On what basis/definition/Minimum Parameters the Sikhism is considered as a separate religion than that of Hinduism?

Question

Many scholars have stated that the Granth contains specific references to Hindu gods such as Rama and Krishna. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru, declared: “Na koi hindu na koi mussalman" (No one is Hindu or Muslim)”

Nevertheless, in the Adi Granth he compiled around 1600 AD a little over 11,000 names of God that appear over 95% are of Hindu origin: Hari, Rama, Gopal, Govind, Madhav, Vithal and others. Some like 'Allah, Rab, Malik' are Muslim. The exclusively Sikh word for God, Wahguru, appears only 16 times.

If the Guru Granth Sahib were to be examined, there is no difference between Hinduism and Sikhism because the Granth is based on the Hindu scriptures and beliefs.The Granth invokes the name of

• Krishna 10,000 times
• Rama 2400 times
• It invokes Parabrahma 550 times
• Omkar 400 times
• It invokes the authority of the Vedas, Puranas, Smritis about 350 times
• The names of the Nirguna Absolute – Jagdish, Nirankar, Niranjan, Atma, Paramatma, Parmeshwar, Antaryami, Kartar – are invoked 2600 times.
• Those of Saguna deity – Gobind, Murari, Madhav, Saligram, Vishnu, Sarangpani, Mukund, Thakur, Damodar, Vasudev, Mohan, Banwari, Madhusudan, Keshav, Chaturbhuj, etc, – are invoked 2,000 times

In the entire Guru Granth Sahib, the Vedas are respected and referred to as sacred. Guru Gobind Singh states that

The Vedas originated from Brahma and the path of the Vedas is the only path for the people to follow:.

Guru Tegh Bahadur is executed explicitly for his defense of the Hindus of Kashmir, he is executed in the company of his Hindu devotees. Guru Gobind Singh composes a paen to Rama – Ramavatara – and another to Krishna – Krishnavatara.

He declares as his aspiration:

Sakal jagat mein khalsa panth gaaje
Jage dharma Hindu, sakal bhand bhaje

Let the path of the pure prevail all over the world
Let the Hindu dharma dawn and all delusion disappear.

He declares as his goal:

Dharam vedamaryaada jag mein chalaaun
Gaughaat kaa dosh jag se mitaaun

May I spread dharma and prestige of the Veda in the world. And erase from it the sin of cow-slaughter.

Answer 1

This is a selective reading of few verses in the Guru Granth Sahibji, which is a very large literature.

Sikh Gurus often used the most popular names of God in their times since as per Sikhism all names of God are sacred. There are major differences from Hinduism: 1. No belief in Avatars. Sikh Gurus have spoken strongly against the idea of Avatars. 2. No deity worship i.e. idol worship is strictly forbidden. 3. Caste system is refuted. 4. Many Hindu traditions like offering to Pitrs, pilgrimages, fasting are discouraged. 5. The deities if at all believed in are said to be subservient to the one true God.

There are verses which Guru Arjan Devji has spoken where the names of Rama or Govind are explicitly taught to be not the names referring to deities but the God who rules over them. I am not quoting them here since the Granth is considered too sacred to openly quote without good reason.

There are numerous differences to speak. If you are interested, please go over the Sikh Religion by Max Arthur MacAuliffe , there are many volumes on Sikhism by this respected author, its not a small topic. Here is one reference of volume 1. http://www.sacred-texts.com/skh/tsr1/index.htm

Having said this, the Sikh Gurus believed in Dharma and sacrificing even their lives and families for righteous causes. Hence they have supported the Hindu cause and freedom to practice one's religion and some verses you selectively quoted indicate this because in those times Hindu innocents were extremely oppressed. Similarly they believe irrespective of religion devotion matters most to God. Hence the teachings of Bhagats which include Hindu and Muslim saints, and those aspects which are in consonance with Sikhism, have been incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahibji.

So my humble view is to consider Sikhism as a unique religion in its own right and celebrate the common points with Hinduism without trying to downplay its great unique teachings.