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Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
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Interfaith Dialogues
The Islamic Veil Across Europe: Questions Of Equality Versus Equity
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<blockquote data-quote="AngloSikhPeace" data-source="post: 191112" data-attributes="member: 19790"><p>For thousands of years women in advanced social positions around the world have worn the veil. Typically those in wealthy societies with social stability. It was a status symbol for a woman to cover their face, ride in a carriage hidden behind a screen, and to stay at home as much as possible. Indeed, even in Christian Europe until quite recently this was the norm, although the veil wasn't a solid black covering. This was considered better than living and working in the dirt like the peasant women, or having to ride around and even fight like the women of nomadic societies (eg pre-Islamic Arabia, Mongolia, Scythia).</p><p></p><p>Here is a good example of what the veil has traditionally meant in most countries. In the early era of the Christian church, many men and women would leave their homes and adopt monastic life. Both men and women were required to shave their heads and dress in simple clothes, leaving their heads uncovered (a mark of humility in western society). However, as the church became more popular, more and more wealthy women wanted to join monasteries, or were sent there by their families if a suitable husband could not be found. These women did not want to display obstentatious religious symbols like a shaven head, they wanted a proper, comfortable life as someone of noble birth deserved. So monasteries would change their codes to require that women should wear a full wimple and keep their hair. The veil in this case began as a secular symbol of status, and then became seen as a religious one in the modern age.</p><p></p><p>Within Islam, the situation is similar. Pre-Islamic Arab women were often treated as bargaining tools for political marriages between Arab tribes, even Muhammad himself was involved in this with Aisha. We don't have very good evidence for what happened before Islam in Arabia, but it seems to be that despite the mistreatment of women for dynastic and family reasons, even extending to female infanticide, the Arab <em>ideal</em> expressed in poetry was one in which women were respected and independent, objects of beauty and tribal pride. The Qur'an and hadith speak a lot about the respect that should be granted to wives, mothers and daughters, depicting women who are certainly not equal to men, but who are treated with honour.</p><p>Normal women did not wear veils or face covers in Arabia. The Qur'anic injunction about 'drawing the veil over the bosom' refers to a Chunni-style garment worn over the head. The woman's cleavage would be exposed, and women would wear jewellery and patterns identifying tribal identity. The Qur'an, in this passage instead asks women to behave modestly and cover themselves, rather than flaunting tribal pride.</p><p></p><p>Muhammad's wives themselves though wore veils in public, and generally did not appear outside their houses. This is because, as I talked about above, they were queens, high-status women who were cloistered away and protected in the Persian or East Roman fashion. This was not the fashion followed by ordinary Muslim women, at least in the first few decades of Islam. In these years after the death of Muhammad, Muslim arab women would actually join in with the battles against the Roman and Persian Arab client tribes.</p><p>But as Islam began to codify itself, things changed. An idea came into Islam fairly early that since Muhammad was the perfect man and the carrier of God's message, all Muslims should strive to imitate him in every way. The Muslim scholars believed that God's message wasn't just contained in the Qur'an itself, but in the very actions and behaviour of the Prophet. And Muslim women therefore should try to behave just as Muhammad's wives did, since only the most perfect women in the world could marry the most perfect man. This meant that although women weren't actually <em>required</em> to cover their faces and stay indoors by law, the perfect pious Muslim woman should do so anyway.</p><p></p><p>Eventually, since every man wanted to be married to a pious and well-behaved woman, these 'sunnat' practices eventually became cultural, the general custom of the land. It became scandalous for a high-born woman to be seen uncovered in public. Just as it was when the Christian and Zoroastrian empires ruled the middle east before. In fact, it is probably a safe bet that it was Persian and Roman converts to Islam from the upper classes who fostered and encouraged this sort of culture.</p><p></p><p></p><p>What does this mean for the modern veil debate? Not much exactly. But it shows that the side-discussion of whether the veil is a religious or cultural symbol is a false dichotomy. The veil is in fact <strong>both</strong>. And it also shows that the oft-repeated argument that the veil began as and is exclusively an Islamic tool for subjugating women is also very incorrect.