Five basic facts about the Sikh faith

Six people inside a Sikh temple in Wisconsin were killed by a gunman on August 5, 2012, police say. Here are five basic facts about the Sikh faith:

--The Sikh faith emerged in what is now India and Pakistan more than 500 years ago.

--There are more than 20 million Sikhs worldwide, most in India, and 500,000 in the U.S.

--Sikhs believe in one God and the reincarnation of souls. Sikhs follow the teachings of Guru Nanak and nine gurus who followed him between the 15th and 18th centuries.

--They have no official priests: Men and women known as “granthi” ceremoniously perform some priest-like functions.

--Sikhism is distinct from Islam and Hinduism, though observant Sikh men who wear turbans and do not cut their hair are sometimes confused with Muslims.