Sikhism: Worship and Practice » Nitnem and Prayer in the Sikh Home

Quick recall

You already know that the Rahit Maryada is the Sikh Code of Conduct, that an Amritdhari Sikh has been initiated into the Khalsa, and that Nam Japna means meditating on God's name. You know that kirtan is the singing of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib, that a gutka is a small book of hymns, and that the Mool Mantar sums up what Sikhs believe about God. The last lesson looked at worship with the sangat in the gurdwara. This lesson looks at the other side: what Sikhs do on their own and with their families at home.

The Nitnem

The Nitnem means 'daily routine'. It is a set of prayers, taken from the Guru Granth Sahib and other hymns, which the Rahit Maryada says a Sikh should say each day. The prayers are said at three times:

• Early morning, after bathing. Sikhs say the Japji Sahib and other set hymns, including the Jaap Sahib and the Tav-Prasad Savaiye, which are hymns of Guru Gobind Singh.
• Sunset. Sikhs say the Rehras.
• Before sleep. Sikhs say the Kirtan Sohila.

Key terms:

• Nitnem: the 'daily routine' of set prayers that a Sikh says in the morning, at sunset and before sleep.
• Japji Sahib: a hymn by Guru Nanak that opens the Guru Granth Sahib. It begins with the Mool Mantar and is said in the morning.
• Rehras: the evening prayers, said at sunset.
• Kirtan Sohila: the night prayers, said before sleep.
• Amrit vela: the 'ambrosial hours', the quiet time very early in the morning that Sikhs think is best for meditating on God.
• Mala: a string of beads used to count repetitions of God's name.

Why the Nitnem matters

The prayers are also a link with the whole community. Sikhs around the world say the same words, so a Sikh praying alone is still joining in something shared.

Private devotions

Private devotion means worship that a person does on their own, away from the gurdwara. Sikhs may:

• Rise early to meditate. Many Sikhs get up in the amrit vela, bathe, and meditate on God's name by repeating Waheguru. This is Nam Japna in daily life.
• Read from a gutka. A gutka is small and easy to carry, so a Sikh can read the Nitnem prayers at home, at work or while travelling. Because it contains the Gurus' words, it is kept clean, wrapped and treated with respect.
• Use a mala. Some Sikhs move through the beads of a mala with each repetition of God's name, to help them keep their attention on it.
• Listen to kirtan. Many Sikhs play recordings of kirtan, or listen to it online, so the hymns can be heard at home or on the way to work.

Prayer in the home

Home is an important place of worship for Sikhs, because Sikhs have no priests and God can be remembered anywhere.

• Praying as a family. Many families say some of the Nitnem or sing hymns together, perhaps in the morning or evening. Children learn the prayers by hearing them, so the faith is passed on.
• A room for the Guru Granth Sahib. A few homes keep a full copy of the Guru Granth Sahib in a room of its own. It is treated just as it is in the gurdwara: it is kept on a raised platform under a canopy, with great respect, and the family may read from it each day. This takes a lot of care, so most Sikh homes do not do it.
• Ardas before important events. Sikhs say Ardas before an important event, such as starting a journey, opening a new business, taking an exam or moving to a new home, to ask for God's help and to thank him. The prayer reminds Sikhs that success and safety come from God.

Private devotion and the sangat

Sikhs believe both matter, and that each supports the other. Private devotion keeps a person's faith alive during the week, so they come to the gurdwara with a mind ready to listen. Worship with the sangat gives encouragement, teaching and shared joy, which helps a person keep up their private practice when it feels hard.

Different practice among Sikhs

For an initiated Sikh (an Amritdhari), the Nitnem is a duty. They promise at initiation to say the prayers every day, and the Rahit Maryada says they should. Other Sikhs also value the Nitnem, but they may say only some of the prayers, or may say them less often. Some use the gutka, some listen to recordings, and some mainly meditate and pray in their own words. Many Sikhs also go to the gurdwara every week, while others go less often. Sikhs agree on the aim, which is to remember God every day, but they differ on how much set prayer is needed.

Exam-style question

(a) Outline two private devotions that Sikhs practise. [4 marks, Paper 2, AO1]

(b) Explain why the Nitnem is important for Sikhs. [6 marks, Paper 2, AO1 and AO2]

(c) 'Private prayer at home is more important for Sikhs than worship in the gurdwara.' Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include reference to teachings, other points of view, and your own opinion. [10 marks, Paper 2, AO1 and AO2]