Is drinking permitted in Sikhism?
The Panthic Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh booklet of Code of Conduct) states:
เจ) เจธเจฟเฉฑเจ เจญเฉฐเจ, เจ
เจซเฉเจฎ, เจถเจฐเจพเจฌ, เจคเจฎเจพเจเฉ เจเจฟเจฆ เจจเจถเฉ เจจเจพ เจตเจฐเจคเฉเฅค เจ
เจฎเจฒ เจชเฉเจฐเจถเจพเจฆเฉ เจฆเจพ เจนเฉ เจฐเฉฑเจเฉ เฅค
"(j) A Sikh must not take hemp (cannabis), opium, liquor, tobacco, in short any intoxicant. His only routine intake should be food."
(SRM: Chapter X, Article XVI)
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji clearly states:
เจเฉเจ เจพ เจฎเจฆเฉ เจฎเฉเจฒเจฟ เจจ เจชเฉเจเจ เจเฉ เจเจพ เจชเจพเจฐเจฟ เจตเจธเจพเจ เฅฅ
"Do not drink the false alcohol at all, as far as it lies in your power."
(SGGS - 544)
The Sikh Gurus banned the use of intoxicants including alcohol on account of its harmful effects. It is physically harmful and mentally disturbing.
เจฐเจฟ เจฎเฉฐเจฆเจฐเฉ เจเจนเฉ เจธเจฐเฉเจฐเฉ เจนเฉ เจเจฟเจเจจเจฟ เจฐเจคเจจเจฟ เจชเจฐเจเจเฉ เจนเฉเจ เฅฅ เจฎเจจเจฎเฉเจ เจฎเฉเจฒเฉ เจจ เจเจพเจฃเจจเฉ เจฎเจพเจฃเจธเจฟ เจนเจฐเจฟ เจฎเฉฐเจฆเจฐเฉ เจจ เจนเฉเจ เฅฅ2เฅฅ
"This body is the Temple of the Lord, in which the jewel of spiritual wisdom is revealed. The self-willed manmukhs do not know anything at all; they do not believe that the Lord's Temple is within. ||2||"
(SGGS - 1346)
In Persian language, wine is called Sharaab (เจถเจฐเจพเจฌ) which literally means 'the water of mischief' (เจถเจฐเจพเจคเฉ เจชเจพเจฃเฉ). By drinking alcohol the intellect is destroyed. Waheguru is forsaken and the gem of the human life is wasted. Alcohol is a depressant that slows brain activity down. While one or two drinks makes most people feel relaxed, more alcohol may cause feelings of anxiety, depression, and often aggression. Sometimes people say "I will only have one glass" but in the mood of joy or sometimes when a person is feeling so low, that the one glass becomes two, then three and eventually the whole bottle of alcohol. Therefore, why become part of this slippery slope pattern?
Alcohol's first effect as it reaches the outer brain is to distort your judgement and lower you inhibition, while producing euphoria (a sense of pleasure). As you consume more alcohol, and it reaches the cerebellum, your coordination and perception are affected, and you can have memory blackouts. As the alcohol reaches your mid-brain, reflexes diminish; you experience confusion, stupor, and may lapse into a coma. Once the alcohol finally reaches the medulla, or inner core of the brain, your heart rate drops and breathing ceases, resulting in death. Research suggests that continued alcohol use can cause depression. Alcohol robs brain cells of water and glucose, the brain's food, contributing to a hangover the next day. Furthermore Alcohol depresses the body's immune system making it easier to get sick. It also disrupts your sleep patterns, further depressing the immune system. Other complications include osteoporosis, obesity, or liver damage. Alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, constipation, and strokes.
Guru Amar Daas Ji, the third Guru, made drinking liquor/alcohol a Kurehat (prohibition) for the Sikhs:
เจธเจฒเฉเจ เจฎ: 3 เฅฅ
เจฎเจพเจฃเจธเฉ เจญเจฐเจฟเจ เจเจฃเจฟเจ เจฎเจพเจฃเจธเฉ เจญเจฐเจฟเจ เจเจ เฅฅ
เจเจฟเจคเฉ เจชเฉเจคเฉ เจฎเจคเจฟ เจฆเฉเจฐเจฟ เจนเฉเจ เจฌเจฐเจฒเฉ เจชเจตเฉ เจตเจฟเจเจฟ เจเจ เฅฅ
เจเจชเจฃเจพ เจชเจฐเจพเจเจ เจจ เจชเจเจพเจฃเจ เจเจธเจฎเจนเฉ เจงเจเฉ เจเจพเจ เฅฅ
เจเจฟเจคเฉ เจชเฉเจคเฉ เจเจธเจฎเฉ เจตเจฟเจธเจฐเฉ เจฆเจฐเจเจน เจฎเจฟเจฒเฉ เจธเจเจพเจ เฅฅ
เจเฉเจ เจพ เจฎเจฆเฉ เจฎเฉเจฒเจฟ เจจ เจชเฉเจเจ เจเฉ เจเจพ เจชเจพเจฐเจฟ เจตเจธเจพเจ เฅฅ
เจจเจพเจจเจ เจจเจฆเจฐเฉ เจธเจเฉ เจฎเจฆเฉ เจชเจพเจเจ เจธเจคเจฟเจเฉเจฐเฉ เจฎเจฟเจฒเฉ เจเจฟเจธเฉ เจเจ เฅฅ
เจธเจฆเจพ เจธเจพเจนเจฟเจฌ เจเฉ เจฐเฉฐเจเจฟ เจฐเจนเฉ เจฎเจนเจฒเฉ เจชเจพเจตเฉ เจฅเจพเจ เฅฅ1เฅฅ
