Sikhism

What Sikhism covers

Sikhism is examined in Paper 1, The study of religions — one of the two religions chosen from seven. It covers the Mool Mantar and the nature of God, God as Creator and God's relationship with creation, human life, the Sikh virtues and living as a gurmukh, karma, rebirth and the aim of mukti, the equality of all, sewa and the sangat, the gurdwara and its religious features, prayer in the home, nam japna and the akhand path, langar and the gurdwara in the Sikh community, festivals and visiting historical gurdwaras and birth and naming, Amrit Sanskar and the Five Ks.

The 10 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• The Mool Mantar and the nature of GodThese questions explain the Mool Mantar phrase by phrase, including Ik Onkar, Sat Nam, Karta Purakh and Gur Prasad, why it matters to Sikhs, and what it teaches about God being without image, form or gender.Open →
• God as Creator and God's relationship with creationStudents learn Sikh beliefs about creation and hukam, God as immanent and transcendent, nirgun and sargun, why God does not take human form, and how belief in God as Creator shapes attitudes to people and the environment.Open →
• Human life, the Sikh virtues and living as a gurmukhThe subtopic covers the value and purpose of human life, virtues such as truthful living, humility, contentment, self-control and courage, the gurmukh and the manmukh, haumai, and the three daily duties.Open →
• Karma, rebirth and the aim of muktiThese questions explain karma and rebirth, mukti and its negative and positive aspects, the jivan mukt, whether mukti can be earned, the five khands of liberation, and the five thieves and maya as barriers.Open →
• The equality of all, sewa and the sangatStudents learn Sikh teaching on the equality of all people, including caste and women, with Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh as examples, the three kinds of sewa with dasvandh, and the importance of the sangat.Open →
• The gurdwara and its religious featuresThe subtopic covers the meaning of gurdwara and its outside signs, the Khanda, the diwan hall, takht, palki, chaur and rumala, the granthi, karah parshad and golak, and why worshippers remove shoes and bow.Open →
• Prayer in the home, nam japna and the akhand pathThese questions explain nam japna and amrit vela, the morning, evening and night prayers, prayer at home, kirtan and the ardas, and how and when an akhand path of the Guru Granth Sahib is held.Open →
• Langar and the gurdwara in the Sikh communityStudents learn how langar began and what Guru Amar Das required of visitors, why the food is vegetarian, the pangat and equality, langar as sewa, and what a gurdwara offers the wider community beyond worship.Open →
• Festivals and visiting historical gurdwarasThe subtopic covers Vaisakhi and the events of 1699, nagar kirtan, Divali and Bandi Chhor Divas, gurpurbs in India and Britain, and the Harimandir Sahib and the value of visiting historical gurdwaras.Open →
• Birth and naming, Amrit Sanskar and the Five KsThese questions explain the Sikh naming ceremony and the names Singh and Kaur, the Khalsa and the Amrit Sanskar, the meaning of the Five Ks, the promises of an amritdhari, and how amritdhari, keshdhari and sahajdhari Sikhs differ.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Sikhism further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Takht vs Palki

  Takht: the raised throne the scripture rests on. Palki: the canopied structure that houses it.

• Akhand path vs Sadharan path

  Akhand path: a continuous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib taking about 48 hours. Sadharan path: a reading of the Guru Granth Sahib spread over days or weeks with breaks.

• Gurmukh vs Manmukh

  Gurmukh: a person turning towards the Guru and God. Manmukh: a person following their own mind rather than the Guru.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is the Mool Mantar?

   Model answer

   The Mool Mantar is the opening statement of the Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhs treat it as the basic description of what God is like.

2. 2

   Where in the Guru Granth Sahib does the Mool Mantar appear?

   Model answer

   The Mool Mantar appears at Guru Granth Sahib 1a, the very first lines of the scripture. Guru Nanak also placed it at the head of the prayer Japji Sahib.

3. 3

   Give the meaning of the words Ik Onkar.

   Model answer

   Ik Onkar means 'there is one God'. Guru Nanak used the phrase to teach that God is one and undivided.

4. 4

   What does Sat Nam mean in the Mool Mantar?

   Model answer

   Sat Nam means 'truth is the Name'. Sikhs take this to mean that God is eternally real and never changes.

5. 5

   What is meant by describing God as Karta Purakh?

   Model answer

   Karta Purakh means 'the Creator Being'. Sikhs believe God made the whole universe and was made by nothing.

6. 6

   Which two words of the Mool Mantar describe God as without fear and without hatred?

   Model answer

   Nirbhau means 'without fear' and Nirvair means 'without hatred'. Sikhs believe God has no rival and no enemy.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Sikhism revision questions

What does Sikhism cover in AQA GCSE Religious Studies A?

10 subtopics: the mool mantar and the nature of god, god as creator and god's relationship with creation, human life, the sikh virtues and living as a gurmukh, karma, rebirth and the aim of mukti, the equality of all, sewa and the sangat, the gurdwara and its religious features, prayer in the home, nam japna and the akhand path, langar and the gurdwara in the sikh community, festivals and visiting historical gurdwaras and birth and naming, amrit sanskar and the five ks. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Sikhism organised?

By the AQA 8062 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.