Sikhi teaches God created Himself. How can this be true?
It is a misconception that God “created Himself” and therefore suggesting that God was born. Gurbaani is the infallible word of God, within which there are no contradictions. Humans can make mistakes when interpreting, translating or understanding Gurbaani, however the Guru and God are Perfect.
ਭੁਲਣ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਅਭੁਲੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥
“Everyone makes mistakes; only the Guru and the Creator are infallible.”
(Ang 61)
The Mool Mantar, the first verse of Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee describes God. It states God is ‘ajoonee’ (unborn) and ‘saibhun’ (self-existent). The Mool Mantr is the yardstick of Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee and is the foundation of Sikhi. Mool Mantar also states that “God always was, always is and always wil be.” So the question of “how can God create Himself” never arises for He has always been.
One should be careful when reading translations and understand that some words are difficult to translate to another language and sometimes the exact word is difficult to find. Therefore, it is best if one reads the original script in Gurmukhi.
The Shabad (hymn) on Ang 463 says:
ਪਉੜੀ ॥
ਆਪੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੈ ਆਪੁ ਸਾਜਿਓ ਆਪੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੈ ਰਚਿਓ ਨਾਉ ॥
ਦੁਯੀ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਸਾਜੀਐ ਕਰਿ ਆਸਣੁ ਡਿਠੋ ਚਾਉ ॥
ਦਾਤਾ ਕਰਤਾ ਆਪਿ ਤੂੰ ਤੁਸਿ ਦੇਵਹਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਪਸਾਉ ॥
ਤੂੰ ਜਾਣੋਈ ਸਭਸੈ ਦੇ ਲੈਸਹਿ ਜਿੰਦੁ ਕਵਾਉ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਆਸਣੁ ਡਿਠੋ ਚਾਉ ॥੧॥
“Pauree: The Almighty Himself fashioned the world and Himself assumed His Name. Secondly, He fashioned the creation; seated within the creation, He beholds it with delight. You Yourself are the Giver and the Creator; by Your Pleasure, You bestow Your Mercy. You are the Knower of all; You give life, and take it away again with a word. Seated within the creation, You behold it with delight. ||1||”
(Ang 463)
According to Gurbani God has always existed and uncreated:
ਥਾਪਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਇ ਕੀਤਾ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
“He cannot be established, He cannot be created.”
(Ang 2)
When in Gurbaani it refers to ‘creating Himself’ or ‘fashioning Himself’it means that God Himself manifested Himself from His Nirgun (invisible) form, whichever forever existed, to his Sargun (visible) form.