Sikh beliefs about God

Belief in one God is central to Sikhism. Sikhs are monotheists. They believe it is important to keep the name of God in their mind and live their life as God would wish.

Sikhs believe that God:

• cannot be described and is neither male nor female
• is eternal truth, timeless, beyond the cycle of birth and death, and self-existent
• is both sargun (immanent – everywhere and in everything) and nirgun (transcendent – above and beyond creation)
• created the world for people to use and enjoy
• created people, and made them know the difference between right and wrong
• is present in everyone’s soul but can only be seen by those whom he blesses
• is personal and available to everyone
• is the only one to be worshipped; no images of God are to be worshipped
• is made known by the grace of the Guru

There are many Sikh names for God, yet each is inadequate to express the reality of Waheguru (God).

Sikh names, popular with the Gurus when addressing God

Sikhs believe that there is only one God but that this is the God of all religions. No single religion can claim to be the only true way to Waheguru, and different religions are just different ways towards Waheguru.

You are Father, Mother, Friend, Brother, with you as support everywhere, what fear can I Have?

Guru Granth Sahib 103