Every human being aspires to be treated with dignity. It is the birth right of every one. Accordingly, on December 10, 1948 CE the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration has 30 articles the first six being:

• All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
• Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind,
• Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
• No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
• No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
• All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.

It is generally believed that respect for human rights is a comparatively modern concept. It is attributed to education and changes in socio-economic conditions and that it has little to do with religious beliefs. This is probably due to the fact that both the Bible and the Quran accept the concept of slavery in their texts without denouncing it. Both these scriptures have their setting in the present Middle East where this practice was current. Slavery was therefore an accepted practice and continued in the West. In the Unites States of America it was abolished by President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 CE by the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution..

The Sikh faith is modern and encompasses both the spiritual and temporal aspects of life. Its fundamentals are ‘spirituality with social responsibility’. It considers violation of human rights a social evil. The Sikh scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib stresses human dignity. It says:

ਹੁਣਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੋਆ ਮਿਹਰਵਾਣ ਦਾ ॥ ਪੈ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਕਿਸੈ ਰਞਾਣਦਾ ॥

ਸਭ ਸੁਖਾਲੀ ਵੁਠੀਆ ਇਹੁ ਹੋਆ ਹਲੇਮੀ ਰਾਜੁ ਜੀਉ ॥ ੧੩॥੧੭੪

This command the benevolent Lord has given;

Let no one cause pain to another;

Every one should live in peace, with the rulers practicing humility (p 74).

Violation of human rights is thus disobedience of Divine commands.

It accepts only one type of slavery – that of creatures to Divine commands or the Laws of nature which no one can escape. Subjugation of man by another or woman by man is looked down upon. We are asked not to hurt the sentiments of any one. In fact man is asked to live in dignity so that he or she does not have to be dependent on any one.

Along with spirituality dimension Sikhi turned out to be a movement against tyranny by both those in authority or the priestly classes.In a way it was an uprising against suppression of all types.

Some aspects of human rights and their violation are discussed hereunder.

The scripture likens harassment of others, which violation of human rights is, by men (and women) to the law of the jungle. Guru Nanak says:

ਹਰਣਾਂ ਬਾਜਾਂ ਤੈ ਸਿਕਦਾਰਾਂ ਏਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ਪੜ੍ਹ੍ਹਿਆ ਨਾਉ ॥

ਫਾਂਧੀ ਲਗੀ ਜਾਤਿਫਹਾਇਨਿ ਅਗੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਥਾਉ ॥

ਸੋ ਪੜਿਆ ਸੋ ਪੰਡਿਤੁ ਬੀਨਾ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਕਮਾਣਾ ਨਾਉ ॥

ਪਹਿਲੋ ਦੇ ਜੜ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਜੰਮੈ ਤਾ ਉਪਰਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਛਾਂਉ ॥

Those who have power among the four legged animals, birds and men are recognized;

They hold the noose around their own ilk; they will never get solace;

Learned and wise people live by the (Divine) laws of nature;

First a tree must take root and then it can provide shade.

The last line means those who were created strong, forgot their roots and instead of providing protection to their ilk started harassing them.

Taking the analogy further the Guru continues in the same Shabad (composition):

ਰਾਜੇ ਸੀਹ ਮੁਕਦਮ ਕੁਤੇ ॥ ਜਾਇ ਜਗਾਇਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਬੈਠੇ ਸੁਤੇ ॥

ਚਾਕਰ ਨਹਦਾ ਪਾਇਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿਘਾਉ ॥ ਰਤੁ ਪਿਤੁ ਕੁਤਿਹੋ ਚਟਿ ਜਾਹੁ ॥

ਜਿਥੈ ਜੀਆਂ ਹੋਸੀ ਸਾਰ ॥ ਨਕਂ​‍ੀ ਵਢਂ​‍ੀ ਲਾਇਤਬਾਰ ॥੨॥ ੧੧੨੮੮

The rulers are the beasts and their officials the dogs;

They harass the people living peacefully;

The officials do the work of causing wounds on behalf of the rulers,

The rulers suck the blood of the people through their subordinates;

When their conduct is examined (in God’s court);

They will be disgraced and their versions of circumstances rejected (p 1288).

This happens because the rulers have no respect for the Rule of law

ਕਲਿ ਕਾਤੀ ਰਾਜੇ ਕਾਸਾਈ ਧਰਮੁ ਪੰਖ ਕਰਿ ਉਡਰਿਆ ॥੧ ੧੪੫

This is the time of the dagger; the rulers are butchers;

The law has taken wings and fled (p 145).

Exploitation of the people is not done by those in authority alone; the priestly class does this too. They compel people to observe superstitions and rituals in ways that benefit them. They pose to be doing for the good of the people with a clean mind. Guru Nanak calls this sucking the blood of the people saying:

ਜੇ ਰਤੁ ਲਗੈ ਕਪੜੈ ਜਾਮਾ ਹੋਇ ਪਲੀਤੁ ॥

ਜੋ ਰਤੁ ਪੀਵਹਿ ਮਾਣਸਾ ਤਿਨ ਕਿਉ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਚੀਤੁ ॥੧ ੧੪੦

A garment smeared in blood is considered unclean;

How can the mind of one who sucks human blood be clean? (p 140).

The ill of discrimination based on origin, color, class and caste is prevalent in many parts of the world. This results in some citizens of the same country being denied their rights while others enjoy them. This is unfair:

ਫਕੜ ਜਾਤੀ ਫਕੜੁ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਸਭਨਾ ਜੀਆ ਇਕਾ ਛਾਉ ॥

ਆਪਹੁ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਭਲਾ ਕਹਾਏ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਾ ਪਰੁ ਜਾਪੈ ਜਾ ਪਤਿ ਲੇਖੈ ਪਾਏ ॥੧॥ ੧੮੩

Talk of class or caste is useless;

Alll have the same origin i.e. God;

Those who consider themselves superior;

Will realize when their conduct is evaluated (p 83).

