Is drinking permitted in Sikhism?
“One man offers wine and another pours it himself;
It makes him crazy and senseless and devoid of all reason.
Then one cannot distinguish between one’s own and another’s and is cursed by God.
Drinking it, one forsakes one’s Master and is punished at the Lord’s Court.
Yes, drink not this vicious wine, under any circumstances.”
At another place the Guru wrote that the wages of drinking are sin and vice(p.553):
“The body is the pitcher, selfhood the wine;
And society is of craving and outgoing of the mind.
Yes, Desire is drinking bowl brimming over with falsehood;
And Yama is the bar-man.
Drinking such a wine, who can earn anything but vice and sin?”
Guru Gobind Singh in his Rahatnama 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).
Apart from religious injunction, scientists have proved that the frequent use of alcohol makes people addicts and they become aggressive and unruly. the custom of offering drinks to friends and guests is socially dangerous. And when taken in excess can have terrible effects on one’s general health.
Drinking damages the liver, the heart and the brain. In the United States of Americal “alcoholism” is regarded as a disease to be controlled by society and government.
In Persian language, wine is called Sharaab which literally means ‘the water of mischief.’
Let all Sikhs clearly understand that drinking is under no circumstances permitted in Sikh religion. The clear command in Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Rahet Maryada bans the use of any intoxicants by any Sikh.
Kabir says in Adi Granth:
“Whoever uses bhang, fish and wine;
Whatever pilgrimages, fasting and daily rites they may perform,
They all go to hell.” (p. 1377)