Gurdwara Income

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Have a question with regards to Income for Gurdwara's in the western hemisphere. Most of this income is from Akandpaaths as we very well know and it is not ethical - with marayada due to people buying off the shelf Akannd paaths etc. I don't want this to be debated as it has been and we obviously know it's wrong.

My question is that is it OK for a Gurdwara to have investible land income i.e if it has land which gives it income ?

or

if it has a team of people who invest in funds - shares for income for the Gurdwara. Is it ethical if not where is it not?

sure sangat's donation pay for the normal bills etc for a Gurdwara - however if there is surplus income is it ok to invest that for income to the Gurdwara?

In Sacha Sauda Sakhi , Sri Guru Ji has taught us where money should be invested. Gurwdwarra Sahibs should never be treated as "stock" they are sacred and they should be simple with the sole intent in creating Gurmukhs. What speak of is unthinkable we already have enough people in the West treating our Gurus house as a business and this is why people no longer go to the GUrdwara Sahib in the first place.

Sukhdeep Singh Wrote:
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> In Sacha Sauda Sakhi , Sri Guru Ji has taught us
> where money should be invested. Gurwdwarra Sahibs
> should never be treated as "stock" they are sacred
> and they should be simple with the sole intent in
> creating Gurmukhs. What speak of is unthinkable we
> already have enough people in the West treating
> our Gurus house as a business and this is why
> people no longer go to the GUrdwara Sahib in the
> first place.

very true - so what other means by which a Gurdwara survives if we cannot use income from Akand Paths as they ritualistic - and also charging extorniate amount for weddings is also not in line.. what other ideas sir?

Sorry didn't read your first question properly or perhaps didn't understand it. If there is a Gurdwara on a land say acres and people farmed on these acres and a proportion of the money went to the Gurdwara Sahib then this wouldn't be wrong in fact it would be ideal , but in regards to buying stocks in a Gurdwara Sahib that's just plain weird, lol

Quote

very true - so what other means by which a Gurdwara survives if we cannot use income from Akand Paths as they ritualistic - and also charging extorniate amount for weddings is also not in line.. what other ideas sir?

How did the Puratan Gurdwara Sahibs survive? its very simple those Gursikhs who support Gurmat will always support Gurdwara Sahibs that promote Gurmat with their earned income .

Sukhdeep Singh Wrote:
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> very true - so what other means by which a
> Gurdwara survives if we cannot use income from
> Akand Paths as they ritualistic - and also
> charging extorniate amount for weddings is also
> not in line.. what other ideas sir?
>
> How did the Puratan Gurdwara Sahibs survive? its
> very simple those Gursikhs who support Gurmat will
> always support Gurdwara Sahibs that promote Gurmat
> with their earned income .


very true again veer jeeo - however we are living in the western world - what is wrong with investing properly for income for a Gurdwara - please bear in mind i'm not saying gamble sangats money or anything like that.This is on top of what you already mention promoting Gurmat with earned income - which is sangats donation.

Sri GUru Ji has taught us if we have extra income it should be invested in bringing abhilakhees into Gurmat this is the true investment all other investments bring no gain,

That is very hard decision and can be debated to both sides.

Our history says, Maharaja Ranjit Singh and others donated many acres of land to the GURDWARAS. Diamonds and Gold were also part of offerings to GURDWARA SAHIBS.

ARGUMENT FOR "INVESTMENT"

How those offerings were utilized, then? Most probably, land was cultivated or given on lease? That income comes to GURDWARAS again (i.e. NANKANA SAHIB, PAKISTAN). Markets built on those lands, when given on rent, are used as source of income to the managements (i.e. SGPC, DGPC).

Share or Stock Market, is the modern way of keeping the money, in investment. As the land or the building is leased or rented, so the money is wisely invested, in so called Share Market.

If Share Market is OK for Gursikhs, why not for GURDWARAS ? (I think, SHARE MARKET as business for Gursikhs was debated on this or some other forum, earlier)

ARGUMENTS AGAINST "INVESTMENT"

Money, if not utilized immediately, for most desired situations, is not ACCEPTABLE, in principle. It is not the money, which is important, it is the UTILIZATION and FEELING related with money, which is more important. As Sukhdeep Singh VEER Ji says, GURDWARAS are not buiness houses. What is a loss, for a Business House, could be a Gain, for Guru Ghar. SACHA SAUDA is defined by "Using the Money for Welfare of Humanity'. There are always enough of resaons to use the money. Schools, Libraries, Play Grounds, Free Rest Houses, Gyms, Hospitals, Free Kitchens etc etc, all are better investments, with current and immediate use of money. Money invested in humanity, is better than saved for future.

A sikh has always to chose between, MATERIALISM AND SPIRITULISM.

beautiful answers Many Thanks MB Singh jeeo and Sukhdeep Singh jee- both of your answers have helped considerably.