People are also treated differently depending on their financial status. A poor person treats a wealthier one with respect but the reverse is not true. They must be treated equally

ਜਉ ਨਿਰਧਨੁ ਸਰਧਨ ਕੈ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਆਗੇ ਬੈਠਾ ਪੀਠਿ ਫਿਰਾਇ ॥੧॥

ਜਉ ਸਰਧਨੁ ਨਿਰਧਨ ਕੈ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਦੀਆ ਆਦਰੁ ਲੀਆ ਬੁਲਾਇ ॥੨॥

ਨਿਰਧਨੁ ਸਰਧਨੁ ਦੋਨਉ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਕਲਾ ਨ ਮੇਟੀ ਜਾਈ ॥੩॥ ਕ੧੧੫੯

If a poor man goes to one who is rich;

The latter turns his back on him;

If a rich person goes to one who is poor;

The latter showing respect welcomes him;

The poor and rich are equal brothers;

One cannot wipe out what God willed (p 1159).

Gender bias has been prevalent in many societies with the woman being given a lower status. Gurbani rejects this and says woman and man were born equal:

ਤੁਧੁ ਸਿਰਜੀ ਮੇਦਨੀ ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਦੇਵਣਹਾਰੋ ॥

ਨਾਰੀ ਪੁਰਖ ਸਿਰਜਿਐ ਬਿਖੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਪਿਆਰੋ ॥ ੧੫੮੦

You created the universe and with it pleasure and pain;

Woman and man were created together with attachment and physical love (p 580).

In fact Guru Nanak reminds man:

ਭੰਡਿ ਜੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਨਿੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਮੰਗਣੁ ਵੀਆਹੁ ॥

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਭੰਡਹੁ ਚਲੈ ਰਾਹੁ ॥

ਭੰਡੁ ਮੁਆ ਭੰਡੁ ਭਾਲੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਬੰਧਾਨੁ ॥

ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮੰਦਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਰਾਜਾਨ ॥

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੀ ਭੰਡੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਝੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਏਕੋ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥ ੧੪੭੨

Of a woman is a man conceived and born; man seeks a woman for marriage;

He loves the woman andthrough woman generations continue;

If the wife dies man seeks another to get married;

How can the woman who gives birth to kings be condemned?

The woman (you seek) is born of a woman, none is born but of a woman;

God alone does not owe Its existence to a woman (p 472).

There is thus no cause to treat the female lower than the male.

Religion teaches ethics and respect for the laws of nature but has also been responsible for more killings than for political considerations or natural calamities. It is the wrong understanding of religious teachings that is responsible for all religious antipathy. In fact a true man of religion seeks the good of all. The third Guru says:

ਜਗਤੁ ਜਲੰਦਾ ਰਖਿ ਲੈ ਆਪਣੀ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਧਾਰਿ ॥

ਜਿਤੁ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਉਬਰੈ ਤਿਤੈ ਲੈਹੁ ਉਬਾਰਿ ॥੩੮੫੩

The world is afire O Lord;

Save people whichever way they come to you (p 383).

The sikh faith considers intimidation of any one or beiing intimidated wrong. The principle is:

ਭੈ ਕਾਹੂ ਕਉ ਦੇਤ ਨਹਿ ਨਹਿ ਭੈ ਮਾਨਤ ਆਨ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਨਿ ਰੇ ਮਨਾ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਤਾਹਿ ਬਖਾਨਿ ॥੧੬॥੯੧੪੨੭

A wise person is one who neither intimidates any one nor is intimidated (P 1427).

Sikh history provides testimony of these principles being put into practice. Some examples are:

1. Atrocoties were committed on the people during the invasion by Mughal forces in India in the sixteenth century CE. Guru Nanak raised his voice against atrocities on people even telling God;

ਏਤੀ ਮਾਰ ਪਈ ਕਰਲਾਣੇ ਤੈਂ ਕੀ ਦਰਦੁ ਨ ਆਇਆ ॥੧॥ ੩੬੦

O God did you not feel the pain when the people were suffering? (p 360).

The Guru was imprisoned and made to do hard labor but did not relent.

2. Sati is a social evil according to which a woman enters the funeral pyre of her husband. In most cases the woman was cajoled to do so in order to lay hands on what belonged to her. The third Guru, Guru Amar Das raised his voice against this practice.

3. In order to give practical shape to equality of all, the Sikh faith has the institution of Langar. In this people of all strata of life without consideration for religion, class or gender partake in community eating sitting together. It is sharing while emphasizing equality.

4. The Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind was imprisoned by Emperor Jahangir in the fort at Gwalior in India. The emperor realized his mistake and ordered his release. But the Guru refused to be released unless the 52 state chiefs who had been unjustly imprisoned were also set free. Jahangir agreed.

5. Emperor Aurangzeb of India had let loose a reign of terror requiring all non-Muslims to convert to Islam. His particular targets were the Hindu Brahmins of Kashmir who were asked to give up their symbols of the sacred thread and the mark on the forehead. Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru gave the supreme sacrifice for the sake of the above religious symbols of the Hindus.

6. Guru Gobind Singh fought on behalf of the Hindu hill Rajas when they were threatened by Aurangzeb. That they became against him later is another story.

7. Ahmad Shah Durrani attacked India in 1761 CE. While going back he was taking a lot of booty and a large number of Indian women. Sikhs under Jassa Singh Ahluwalia retrieved considerable materials and achieved release of Indian women and restored them to their families.