Sikhism
Spiritual devotion and reverence of God at all times while practicing the ideals of honesty, compassion, humility and generosity in everyday life.
Distinctions
The content for Distinctions is from a book called "Religions of the World - The illustrated guide to origins, beliefs, traditions and festivals". You can purchase a copy here: Amazon
Summary
Sikhs believe in one God who is timeless and without form. The world and the universe are a reflection of God, who created them and directs them. The Sikh scriptures say:
"God is the sole creator and judge. Keep him ever in mind. Nothing but God has any power."
God cannot be found by human effort, but reveals himself to theose who seek him through prayer and an unselfish lifestyle. Sikh teachings emphasize equality, service, and protection of the weak against injustice. Sikhs follow the teachings of ten human Gurus (teachers), who lived in India during the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries CE, and now regard the book of their hymns and poems as the Guru for all time to come.
Symbol
In the center of this symbol is the two-edged sword used to prepare a sweet food during Sikh services. The circle symbolizes one God with no beginning or end. The two swords on the outside show Sikh readiness to defend truth and justice.
Worldwide Numbers
There are 23 million Sikhs worldwide. Over 85% of them live in India, mainly in the Punjab in northwestern India. There are sizable communities in the UK, United States and Canada and smaller ones in East Africa, Europe, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
Holy Places
The city of Amritsar in the Punjap was founded by the fourth Guru of Sikhism, and the GOlden Temple there was built by his successor. Amritsar has beome the center of the Sikh pilgrimage.
Holy Writings
The Guru Granth Sahib contains hymns written by some of the Sikh Gurus and other writers. It is written in Gurmukhi, a form of written Punjabi, and is regarded by Sikhs as a living Guru.
Key Links
Additional in-depth information here on Wikipedia.