Hukam

Hukam is a Punjabi word derived from the Arabic hukm, meaning "command" or "order." In God whose is referred to as Waheguru. It is by the command of Him that we are born and we die. In the Sikh Scripture, the founder of the religion, Guru Nanak says:

O Nanak, by the Hukam of God's Command, we come and go in reincarnation. ((20)) —Japji Sahib Stanza 20

Hukam is not an object or a thing as such, it's not just to follow God's orders. God is not sitting somewhere in space and writing fates of all human beings. According to, Guru Nanak when a person with the help of a Word given by his Divine Master(known as GURU) the word which is regarded as Name of God, dwells his mind(Mann)with shabad(Word), continuous meditation on that word, one comes to know his reality in this Universe, his status in this world. At this stage the person resonates with the cosmic waves, that is The Hukam. And person becomes a Hukami human, who follows the hukam, without any wish or desire, He can just follow. All the thought processes, all wishes and desires come to an end. He just resonates with hukam.

The whole of the Universe is subject to the Hukam of the Creator God. Nothing ever happens without the Will of Him. This is accepted as one of the primary concepts of Sikhism. For the Sikh, the acceptance of His Hukam is a concept that needs to be learnt and understood. Guru Nanak at the very beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scriptures of the Sikhs asks:

ਕਿਵ ਸਚਿਆਰਾ ਹੋਈਐ ਕਿਵ ਕੂੜੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਪਾਲਿ ॥
How does one become truthful? How can falsehood be discarded? —SGGS page 1 paragraph 1

And the answer and reply follows on the next line:

ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥
By following the Hukam, Says Nanak, by accepting the Hukam, which is written along with everyone! ((1)) — SGGS page 1 paragraph 1

By living in harmony with the Divine Will or Hukam brings everlasting peace. This does not imply that a Sikh does not have his or her "Free-Will – All this means is that the Sikh must bring his will in line with the Will of God.

What is God's Hukam? The Sikh Scriptures outline the ways in which one can bring their own thinking in line with the Hukam. If one engages in the service of God's creation, this is the best way of working in harmony with the Divine Will. Further, by remembering Waheguru one becomes aware of "God desires" and "Divine essence" within the person is realised. By following these "Divine Values" that benefit His Creation, one ends the cycle of Karma and Transmigration.

Recognizing the Hukam of His Command, you shall meet with your Lord and Master. ((1)(Second. Pause)) — SGGS Page 92, Line 5

By submission to God's Hukam (Will), a sense of humility and self-negation is achieved – further one regards himself as an instrument of His Will. He realizes that whatever comes from Him is for his own good. Every misery that he faces is a sort of mercy. He is full of gratitude and prayer for all he has done. Those who have no regard for the Hukam, suffer in pain:

One who does not know the Hukam of the Lord's Command cries out in terrible pain. — SGGS Page 85, Line 7

The only antidote for egoism and vanity is complete surrender to His Will. Only by conquering the self, can one enter the realm of God's Grace.

Other Meaning:, 'Hukam' also refers to a passage from Guru Granth Sahib, selected by randomly opening the Sikh scripture during a daily ceremony. The passage is considered by Sikhs as the divine "command of the Guru" for the day. Hukam's are taken as guidance in specific situations/answer to questions etc.