The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2267 page)

Granth (Sikh scripture), known as Gur
Granth S
hib and revered as such. Sikhs accept
initiation
with
amrit
, according to the
rahit
mary
d
which gives detailed requirements. Together Sikhs make up the
panth
in which it is believed that the guidance of the Gur
is also present, but in a more limited way. Fully committed and initiated Sikhs belong to the
kh
ls
. There are
c.
14 million Sikhs in India, four-fifths in
Pañj
b
. In a wide
diaspora
, the largest community (
c.
300,000) is in the UK.
Sikhism began in the context of the Muslim–Hindu confrontation in N. India, when some (e.g.
Kab
r
) were seeking reconciling truth. It was a time also of vivid and moving devotion to God (
bhakti
), all of which (especially the Vai
avites) was influential on Gur
N
nak, though even more so was his own profound experience of God. He did not attempt to merge Hinduism and Islam, but simply insisted on the worship of the True Name (
N
m