Lesson 3 – Concept of God in Sikhism
In this lesson, we will review the concept of God in Sikhism. We will go through the aspects of the religion and then will compare it to the religion Islam.
The Concept of God in Sikhism
It is not the major religion of the world but an offshoot of Hinduism founded by Guru Nanak. Sikhism originated in Pakistan.
Definition of Sikh and Sikhism
Sikh is derived from the word ‘Sisya,’ which means follower. Sikhs follow the teachings of ten gurus, the first being guru Nanak. They also have a book that they follow named Sri Guru Granth.
The Five K’s
Every Sikh has to keep the five k’s
- Kesh which means uncut hair since Sikhs don’t cut their hair.
- Kangha, meaning comb, which they should keep with themselves.
- Kada, a metal bangal, this indicates their link to the religion and is used for strength.
- Kirpan – dagger which they have to keep for self-defense
- Kaccha – a knee-length under drawer which is worn for agility.
Mul Mantra: The Fundamental Creed of Sikhism
The concept of God in Sikhism can be best understood by quoting the Mul mantra, which says,
“There exists but one God, who is called the true, the creator, free from fear and hate, immortal not begotten, self-existent, Great and Compassionate.” Sri Guru Granth Sahib – Vol 1 Japuji, verse 1
This indicates that Sikhism strictly follows monotheism and the concept of God in Sikhism evolves around a single God and the teachings of the gurus. Sikhs have many names for God, such as ‘Ek Omkara.
Many Other Names That Sikhs Give to Their Supreme Lord are
- Sahib – the Lord
- Kartar – the creator
- Sattanama – the holy name
They also call him Wahe Guru- the one true God.
The concept of God in Sikhism is based on monotheism. They also don’t believe in avataravada- the doctrine of reincarnation. Avataravada is based on the concept that God reincarnates as avataras and help human. Although Sikhs do believe in avataras, they don’t consider him as a reincarnation of God. They also are against idol worshipping.
Guru Nanak Influenced by Kabir
Guru Nanak was so strongly influenced by the saying of saint Kabir that he added his saying in Guru Nanak Sahib.
One of the famous couplets is,
“Everyone remembers God during trouble, but no one remembers Him during peace and happiness. The one who remembers God during peace and happiness, why should he have trouble?”
If we compare it with the Quranic verse,
“When some trouble touches man, he cries unto his Lord, turning to Him in repentance. But then He bestows favor upon him from Himself, he forgets that for which he cried for before, and he sets up rivals to Allah.”
Al Qur’an 39:8
Thus we can see similarities in both religions and see that the scriptures or the sayings best describe the religion. The concept of God in Sikhism is based on the same oneness as Islam.
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