Ik Oankar Explained – Words of Faith

IkOankar (1Force, The One, Divine, Creator) is Guru Nanak Sahib’s offering to humanity, and the opening of the Guru Granth Sahib. Through this worldview, Guru Nanak Sahib affirms the completeness and oneness of all of creation which is inseparable from the Creator. All things are rooted in this same Divinity, and the recognition of that Divine Force running through all of creation allows us to dissolve away the walls we have put up between ourselves and others, the distinctions we make, and the lines we draw.

Guru Nanak’s paradigm has no concept of “other.” This Divine Force is not an exclusive Sikh Divinity but one that is common to all life and embraces all creation. Thus, the  Sikh worldview is that divinity is not exclusive to any one religion or group of people. Instead, IkOankar can be realized by anyone willing to discover the Infinite Wisdom through love. Sikhs strive to follow a path that is divine-oriented and principle-based, a lifestyle that is humble and disciplined and ever-ready to combat injustice through organized resistance.

Words of Faith: a new series explaining the recurring words in Guru Granth Sahib.