The nature of God
Monotheism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion, which means that the faith teaches that there is only one god. Sikhs may also be called panentheistic, meaning that they believe God is present in creationThe act of bringing something into existence. In religion, this refers to the creation of the world by God.. The belief is that God is not the universe, but is the life within it, its driving force.
Key beliefs
Key beliefs about the nature of God include:
- God is sargun – is personal and has qualities and a form
- God is also nirgun - infinitelyAlways, endlessly, with no beginning or end. beyond all qualities and forms and so is also transcendentBelief that God is above and beyond creation and it is up to humans to act on His behalf and do His will., beyond human language and knowledge
- Sat Nam or eternal reality - the presence of God is the true reality, producing a numinousThe religious feeling of being in the presence of a power much greater than you and that cannot easily be described or explained. feeling
Understanding God’s identity
Guru NanakGuru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Gurus, who lived from 1469 to 1539. regularly used the term Akal Purakh, meaning the Eternal One, to describe God. God is therefore viewed as timeless and immortal. Sikhs regularly use the word WaheguruSikhs believe in one God called Waheguru which means ‘Wonderful Lord’ or ‘Wonderful Teacher’. to describe God.
Although many Sikhs believe there is one god, some believe Sikhism is not the only way to have a relationship with God. The belief is that people of any religion or no religion can have a relationship with God, because they believe that he created every person and gave them the ability to know the difference between right and wrong.