miri

Sikhism

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded in the Punjab region of India by Guru Nanak in the 15th century. The word "Sikh" means "learner" or "disciple". Sikhs believe in one God, who is formless and can be realized through meditation on the divine name (nam simaran).1

The religion was shaped by ten Gurus, beginning with Guru Nanak and ending with Guru Gobind Singh. The teachings of the Gurus were compiled into the holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib.1

A significant development in Sikh history was the concept of miri and piri, introduced by Guru Hargobind. Piri represents spiritual authority, while miri signifies temporal or worldly authority. This duality means the Sikh community is both a religious and a temporal entity, responsible for spiritual guidance and protection against injustice. A pir is a Muslim spiritual guide or saint in India or Pakistan.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Sikhism
Guru Nanak
…Guru, however, the doctrine of miri/piri emerged. Like his predecessors, the Guru still engaged in piri, spiritual leadership, but to it he now added miri, the rule of a worldly leader. The Panth was thus no longer an exclusively religious community but was also a military one that was commonly…
Read More
…Guru, however, the doctrine of miri/piri emerged. Like his predecessors, the Guru still engaged in piri, spiritual leadership, but to it he now added miri, the rule of a worldly leader. The Panth was thus no longer an exclusively religious community but was also a military one that was commonly…
Read More