The Rehat Maryada was created to guide Sikhs (and those desirous of embracing the Sikh faith) on practical and functional aspects of daily life, including the operations of Sikh Gurdwaras, and religious practices to foster cohesion throughout the community.
The official Sikh Code of Conduct
The Rehat Maryada is the Official Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions. There were a number of unsuccessful attempts in the eighteenth century, following the death of Guru Gobind Singh, to produce an accurate portrayal of Sikh conduct and customs. These attempts were contradictory and inconsistent with many of the principles of the Gurus, and were not accepted by the majority of Sikhs.
Starting in 1931, an attempt was made by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.) to produce a modern standard Rehat. These efforts involved the greatest Sikh scholars and theologians of this century, who worked to produce the current version.
Authority and acceptance
The document produced has been accepted as the official version, which provides guidelines against which all Sikh individuals and communities around the world can measure themselves. The Rehat Maryada is the only version authorised by the Akal Takht, the seat of supreme temporal authority for Sikhs. Its implementation has successfully achieved a high level of uniformity in the religious and social practices of Sikhism.
- Work began in 1931
- Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
- Authorised by the Akal Takht
ਰਹਿਤ ਪਿਆਰੀ ਮੁਝ ਕਉ ਸਿੱਖ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਨਾਹਿ ॥