AQA · GCSE · Religious Studies
Course version: 8062 · Version from Sept 2018
God as Creator, including different aspects of God’s relationship with…
Full specification wording
Sikhism - 3.1.7.1 Beliefs and teachings: God as Creator, including different aspects of God’s relationship with creation:
In Sikhism, Waheguru (God) is the sole Creator, known as Karta Purakh.
Checked against the AQA 8062 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 16
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
In Sikhism, Waheguru (God) is the sole Creator, known as Karta Purakh. Sikhs believe God created the universe from nothing through divine will, or Hukam. Before creation, there was only darkness and God's presence. When God willed it, the universe came into existence. God's relationship with creation has multiple aspects: God is both transcendent (Nirgun), existing beyond the physical universe, and immanent (Sargun), intimately present within every part of it. This relationship is deeply personal; the Guru Granth Sahib often describes God as a loving parent—a mother or father—who sustains, protects, and nurtures all living beings. Creation is seen as a manifestation of God's truth, meaning Sikhs must respect the natural world as it reflects the divine presence.
What earns the marks
- Identify 'Karta Purakh' as the Sikh term for God the Creator found in the Mool Mantar.
- Explain that the universe was brought into existence through God's divine will (Hukam).
- Describe the dual nature of God's relationship with creation: transcendent (Nirgun) and immanent (Sargun).
- Explain the parental aspect of God's relationship with creation, providing continuous sustenance and care to all living things.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Believing Sikhs think the universe was created by multiple deities.
Put it right: Emphasise that Sikhism is strictly monotheistic; Waheguru is the sole creator.
Confusing God's immanence with pantheism (the belief that God is only the universe).
Put it right: Explain panentheism; God is within creation but also exists beyond it as a transcendent being.
Stating God created the world and then left it alone.
Put it right: Clarify that God actively sustains and nurtures creation continuously, much like a parent caring for a child.
Exam tips
- Use the Mool Mantar's reference to 'Karta Purakh' (Creator) to support answers about God's nature and origins of the universe.
- When discussing God's relationship with creation, explicitly use the terms Nirgun (without form/transcendent) and Sargun (with form/immanent).
- Link the belief in God as the loving creator to Sikh attitudes towards equality, animal rights, and environmental stewardship.
Try the lesson
The start of the Sikhism - 3.1.7.1 Beliefs and teachings: God as Creator, including different aspects of God’s relationship with creation: lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
According to Sikh teachings, how did God bring the universe into existence?
Listen
In Sikhism, Waheguru (God) is the sole Creator, known as Karta Purakh. Sikhs believe God created the universe from nothing through divine will, or Hukam. Before creation, there was only darkness and God's presence. When God willed it, the universe came into existence. God's relationship with creation has multiple aspects: God is both transcendent (Nirgun), existing beyond the physical universe, and immanent (Sargun), intimately present within every part of it. This relationship is deeply personal; the Guru Granth Sahib often describes God as a loving parent—a mother or father—who sustains, protects, and nurtures all living beings. Creation is seen as a manifestation of God's truth, meaning Sikhs must respect the natural world as it reflects the divine presence. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Identify 'Karta Purakh' as the Sikh term for God the Creator found in the Mool Mantar. Explain that the universe was brought into existence through God's divine will (Hukam). Describe the dual nature of God's relationship with creation: transcendent (Nirgun) and immanent (Sargun). Explain the parental aspect of God's relationship with creation, providing continuous sustenance and care to all living things. A common slip: Believing Sikhs think the universe was created by multiple deities. Instead, Emphasise that Sikhism is strictly monotheistic; Waheguru is the sole creator. Exam tip: Use the Mool Mantar's reference to 'Karta Purakh' (Creator) to support answers about God's nature and origins of the universe.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Karta Purakh
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Hukam
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Nirgun
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Sargun
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See every definition
- Karta Purakh
- The Sikh term for God the Creator, found in the Mool Mantar.
- Hukam
- God's divine will, through which the universe was brought into existence.
- Nirgun
- The aspect of God that is transcendent, existing beyond the physical universe.
- Sargun
- The aspect of God that is immanent, intimately present within every part of creation.
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