🧠 Haumai leads to harm
Recall that haumai is putting the self first. A person ruled by it can ignore others, hurt them and cause injustice because their own wants come first.
Sikh Beliefs about the Universe and Human Beings » Evil and Suffering: Sikh Teachings
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 1.7 (Sikhism)
- What Sikhs believe about the causes of evil and suffering
- How suffering links to the purpose of life, and the questions it raises
- How Sikhs respond: chardi kala, no blaming, sewa and standing against injustice
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Unlock This CourseEvil and suffering: a Sikh starting point
In The Problem of Evil and Suffering you met natural evil, moral evil and the question of how a good, all-powerful God allows suffering. This lesson shows how Sikhism answers that question. Sikhs call suffering dukh, and they believe it is part of life for everyone.
Key terms:
- Dukh: suffering, pain or sorrow.
- Chardi kala: "rising spirits": staying hopeful, strong and cheerful even in hard times.
Remember too that hukam is God's will or order, karma means actions and their results, and sewa is selfless service.
Where does evil come from?
Some people think evil comes from a devil. Sikhism does not teach this: Sikhs believe in one God and no devil who works against God. They believe moral evil comes from people and, in particular, from the problems you studied in Maya, Manmukh and Haumai.
🔒 The five thieves lead to harm
Recall the five thieves (lust, anger, greed, attachment and pride). Anger can lead to violence, greed to theft and cruelty, and pride to war.
So for Sikhs, moral evil is not inevitable and not the work of a devil. It comes from human choices made under the pull of the self.
Why does suffering exist?
Sikhs give more than one reason, and they often say these work together.
- Karma: some suffering follows from earlier actions, in this life or in earlier lives, because Sikhs believe in rebirth.
- Hukam: everything happens within God's order. Sikhs believe humans cannot fully understand why God's order brings the events it does, for example an illness or a disaster.
- Human wrongdoing: much suffering is caused by other people's haumai, such as greed and violence.
Can suffering help?
Many Sikhs say that hard times can make a person turn away from pride and towards God, because they stop relying on themselves. Suffering is then seen as a chance to grow, not only as a punishment.
Suffering and the purpose of life
You have seen that the aim of Sikh life is to overcome haumai, live as a gurmukh (God-centred) and finally be united with God, which Sikhs call mukti (liberation from rebirth). Suffering links to that purpose in two ways:
- It reminds people that the world and the body do not last, which weakens attachment.
- It tests how a person responds: with anger and despair, or with patience, faith and kindness.
The questions it raises
Sikhs believe God is one, all-powerful and loving. This raises the question you studied earlier: how can a good, all-powerful God allow suffering?
- Why do innocent people, such as children, suffer?
- If karma explains suffering, is that fair to those who seem to have done nothing wrong?
- If hukam covers everything, is God responsible for evil?
Sikhs answer that human minds are limited and God's order is beyond full understanding, that people are free to choose good or evil, and that the right response is to act. Some non-religious people find these answers unconvincing, and may reject belief in God because of suffering.
How Sikhs respond
💪 Chardi kala
Sikhs aim to accept hukam with courage and optimism. This does not mean pretending not to hurt. It means keeping faith and hope.
🚫 No blaming
Karma must never be used to blame a sufferer ("you deserved it"). Sikhs are taught to help, not judge.
🤝 Sewa
Sikhs have a duty to relieve suffering. Gurdwaras run langar for all and many Sikhs give time and money to help others.
Sikhs do not all stress the same response. Some put most weight on accepting hukam calmly, while others put most weight on active sewa and resisting injustice. Some explain suffering mainly through karma, while others stress that it is beyond human understanding. Most Sikhs hold several of these views together.
Sikhs also believe they must stand against injustice. Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru, gave his life defending the right of people of another faith to practise their religion, when the emperor Aurangzeb was persecuting them. Sikhs see him as an example of protecting other people's freedom.
Common mistakes
- Saying Sikhs believe in a devil. They do not: moral evil comes from haumai and the five thieves.
- Saying Sikhs teach "you deserve it" about those who suffer. Karma is never to be used to blame.
- Treating chardi kala as "not caring". It is faith and hope while still helping.
Exam-style question
(a) Identify three causes of moral evil. [3 marks] (AO1)
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two teachings about the causes of evil and suffering in this religion. [4 marks] (AO1)
(c) Choose one religion. Explain why there are different responses to suffering in this religion. [6 marks] (AO1, AO2)
(d) "The existence of suffering proves there is no God." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks] (AO1, AO2)
Model answer
(a) 1. Greed (1) 2. Anger (1) 3. Pride (1)
(b) In Sikhism moral evil comes from haumai, putting the self first (1), so people hurt others to get what they want (1). Sikhs also believe some suffering is the result of karma (1), which means actions have results in this life or earlier ones (1).
(c) Sikhs differ in which response they stress. Some stress chardi kala: accepting God's order with courage and hope (1), because they believe humans cannot fully understand God's will (1). Others stress sewa, because Sikhs have a duty to relieve suffering and this puts belief into action (1), for example through langar open to all (1). Others stress standing against injustice, as Guru Tegh Bahadur did (1), because suffering caused by human wrongdoing can be reduced (1). Most Sikhs combine these and none use karma to blame the sufferer (1).
(d) Plan. For: a good, all-powerful God would stop suffering, especially of innocent children; non-religious explanations such as disease and natural forces need no God. Against: Sikhs say much suffering comes from haumai and human choices, not God; hukam is beyond human understanding; suffering can turn people to God, and chardi kala and sewa help people cope; suffering is a problem for belief, not a proof. Conclusion: suffering raises a serious question and leads some to reject God, but it does not prove there is none, because believers offer reasoned answers, so the statement is not proven.
Exam tip
For "explain why there are different responses", give two or three distinct responses and tie each to a Sikh term and a reason: the reason is what earns the higher level.