Sikhs believe in one God

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion: Sikhs believe there is one God. This belief was taught by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and is the very first thing said in Sikh scripture.

• God is one — the same God for all people (Ik Onkar, "There is one God").
• God is Waheguru — the "Wonderful Lord" — and Akal Purakh, the timeless, eternal being.
• God is without form and self-existent, without fear or hatred — so Sikhs reject idol-worship.

Spec focus: you should be able to describe the Sikh belief in one God (Ik Onkar), how God is described in the Mool Mantar at the opening of the Guru Granth Sahib, and how this belief shapes Sikh living.

Words you must be able to define

• Ik Onkar — "There is one God"; the opening of the Mool Mantar.
• Waheguru — "Wonderful Lord", a common Sikh name for God.
• Akal Purakh — the timeless / eternal being; God beyond time and death.
• Guru — a spiritual teacher; in Sikhism, the ten human Gurus and then the Guru Granth Sahib.
• Guru Granth Sahib — the Sikh scripture, treated as the eternal living Guru.
• Khalsa — the community of committed Sikhs, founded by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.

Handle with care: the Guru Granth Sahib is not just a book to Sikhs — it is honoured as a living Guru, so it is always treated with great respect.

Define the term

The Khalsa and the Five Ks

In 1699, the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Khalsa — the community of committed, initiated Sikhs. Members of the Khalsa wear five items, each starting with a "K" in Punjabi. These are the Five Ks:

Why it matters: the Five Ks mark a Sikh's commitment and equality within the Khalsa. Each has meaning — for example, the Kesh shows acceptance of God's creation, and the Kara reminds a Sikh to do good.

Five Ks → meaning

Tap a "K" on the left, then what it is on the right.

The ten human Gurus

Sikhs follow the teachings of ten human Gurus. The first was Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and the last was Guru Gobind Singh, who founded the Khalsa. Each Guru passed on the same divine message.

The Guru Granth Sahib — a living Guru

A common exam error is to call the Guru Granth Sahib "just a holy book". For Sikhs it is far more: it is the eternal living Guru, the final Guru after the ten human Gurus. It contains the teachings and hymns of the Gurus and is treated with the honour due to a living teacher.

Say it like this: "The Guru Granth Sahib is the Sikh scripture, honoured as the eternal living Guru — not simply a book." In the Gurdwara it is placed on a raised platform and Sikhs bow before it out of respect.

The Gurus

The Mool Mantar

The Mool Mantar is the opening of the Guru Granth Sahib and sums up how Sikhs describe God. It begins with Ik Onkar ("There is one God") and then names God's nature.

Names for God

Core Sikh values

Guru Nanak taught three key duties, often remembered as a set of values that guide daily Sikh life:

• Naam simran — remembering God through prayer and meditation on God's name.
• Kirat karo — earning an honest living through hard, truthful work.
• Vand chakko — sharing with others, especially those in need.
• Sewa — selfless service to others without expecting reward.
• Equality — all people are equal before God, so Sikhs reject the caste system.

Why it matters: because God is one and present in all, Sikhs treat everyone as equal and serve others. This is why the Gurdwara and the langar (free kitchen) are open to all, whatever their background.

The Gurdwara and the langar

The Gurdwara is the Sikh place of worship. Its most important feature is that it houses the Guru Granth Sahib. There Sikhs gather to:

• Worship and pray — listening to and singing hymns (kirtan) from the Guru Granth Sahib.
• Share the langar — the free community kitchen where a meal is served to everyone.

The langar is a powerful sign of equality and service: everyone sits together on the same level and eats the same free vegetarian food, whatever their background, wealth or religion. Preparing and serving the langar is a form of sewa.

Careful: the langar is not just "free food" — it teaches equality (all eat together) and selfless service (sewa), both central Sikh values.

The langar

Sikh festivals

Sikh festivals remember key moments in the story of Sikhism. Two important kinds are:

• Vaisakhi — a spring festival that celebrates the founding of the Khalsa in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh.
• Gurpurbs — festivals marking events in the lives of the Gurus, such as Guru Nanak's birthday.

At Gurpurbs, Sikhs often hold a continuous reading of the whole Guru Granth Sahib, share the langar, and take part in processions and worship in the Gurdwara.

Key point: Vaisakhi celebrates the birth of the Khalsa, while Gurpurbs (like Guru Nanak's birthday) celebrate the Gurus themselves.

Equality — rejecting idols and caste

Two of Guru Nanak's clearest teachings flow from belief in one formless God:

• Sikhs reject idol-worship. Because God is without form, God cannot be captured in a statue or image; Sikhs focus instead on remembering God's name and living well.
• Sikhs reject the caste system. Because all people are equal before the one God, no one is born higher or lower than anyone else.

These teachings show how a single belief — one formless God — shapes both Sikh worship and Sikh social values.

A Five K, or not?

Tap an item, then tap the box that fits: is it one of the Five Ks, or not?

A map of Sikhism

Here is the whole topic on one page — Sikh beliefs on the left, Sikh practices on the right:

Name that K

Naam simran and sewa

Two Sikh practices often appear together — and are easy to muddle:

• Naam simran — remembering God: meditating on and repeating God's name in prayer and worship.
• Sewa — selfless service: helping others with no thought of reward, such as serving in the langar.

Sikhs aim to do both: keep God in mind (naam simran) and serve others (sewa). Inner devotion and outward service go together in Sikh life.

Memory hook: naam = the name of God you remember; sewa = service you give to others.

Which value?

How these beliefs shape Sikh life

Exam questions often ask about the impact of Sikh beliefs. They are not just ideas — they shape how Sikhs live:

• Belief in one God for all leads to equality — rejecting the caste system and treating everyone the same.
• Belief that God is without form means Sikhs reject idol-worship and focus on remembering God's name (naam simran).
• The value of sewa leads Sikhs to serve others — for example, cooking and serving in the langar.
• Belief in kirat karo and vand chakko leads to honest work and sharing with those in need.
• Honouring the Guru Granth Sahib as the living Guru shapes worship in the Gurdwara and at festivals.

Belief or practice?

Tap an item, then tap the box: is it a Sikh belief, or a Sikh practice?

The Khalsa

The facts to know

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