Concept of God in Sikhism
Sikhism enjoins on its followers strict monotheism. Sikhism is also strongly against idol worship. It
believes in only One Supreme God who is, in the unmanifest
form called ‘Ek Omkara’.
In the manifest form He is called as ‘Omkara’and has several
attributes such as:
Kartar -The Creator
Sahib -The Lord
Akal -The Eternal
Sattanama -The Holy name
Parvardigar -The Cherisher
Rahim -The Merciful
Karim -The Benevolent
He is also called ‘Wahe Guru’- the One true God.
It is mentioned in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Vol. 1, Japuji, the
first verse:
“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, the first verse] (The sacred book of Sikhism is
Sri Guru Granth Sahib also called as Adi Granth).
Guru Nanak was influenced by the sayings of Sant Kabir so
much that several chapters of Sri Guru Granth Sahib contain
couplets of Sant Kabir.
One of the famous couplets of Sant Kabir is
“Dukh mein sumiran sab kare sukh mein kare na koye Jo
sukh mein sumiran kare to dukh kahe ko hoye”
“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?”
Compare this with the following verse of the Glorious
Qur’an:
“When some trouble toucheth man, he crieth
unto his Lord, turning to Him in repentance: But when
He bestoweth a favour upon him as from Himself, (man)
doth forget what he cried and prayed for before, and he
doth set up rivals unto Allah...”
[Al Qur’an 39:8]