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="AngloSikhPeace, post: 191112, member: 19790"] For thousands of years women in advanced social positions around the world have worn the veil. Typically those in wealthy societies with social stability. It was a status symbol for a woman to cover their face, ride in a carriage hidden behind a screen, and to stay at home as much as possible. Indeed, even in Christian Europe until quite recently this was the norm, although the veil wasn't a solid black covering. This was considered better than living and working in the dirt like the peasant women, or having to ride around and even fight like the women of nomadic societies (eg pre-Islamic Arabia, Mongolia, Scythia). Here is a good example of what the veil has traditionally meant in most countries. In the early era of the Christian church, many men and women would leave their homes and adopt monastic life. Both men and women were required to shave their heads and dress in simple clothes, leaving their heads uncovered (a mark of humility in western society). However, as the church became more popular, more and more wealthy women wanted to join monasteries, or were sent there by their families if a suitable husband could not be found. These women did not want to display obstentatious religious symbols like a shaven head, they wanted a proper, comfortable life as someone of noble birth deserved. So monasteries would change their codes to require that women should wear a full wimple and keep their hair. The veil in this case began as a secular symbol of status, and then became seen as a religious one in the modern age. Within Islam, the situation is similar. Pre-Islamic Arab women were often treated as bargaining tools for political marriages between Arab tribes, even Muhammad himself was involved in this with Aisha. We don't have very good evidence for what happened before Islam in Arabia, but it seems to be that despite the mistreatment of women for dynastic and family reasons, even extending to female infanticide, the Arab [I]ideal[/I] expressed in poetry was one in which women were respected and independent, objects of beauty and tribal pride. The Qur'an and hadith speak a lot about the respect that should be granted to wives, mothers and daughters, depicting women who are certainly not equal to men, but who are treated with honour. Normal women did not wear veils or face covers in Arabia. The Qur'anic injunction about 'drawing the veil over the bosom' refers to a Chunni-style garment worn over the head. The woman's cleavage would be exposed, and women would wear jewellery and patterns identifying tribal identity. The Qur'an, in this passage instead asks women to behave modestly and cover themselves, rather than flaunting tribal pride. Muhammad's wives themselves though wore veils in public, and generally did not appear outside their houses. This is because, as I talked about above, they were queens, high-status women who were cloistered away and protected in the Persian or East Roman fashion. This was not the fashion followed by ordinary Muslim women, at least in the first few decades of Islam. In these years after the death of Muhammad, Muslim arab women would actually join in with the battles against the Roman and Persian Arab client tribes. But as Islam began to codify itself, things changed. An idea came into Islam fairly early that since Muhammad was the perfect man and the carrier of God's message, all Muslims should strive to imitate him in every way. The Muslim scholars believed that God's message wasn't just contained in the Qur'an itself, but in the very actions and behaviour of the Prophet. And Muslim women therefore should try to behave just as Muhammad's wives did, since only the most perfect women in the world could marry the most perfect man. This meant that although women weren't actually [I]required[/I] to cover their faces and stay indoors by law, the perfect pious Muslim woman should do so anyway. Eventually, since every man wanted to be married to a pious and well-behaved woman, these 'sunnat' practices eventually became cultural, the general custom of the land. It became scandalous for a high-born woman to be seen uncovered in public. Just as it was when the Christian and Zoroastrian empires ruled the middle east before. In fact, it is probably a safe bet that it was Persian and Roman converts to Islam from the upper classes who fostered and encouraged this sort of culture. What does this mean for the modern veil debate? Not much exactly. But it shows that the side-discussion of whether the veil is a religious or cultural symbol is a false dichotomy. The veil is in fact [B]both[/B]. And it also shows that the oft-repeated argument that the veil began as and is exclusively an Islamic tool for subjugating women is also very incorrect. [/QUOTE]
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