Sikhism was founded in the beginning of the sixteenth century by a man named Guru Nanak Dev. Guru Nanak lived in a region called the Punjab, in what is now modern Pakistan. The word Sikh comes from the Punjabi word shishya, which means ‘a seeker of truth’. Guru Nanak and the nine Sikh Gurus who came after him were teachers of God’s word, so they are called Gurus, which means ‘teacher’.

Sikhs believe in one God, who is known as Waheguru, or Sat Guru (‘true teacher’). God is the all-powerful Creator of the universe and Sikhs worship by praising God. The Sikh holy book, the Adi Granth or Guru Granth Sahib, contains poems and songs in praise of God, written by people who were divinely inspired.

Sikhism’s ten Gurus each possessed the same knowledge and insight into God. Their teachings and hymns are written down in the Guru Granth Sahib. Because the Guru Granth Sahib is today considered the only Sikh spiritual leader and teacher, it is usually called simply ‘The Guru’.

Like Hindus, Sikhs believe that we go through many cycles of being born, living, dying and being born again, called reincarnation, or moksha. The Gurus taught that, through devotion to God and living a good life, this cycle can be broken and we can achieve salvation and join with God.

The Sikh Gurus taught that the path to salvation could be found in the values of freedom, complete equality and tolerance, social responsibility, honest labour, living a simple life, having understanding and patience, and always being ready to help others, especially those who are weaker than ourselves.

For Sikhs, faith is not something that only happens during worship; faith is a part of everyday life. Sikhs show their faith by taking care of their family, by working hard, by treating all people with equality and respect and by being ready to help anyone who needs it. Maintaining ethical behaviour, sharing your earnings with the needy and working to help all of humanity are all important Sikh values.