Sikhism believes in one God who has no gender or form. The basic beliefs include reincarnation of the soul through numerous life cycles until it returns to its origin with God. At death, Sikhs recite prayers from the Guru Granth Sahib and say "Waheguru." The body is typically cremated shortly after final rites known as Antam Sanskar. During this, hymns are sung, the body is washed in yogurt, and then cremated, usually by the eldest son. Sikhs believe the soul moves on from the body and does not mourn or grieve at death.

1. Sikhism
Wiley Feiger

2. Basic belief structure of Sikhism
● One God, all-powerful and without form or gender.
● Every person:
-Is equal
-Has a portion of God within them, their “soul”
-Has a personal connection with God

4. “Only the good deeds which you have done shall remain
with you, O my soul. This opportunity shall not come
again!” -Page 143 Sri Guru Granth Sahib

5. The Long Journey of the “Soul”
● Each human body posses a “soul”
● Souls tend to go through numerous cycles of
reincarnation
● Returning to said “origin” of “soul” is ideal outcome

6. “Thus says Nanak: O my mind, you are the very image of
the Luminous Lord; recognize the true origin of yourself” -
Page 434 Sri Guru Granth Sahib

7. Reincarnation…

8. “When God becomes merciful to the meek, then one does
not have to suffer reincarnation, only to die again. In the
Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he sings the
Glorious Praises of the Lord, and he does not lose the
jewel of this human life. Singing the Glories of God, he
crosses over the ocean of poison, and saves all his
generations as well.” -Page 534, Sri Guru Granth Sahib

9. Every soul can have a personal
connection with God and is equal in the
eyes of God.

10. The dying process/preparing for death
● “Wahegaru” tends to be said frequently
● Family is generally expected to join dying person
● Portions of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib also tend to be
said
● The Sukhmani Sahib (Prayer of Peace) is read when
death seems very soon
● The Kirtan Sohila prayer is often read just prior to death

11. At the Moment of Death…

12. “When some one shuffles the mortal coil, the survivors
must not grieve or raise a hue and cry or indulge in breast
beating. To induce a mood of resignation to God’s will, it is
desirable to recite Gurbani or repeat “Waheguru” -Sikh
Rehat Maryada Article XIX

13. “The body shall turn to dust, and the soul shall fly away” -
Page 752 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

14. Community After Death
● Ritualized or public mourning is considered contrary to
Sikh belief
● Persons are expected to remain detached to death and
not show emotion as a means of showing respect to God
● Antam Sanskar, the final rites takes place relatively soon
after death
● A community reading of the full Sri Guru Granth Sahib is
typically organized afterward

15. Antam Sanskar
● Final funeral rites are open to any part of the
community, family member, or friend
● Tend to take 30-60 minutes. Not that important.
● White is worn
● Emotional detachment is expected
● Ardas is recited at start of service
● Kirtan Sohila also tends to be stated.
● Cremation typically is carried out soon afterward

16. Body After Death
● Body is typically bathed in Yogurt and cleansed whilst the
Mul Mantra is said.
● Then is placed in clean clothes.
● The 5 Karkars (symbols very important to Sikhs that are
supposed to be carried at all times) are not disturbed and
remain with the body.
● Body is then typically cremated after Antam Sanskar
● Remains are typically placed in body of water whilst
Kirtan Sohila is sung

17. Role of Family in Dying Process
● Family generally is expected to be physically near
person if possible in dying process
● Family tends to take part in Antam Sanskar
● The Eldest son typically is the one who begins the
cremation.

18. Organ Donation
No specific stance, but the following factors play in:
● Generally speaking, humans are expected to keep their
body intact. Cutting of ones hair is especially
discouraged
● A human body is merely a vessel for the soul. When it
dies, the soul moves on.
● Seva is heavily emphasized in Sikhism

19. Non-assisted suicide
STRONGLY discouraged because:
● Human Life is considered a very valuable reincarnation
● Suicide is an act which generally imposes a large
spiritual debt
● Emphasis of Seva in Sikhism

20. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia
Generally discouraged:
● Similar factors come into play as with Non-assisted
suicide but…
● There are Sikh ideals of compassion and understanding
for other human beings

21. Test questions
● Q: What is believed to be the most likely outcome for a Sikh person after death?
A: Reincarnation
Q: How long of a grieving period is provided for in Sikhism?
A: 0 minutes
Q: In Sikhism, is organ donation encouraged whilst one is alive/dead?
A: Organ donation is generally discouraged whilst alive, but is widely accepted and even encouraged after death.
Q: What is the primary long-term goal for a Sikh Person
A: Returning to God
Q: One of the two key principles in Sikhism is Simran, or the meditation on and remembrance of God. What is the other?
A: Seva or Selfless service
Q: What is the most common method of dealing with a dead body in Sikhism
A: Cremation
Q: A dead body is typically bathed in this in Sikhism to clean prior to the final process
A: Yogurt
Q: In Sikhism, who typically initiates the final process of dealing with a dead body
A: The eldest son

22. References – Websites:
References
All About Sikhs - Gateway To Sikhism.(2021, January 26). Gateway to Sikhism. https://www.allaboutsikhs.com/
Basics Of Sikhi | Sikhi Videos, Blog, Q&As, Podcast and More. (2021). Basicsofsikhi.com. https://www.basicsofsikhi.com/
BBC - Religions - Sikhism:Sikh Beliefs. (2014). Bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/beliefs/beliefs.shtml
Beliefs and practices of Sikhism | Britannica. (2022). In Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/summary/Sikhism
By Kanwal Prakash Singh. (2013, September 7). For Sikhs,both life and death are intertwined.The Indianapolis Star; INI. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2013/09/06/for-sikhs-both-life-and-death-are-intertwined/2778961/
Cake, & Tetrault, S. (2019, December 6). Sikh Funerals (Antam Sanskar):Customs & What to Expect. Joincake.com. https://www.joincake.com/blog/sikh-funeral/
Cultural and religious issues professionals may encounter following a bereavement - Yunus Dudhwala - Sudden. (2020, October 14). Sudden.https://sudden.org/tools/cultural-and-religious-issues-professionals-may-encounter-following-a-bereavement/
Discover The Sikhs,Sikhi and Sikhism | Discover Sikhism.(2022). Discoversikhism.com. https://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh.html
Er. Jaspal Singh. (2022). www.sgpc.net - Shiromani GurdwaraParbandhak Committee,Amritsar,Punjab. Sgpc.net. https://old.sgpc.net/indexhtml.html
FremontGurdwara.(2017). FremontGurdwara. http://www.fremontgurdwara.org/
Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar.(2022). Gurunanakdarbar.net. http://www.gurunanakdarbar.net/
Kaur, S. (2022, October 28). Home - Sikh Family Life. Sikh Family Life. https://www.sikhfamilylife.com/
Kewley, F. (2021, October 8). What happens at a Sikh funeral? Farewill.com; Farewill. https://farewill.com/articles/what-happens-at-a-sikh-funeral
KhojgurbaniApp.(2022). Khojgurbani.org. https://www.khojgurbani.org/home
New, I. (2017, August 30). Last Rituals-Part 5: Sikh Rituals - INDIANew England News. INDIA New England News. https://indianewengland.com/last-rituals-part-5-sikh-rituals/#:~:text=Sikhs%20believe%20in%20reincarnation%20and,completed%20with%20the%20five%20K’s.
Raj Singh Rainu. (2016, June 16). In Sikhism,a funeral ceremony is called “Antam Sanskaar”,or celebration of the completion of life. Rather... Linkedin.com. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sikh-wills-what-happens-funeral-raj-singh-rainu
Rana, P. (2012, September 29). Are Sikh Women Allowed to Wax? WSJ; The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-IRTB-16797
Search Gurbani : Gurbani Research Website. (2020). @Searchgurbani. https://www.searchgurbani.com/
Sikh Dharma International. (2022, November). Sikh Dharma International. Sikh Dharma International. https://www.sikhdharma.org/
Sikh Funeral Services: Traditions & Etiquette | CPJ Field. (2019). CPJ Field; CPJ Field. https://www.cpjfield.co.uk/planning-a-funeral/types-of-funeral/sikh-funerals
Sikh Funerals | Funeral Partners. (2020a, September 29). Funeral Partners. https://www.funeralpartners.co.uk/help-advice/arranging-a-funeral/types-of-funerals/sikh-funerals/
Sikh Funerals | Funeral Partners. (2020b, September 29). Funeral Partners. https://www.funeralpartners.co.uk/help-advice/arranging-a-funeral/types-of-funerals/sikh-funerals/
Sikhism Religion of the Sikh People. (2022). Sikhs.org. http://www.sikhs.org/topics.htm
SikhiWiki. (2022). Sikhiwiki.org. https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Main_Page
SikhNet | Sharingthe Sikh Experience. (2022). SikhNet; SikhNet. https://www.sikhnet.com/
Singh, K., Sahib, S., Singh Khalsa, S., Thind, K., & Khalsa, S. (n.d.). Translation by: ************************.http://www.khalsadarbar.com/PDFs/SriGuruGranthSahibJiDarpanEnglish.pdf
Sri Granth.(2022). Srigranth.org. https://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani
The Concept of Death in Gurbani | SikhNet. (2017, January 12). SikhNet; SikhNet. https://www.sikhnet.com/news/concept-death-gurbani
The Light - Sikhism.(2022). Adishakti.org. http://adishakti.org/his_light_within/the_light_sikhism.htm

23. References – Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:
Ahluwalia, M. K., & Mohabir, R. K. (2017). Turning to Waheguru: Religious and Cultural Coping Mechanisms of Bereaved Sikhs. OMEGA - Journal of Death
and Dying, 78(3), 302–313. https://doi.org/10.1177/0030222816688907
Juss, S. S. (2013). Sikh Cremations and the Re-Imagining of the Clash of Cultures. Human Rights Quarterly, 35(3), 598–630.
https://doi.org/10.1353/hrq.2013.0034
Kaur, L. (2014). THE TEAR IN THE FABRIC OF MULTICULTURALISM. Sikh Formations, 10(1), 69–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/17448727.2014.891381
References – Interviews:
[Interview by W. Feiger]. (2022, October 30).
Singh, D. (2022, October 30). [Interview by W. Feiger].
Singh, D. (2022, November 2). [Interview by W. Feiger].
Singh, M. (2022, October 30). [Interview by W. Feiger].
Singh, S. (2022, October 30). [Interview by W. Feiger].

24. A special thanks to Denver Sikh Gurudwara