Sikh Faith FAQs

The word Sikh means student. According to the Sikh Rehit Maryada, a Sikh is defined as “any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal God; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and has faith and belief in the Amrit initiation of the tenth Guru; and who does not owe allegiance to any other religion”

Sikhs believe in One God who is the creator of the universe and resides within creation but is not limited to the creation. God is formless, fearless, and beyond birth and death. The purpose of human life is unite the Mind with God during one’s lifetime. This is possible through accepting the teachings of the Guru and following the “three golden rules,” namely, meditation on God’s name (nam japna), earning an honest living (kirat karna), and sharing one’s earnings with others (vand shakna).

Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the Sikh scripture containing the compositions of the Sikh Gurus and other saints and poets of diverse social, caste and faith backgrounds who united with God. The verses or bani are considered by Sikhs to be the divinely inspired word of God. The compositions of Sri Guru Granth Sahib are written in traditional musical measures or raags. The verses and hymns of Sri Guru Granth Sahib are reflections upon God and also establish moral guidelines for spiritual development and union with God. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is composed in 31 raags or traditional musical measures and spans 1430 pages, known as angs or limbs.

Most Sikhs speak Panjabi and Sri Guru Granth Sahib is written in the Gurmukhi script. That having been said, the languages in Sri Guru Granth Sahib include Persian, Hindi, Braj and others.

Sikhs follow the Rehit Maryada or Sikh code of conduct. The Rehit Maryada establishes guidelines for a spiritual lifestyle. This includes rising daily before sunrise for meditation and prayer and also giving one tenth of one’s income back to the community. for futher information about Sikh code of conduct read Sikh rehat maryada as attached https://sgpc.net/

Sikhs who are initiated into the Khalsa commit to follow the rehit maryada or Sikh code of conduct. This includes a daily discipline of meditation and prayer and also wearing the five Sikh articles of faith or kakaars at all times. They are as follows:

1. kesh – unshorn hair symbolizing acceptance of God’s will; the hair must be kept covered at all times with a keski or dastaar (turban or head-covering) representing spiritual wisdom.

2. kangha – a wooden comb representing self-discipline; worn in the hair and used to keep it neat and tidy.

3. kara – an iron or steel bracelet worn on the wrist; the circle signifies the oneness and eternity of God and to use one’s hands for the benefit of humanity.

4. kachhera – cotton undergarment representing high moral character and restraint.

5. kirpan – a stylized representation of a sword, which must be worn sheathed, re strained in a cloth belt, and next to the body; the kirpan signifies the duty of a Sikh to stand up against injustice.

The articles of faith are considered sacred and a part of the body. They remain on the person at all times. At home and while sleeping, most Sikhs wear a smaller turban.

None necessarily. Although traditionally Sikh turbans are white, black, blue and yellow/ orange, many Sikhs wear other colours and shades to suit their personal preferences. It is a personal choice. There are several styles of Sikh turbans and these too are chosen as a personal preference.

Women are considered completely equal to men and have the same rights and obligations. As such, Sikh women follow the same religious code of conduct. The Sikh Gurus were well before their time and declared that gender discrimination was wrong and spoke out against practices such as ritual impurity, the burning of widows (‘Sati’) and mandatory veiling of women.

The traditional Sikh greeting is “Waheguru Jee Ka Khalsa Waheguru Jee Kee Fateh” meaning the Khalsa belongs to God and all victory belongs to God. A shorter greeting that is often used is “Sat Sri Akal” meaning Timeless God is Truth.

Sikhs believe that all persons are equal. Freedom of religion and conscience are core Sikh values. Everyone has the right to believe in and practice the faith of their choice and no one is condemned to hell simply because of their religion. The Sikh Gurus taught that loving God is the greatest religion of all and people must be judged on their actions, not on the labels of race, nationality or caste.