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The Sikhs must believe in the following values:
- Equality: All humans are equal before God – No discrimination is allowed on the basis of caste, race, sex, creed, origin, color, education, status, wealth, etc. The principles of universal equality and brotherhood are important pillars of Sikhism.
- God’s spirit: All creatures have God’s spirit and must be properly respected. Show love for all living things. Mistreatment of any living creature is tabooed and forbidden. Remember, your next birth may be as a different animal.
- Personal right: Every person has a right to life but this right is restricted and has certain duties attached. Simple living is essential. A Sikh is expected to rise early, meditate and pray, consume simple food. Recreational Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco are universally condemned., perform an honest day's work, carry out duties for your family, enjoy life and always be positive, be charitable and support the needy, etc.
- Actions count: Salvation is obtained by one’s actions – Good deeds, remembrance of God – Naam Simran, Kirtan, etc
- Living a family life: Encouraged to live as a family unit to provide and nurture children. (However, living in a family unit is not essential, as many highly respected Sikh Saints are not married and do not have children). Sikh Gurus teach Sikhs to never detach themselves from society in the way of hermits, mendicants, sadhus or other similar individuals, but rather to live the life of a saint soldier within the community as a householder and family person.
- Sharing: Sikhs are encouraged to share and give back to the Sikh Sangat for the purpose of uplifting the community and those who are less able.
- Accept God’s will: Develop your personality so that you recognize happy event and miserable events as one – the will of God causes them.
- The four fruits of life: Truth, contentment, contemplation and Naam, (in the name of God).
