ABSTRACT
Sikhism was developed by Guru Nanak, a sixteenth century religious reformer in India (and thus a contemporary of Martin Luther). Nanak faced the problem of the intense conflict between Muslims, who had conquered part of northern India and the Hindus. Spurred by a vision of God's presence, he created a new religion which, by combining the best features of each, he hoped might bring reconciliation. Instead, it added a new faith to those already present. Nanak emphasized a monotheistic God, which he called the True Name, and advocated as a major religious practice the repetition of the Name of God. Following Nanak's death, nine gurus (teachers) followed him in succession. After the last guru's death, their writings were combined in a book, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, which became their new and permanent guru. Administrative leadership for the faith was invested in a collective of senior leaders in Amritsar, where the Goiden Temple became the center of the world Sikh community.
