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Sikhs have many words to describe God. The name most widely used for God by Sikhs is Waheguru, which means 'wondrous enlightener'. Sikhs believe that there is only one God, who created everything. They believe that Waheguru must remain in the mind at all times. Sikhism is a way of life, and so Sikhs’ beliefs reflect their actions on a daily basis and bring them closer to Waheguru.

Sikhs describe God in various ways, including:

• Sat Nam - True Name
• Ik Onkar - There Is Only One God
• Akal Purkh - Eternal Being

Sikhs believe that Waheguru is:

• The creator - The act of creating everything was God’s will (Hukam).
• Ineffable - Waheguru’s essence cannot be adequately described in words.
• Genderless - Waheguru is neither male nor female.
• Self-revealing and necessary (does not need a creator) - Waheguru is Sargun, which means immanent or within the world, and therefore able to have a personal relationship with creation. At the same time, Waheguru is Nirgun, which means transcendent or beyond creation, and therefore unaffected by the world.
• Eternal - Waheguru is outside time and space and beyond the cycle of birth and death.
• Present in all creation in the form of thedivine spark - This is the part of Waheguru that is within all beings. It is the soul of a being.
• Revealed by the grace of the Guru - This is the belief that Waheguru can be known through understanding and learning what each of the Ten Gurus contributed to Sikhism.
• Knowable to all - Waheguru is knowable to anyone who dedicates his or her life to learning and understanding God.

Sikhs believe that only Waheguru must be worshipped. It is forbidden to worship any images of Waheguru, however, images of the Ten Gurus can be found in gurdwaras.

The Mool Mantra

Sikhs believe that Waheguru's nature is expressed in the Mool Mantra.

The first line of the Mool Mantra is “Ik Onkar”. This symbolises the importance of the belief in the oneness of God and the oneness of humanity (the belief that everyone is equal). This symbol is seen in gurdwaras and Sikh homes to highlight the fact that this is the most important belief and that it should always be in the mind of Sikhs. The symbol helps Sikhs to focus on Waheguru when praying and meditating.

The Mool Mantra is part of Sikhs’ daily prayer. It is taught to young Sikh children and forms the basis of Sikh belief.

The Mool Mantra is: