Why Masturbation Is Not a Sin in Sikhism with Evidence
C.J Ahmed-16.03.2023
Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak who is the first Guru. The religion of Sikhism is based on the teachings of the ten Gurus and Guru Nanak is the first. Apart from the ten gurus, teachings such as those of so called Sufi saints are also incorporated in the text of the Sikhs known as the Guru Granth Sahib.
The more appropriate view is that there is no clear evidence that masturbation is forbidden.
“You do not control your seed and semen, and yet you claim to practice abstinence”.
(Granth Sahib- Ang-903-11)
The above evidence is used by Sikhs to argue that masturbation is forbidden.
This has been misunderstood. This was a conversation between a Hindu and Guru Nanak. When the Hindu Yogi called Raamkalee asks a question, Guru Nanak’s response to this question is what is quoted above. The Hindu yogi practiced abstinence. This does not mean that Guru Nanak forbade his followers from masturbating. There are some more Mehls (numberings of the Granth Sahib) taken as evidence by Sikhs to prove that masturbation is forbidden. But none of them mentions about masturbation. For an example
“Abandoning his own wife, he is engrossed in sexual desire; his thoughts are on the wives of others”.
(Granth Sahib- 1013)
The above evidence has nothing to do with masturbation. It only discusses about lusting on another person’s wife. There are other verses that discourage sex an d they are as follows,
“Painful diseases afflict those who are sexually promiscuous” (Granth Sahib-1189)
“You do not control your seed and semen, and yet you claim to practice abstinence”.
(Granth Sahib- Ang-903-11)
“Keep your mind unattached from lust, anger, greed, insistence and infatuation” (Granth Sahib-1345)
“My thirst is quenched, and I have been intuitively embellished.
The poisons of sexual desire and anger have been burnt away”
(Arjun Dev-Granth Sahib-1215)
“Sexual desire, anger, and egotism lead to ruin. Meditating on the Lord, the Lord's humble servants are redeemed”(Granth Sahib-388)
“For an instant, you may savor pleasure, but afterwards, you shall regret it, again and again”(Granth Sahib-(Gran th Sahib-403)
Let the remembrance of death be the patched coat you wear, let the purity of virginity
be your way in the world, and let faith in the Lord be your walking stick (Granth Sahib-6)
“Lust and wrath wastes the body away, as borax melts gold” (Granth Sahib-932)
None of these verses mentions anything about masturbation and what is mentioned as sexual desire should be understood within the teachings in the Gran th Sahib. The sexual desires that are discouraged is mentioned in the following verses,
“Abandoning his own wife, he is engrossed in sexual desire; his thoughts are on the wives of others” (Granth Sahib- 1013)
There is no evidence whatsoever to prove that masturbation is a sin in Sikhism. Some so called Sikh scholars might try to make masturbation a sin by bringing up un-related verses (Shabads) but the fact of the matter is, there is not even a single verses in the Gran th sahib forbidding masturbation.
Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak who is the first Guru. The religion of Sikhism is based on the teachings of the ten Gurus and Guru Nanak is the first. Apart from the ten gurus, teachings such as those of so called Sufi saints are also incorporated in the text of the Sikhs known as the Guru Granth Sahib.
The more appropriate view is that there is no clear evidence that masturbation is forbidden.
“You do not control your seed and semen, and yet you claim to practice abstinence”.
(Granth Sahib- Ang-903-11)
The above evidence is used by Sikhs to argue that masturbation is forbidden.
This has been misunderstood. This was a conversation between a Hindu and Guru Nanak. When the Hindu Yogi called Raamkalee asks a question, Guru Nanak’s response to this question is what is quoted above. The Hindu yogi practiced abstinence. This does not mean that Guru Nanak forbade his followers from masturbating. There are some more Mehls (numberings of the Granth Sahib) taken as evidence by Sikhs to prove that masturbation is forbidden. But none of them mentions about masturbation. For an example
“Abandoning his own wife, he is engrossed in sexual desire; his thoughts are on the wives of others”.
(Granth Sahib- 1013)
The above evidence has nothing to do with masturbation. It only discusses about lusting on another person’s wife. There are other verses that discourage sex an d they are as follows,
“Painful diseases afflict those who are sexually promiscuous” (Granth Sahib-1189)
“You do not control your seed and semen, and yet you claim to practice abstinence”.
(Granth Sahib- Ang-903-11)
“Keep your mind unattached from lust, anger, greed, insistence and infatuation” (Granth Sahib-1345)
“My thirst is quenched, and I have been intuitively embellished.
The poisons of sexual desire and anger have been burnt away”
(Arjun Dev-Granth Sahib-1215)
“Sexual desire, anger, and egotism lead to ruin. Meditating on the Lord, the Lord's humble servants are redeemed”(Granth Sahib-388)
“For an instant, you may savor pleasure, but afterwards, you shall regret it, again and again”(Granth Sahib-(Gran th Sahib-403)
Let the remembrance of death be the patched coat you wear, let the purity of virginity
be your way in the world, and let faith in the Lord be your walking stick (Granth Sahib-6)
“Lust and wrath wastes the body away, as borax melts gold” (Granth Sahib-932)
None of these verses mentions anything about masturbation and what is mentioned as sexual desire should be understood within the teachings in the Gran th Sahib. The sexual desires that are discouraged is mentioned in the following verses,
“Abandoning his own wife, he is engrossed in sexual desire; his thoughts are on the wives of others” (Granth Sahib- 1013)
There is no evidence whatsoever to prove that masturbation is a sin in Sikhism. Some so called Sikh scholars might try to make masturbation a sin by bringing up un-related verses (Shabads) but the fact of the matter is, there is not even a single verses in the Gran th sahib forbidding masturbation.