: The Concept of State. Deep and Deep Publications. p. 141. ISBN 9788176292566.
^ Kohli, Surindar Singh (1993). The Sikhs and Sikhism. Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. p. 63.
^ ^a ^b Singh, Harbans. The Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Vol. 4: S-Z. Punjabi University, Patiala. p. 396.
^ "Punjabi Vishwa Kosh [Punjabi World Dictionary] Vol.IX (republished on Punjabipedia by Punjabi University, Patiala)" ਘੱਲੂਘਾਰਾ [Ghalughara]. Punjabipedia (in Punjabi). Punjabi University, Patiala. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2023.

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[1] Cole, W. Owen (1997). A popular dictionary of Sikhism. Piara Singh Sambhi. Lincolnwood, Ill.: NTC Pub. Group. ISBN 978-0-203-98609-7. OCLC 648154652. Gurmatta - A decision affecting the whole Sikh community. The Rahit Maryada defines the areas which may be covered by a gurmatta as 'subjects calculated to clarify and support the fundamental principles of Sikhism, such as safeguarding the position of the Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib, purity of ritual, and panthic organization'. Political, educational and social matters may also be dealt with at panthic meetings but on these only resolutions, mattas, may be passed. These are not as sacred or inviolable as gurmattas. A gurmatta may only be passed by the Sarbat Khalsa, that is a properly constituted assembly of the Panth which has been publicly announced and to which they have been summoned. In this way it resembles the gatherings of Sikhs in the presence of the human Gurus at Hola Mohalla, Baisakhi, and Diwali, at which such decisions were often made, though, of course, it must be held in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. In 1805 Maharaja Ranjit Singh abolished assemblies of the Sarbat Khalsa for this purpose, but the practice has recently been re-established.

[2] Nayyar, Raman (December 2019). Institution of Gurmata: Significance and Role in the Eighteenth Century (PDF). Vol. Two. Gyankosh: An Interdisciplinary Journal. ISSN 2581-8252.

[3] "Sarbat Khalsa & Gurmata | Khushwant Singh | SikhRI Articles". sikhri.org. Retrieved 21 September 2022.

[4] "Sikhism FAQs:Explain The Procedure And Significance Of Gurmatta (Guru's Decisio - Gateway To Sikhism". 11 December 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2022.

[5] Herrli, Hans (2004). The coins of the Sikhs (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. p. 17. ISBN 81-215-1132-1. OCLC 56367207. Gurumatta - The word means: advice of the Guru and it is the name given to the resolutions of the Sarbat Khalsa, the diet or general assembly of the Sikhs.

[:1-6] Madra, Amandeep Singh; Singh, Parmjit (27 September 2016). Sicques, Tigers or Thieves: Eyewitness Accounts of the Sikhs (1606-1810). Springer. p. 109. ISBN 9781137119988.

[7] Singh, Jagraj (2009). A Complete Guide to Sikhism. Unistar Books. p. 54. ISBN 9788171427543. Banda Singh was captured alive and executed in Delhi by the Moghul Government of Hindustan in 1716, after which two most powerful nations of Asia at that time, the Mughal Emperor of Hindustan from Delhi and Ahmad Shah Abdali King of Afghanistan from Kabul vowed to wipe out the Sikhs from the face of the earth. The Sikhs left their homes and hearths and escaped to the safety of jungles, mountains of the Punjab and desert of the adjoining Rajputana, refused to submit and continued their struggle for the independence of the Sikh Nation. They re-organized themselves and first Sarbat Khalsa meeting was held at Akal Takhat Amritsar under the leadership of Jathedar Darbara Singh on the Vaisakhi day in 1726. Thereafter Amritsar became the headquarters of Dal Khalsa, Buddha Dal, Taruna Dal and then 12 Misls.

[8] Dilagīra, Harajindara Siṅgha (1980). The Akal Takht. Punjabi Book Company. p. 34.

[:04-9] Singh, Harbans. The Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Vol. 2: E-L. Punjabi University, Patiala. pp. 362–3.

[:3-10] Ahluwalia, Jasbir Singh (2003). Liberating Sikhism from 'the Sikhs': Sikhism's Potential for World Civilization. Chandigarh, India: Unistar Books. p. 85.

[11] Gurdeep Kaur (2000). Political Ethics of Guru Granth Sahib: The Concept of State. Deep and Deep Publications. p. 141. ISBN 9788176292566.

[12] Kohli, Surindar Singh (1993). The Sikhs and Sikhism. Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. p. 63.

[:0-13] Singh, Harbans. The Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Vol. 4: S-Z. Punjabi University, Patiala. p. 396.

[14] "Punjabi Vishwa Kosh [Punjabi World Dictionary] Vol.IX (republished on Punjabipedia by Punjabi University, Patiala)" ਘੱਲੂਘਾਰਾ [Ghalughara]. Punjabipedia (in Punjabi). Punjabi University, Patiala. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2023.

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Role

History

Significant Gurmatas

See also

References