"Salok, Third Mehl: One person brings a full bottle, and another fills his cup. Drinking which, his intelligence departs, and madness enters his mind; he cannot distinguish between his own and others, and he is pushed away by his Lord and Master; One should strictly avoid this evil alcohol by drinking of which one forgets Waheguru and is punished in His Court. Do not drink the false wine at all, to where it is in your power. O Nanak, with God's Grace a person obtains the True intoxication of the Lord's Name. That person dwells forever in the Love of the Lord Master, Waheguru, and obtains a seat (meaning honour) in the Mansion of His Presence. ||1||"
(SGGS - 554)
Furthermore, Gurbani tells us:
เจธเฉเจฐเจธเจฐเฉ เจธเจฒเจฒ เจเฉเจฐเจฟเจค เจฌเจพเจฐเฉเจจเฉ เจฐเฉ เจธเฉฐเจค เจเจจ เจเจฐเจค เจจเจนเฉ เจชเจพเจจเฉฐ เฅฅ
เจธเฉเจฐเจพ เจ
เจชเจตเจฟเจคเฉเจฐ เจจเจค เจ
เจตเจฐ เจเจฒ เจฐเฉ เจธเฉเจฐเจธเจฐเฉ เจฎเจฟเจฒเจค เจจเจนเจฟ เจนเฉเจ เจเจจเฉฐ เฅฅ1เฅฅ
"The Saints, i.e. the Gurmukhs, do not consume alcohol even if it is prepared by using Gangaa-jal (sacred water of the Ganges). This wine, and any other polluted water which mixes with the Ganges, is not separate from it (similarly a person from a lowly background who joins the pure Lord Vaheguru does not remain separate from Him). ||1||"
(SGGS - 1293)
Yogis, men who practised Yoga as a religious path to meet Waheguru used to drink alcohol to focus their minds when sitting cross legged trying to meditate. Guru Nanak Dev Ji condemns the consumption of liquor and alcohol:
เจชเฉเจฐเจพ เจธเจพเจเฉ เจชเจฟเจเจฒเจพ เจธเจนเจเฉ เจคเจฟเจธเจนเจฟ เจชเฉเจเจ เจเจพ เจเจ เจจเจฆเจฐเจฟ เจเจฐเฉ เฅฅ
เจ
เฉฐเจฎเฉเจฐเจฟเจค เจเจพ เจตเจพเจชเจพเจฐเฉ เจนเฉเจตเฉ เจเจฟเจ เจฎเจฆเจฟ เจเฉเจเฉ เจญเจพเจ เจงเจฐเฉ เฅฅ2เฅฅ
"(O Yogi!) The Perfect Lord naturally gives the cup of Truth, to the one upon whom Waheguru casts His Glance of Grace. One who trades in this Amrit, the nectar, which gives eternal spiritual life - how could he ever love the alcohol of the world? ||2||"
(SGGS 360)
Bhagat Kabeer Ji says:
เจเจฌเฉเจฐ เจญเจพเจเจ เจฎเจพเจเฉเจฒเฉ เจธเฉเจฐเจพ เจชเจพเจจเจฟ เจเฉ เจเฉ เจชเฉเจฐเจพเจจเฉ เจเจพเจเจนเจฟ เฅฅ
เจคเฉเจฐเจฅ เจฌเจฐเจค เจจเฉเจฎ เจเฉเจ เจคเฉ เจธเจญเฉ เจฐเจธเจพเจคเจฒเจฟ เจเจพเจเจนเจฟ เฅฅเฉจเฉฉเฉฉเฅฅ
"O Kabeer! Those mortals who consume marijuana (drugs), fish (meat) and wine (liquor) - no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. ||233||
(SGGS - 1377)
Guru Gobind Singh in his Rehatnama addressed to Bhai Chaupa Singh banned the use of any intoxicating drink. A Sikh of the Guru should never drink wine. (Guru Ka Sikh Sharab Kadi Na Peevay).
Drinking alcohol even in small quantities to enjoy its effect is against Gurmat. Alcohol and liquor are forbidden because of their ill effects on the mind and body and foremost it is addictive drug. BBC Health documented that a recent medical study has proven to show that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause physical and mental birth defects. Each year, more than 40,000 babies are born with some degree of alcohol related damage. Although many women are aware that heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects, many do not realize that moderate or even light drinking also may harm the foetus.
Alcohol, especially in excess, is responsible for altering brain activity and affecting concentration and reflexes. As a result, individuals under the influence of alcohol are more susceptible to accidents especially while driving. Other side affects include insomnia (the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep), heartburn and high blood pressure. Excessive use or abuse of alcohol can contribute to increased levels of triglyceride in the blood that can then lead to heart disease.
We should feel blessed that our Guru was a Perfect Guru who was All-Knowing. In the last few decades the Western world has discovered the ill effects of alcohol on our mind, body and even on society. As a result restrictions were gradually brought on the drinking and driving, campaigns on the effects of alcohol abuse on youngsters, and the damage alcohol does to mothers and society in the whole. Furthermore However, our Guru told us this over 500 years ago.