Does Sikhism believe in fate or free will?

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“Everyone is subject to His Command; no one is beyond His Command.” (Guru Nanak, Ang 1) “By the karma of past actions, the robe of this physical body is obtained. By His Grace, the Gate of Liberation is found.” (Guru Nanak, Ang 2) “As she has planted, so does she harvest; such is the field of karma.” (Guru Arjan, Ang 134) “With our own hands, let us resolve our own affairs. ||20||” (Guru Angad, Ang 474) “You shall not obtain this human body again; make the effort - try to achieve liberation!” (Guru Tegh Bahadur, Ang 220) The selected lines present a both-and rather than a simple choice between fate and unrestricted free will. Guru Nanak in Jap on Ang 1 says that everyone exists within Hukam and no one stands outside it. Yet Jap on Ang 2 also connects embodiment with past actions and liberation with grace, distinguishing karmic consequence from divine grace. Guru Arjan in Raag Maajh on Ang 134 uses sowing and harvesting to show that actions bear corresponding results. Alongside this, Guru Angad in Raag Aasaa on Ang 474 speaks of resolving our affairs with our own hands, and Guru Tegh Bahadur in Raag Gauree on Ang 220 stresses making spiritual effort during the rare opportunity of human life. Taken together, these lines suggest conditioned agency: human choices and effort matter and have consequences, but they occur within Hukam, while liberation is not portrayed as an achievement of personal will alone.

Does Sikhism believe in fate or free will?

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