Short answer
In one way, yes. Naam simran is the Sikh practice of remembering God (﷾) by repeating what Sikhs call the Name (Naam). The word they repeat is most often Waheguru. Dhikr is the Muslim practice of remembering Allah (﷾) with the tongue and in the heart. Both aim to keep God (﷾) in mind through the day. The Qur'an says that hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah (13:28). The difference is the words. In dhikr, Muslims call on Allah (﷾) by the names He gave Himself in revelation. Their set words come from the Qur'an and from what His last Prophet (ﷺ) taught. Islam does not count Waheguru among His names. So the real question is whether the Qur'an is God's (﷾) word. The Qur'an invites every reader to test it.
Full explanation
What Naam simran is
Sikhism (Sikhs also say Sikhi) was founded by Guru Nanak (Sikhs say Guru Nanak Dev Ji). Its scripture is the Guru Granth Sahib, which Sikhs honour as their living Guru. An Ang is a page of its standard 1,430-page edition. Naam means the Name, and simran means remembrance. For Sikhs the Name is more than a sound: it stands for God (﷾) Himself as He is known. The Japji is the hymn that opens the Guru Granth Sahib, and Sikhs recite it each morning. In it, Guru Nanak tells the reader to meditate on the true Name in the early morning (Ang 2). The Sukhmani is a long hymn of devotion by Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru. He begins its first part with a call to remember God (﷾) again and again (Ang 262). Bhai Gurdas wrote out the scripture as Guru Arjan dictated it. He calls Waheguru the Gurmantar, the mantra the Guru gives.
“At the ambrosial hour of morning meditate on the true Name and God's greatness.”
“by remembering Him you shall obtain happiness”
Bhai Gurdas wrote out the scripture as Guru Arjan dictated it, in 1604, and Sikhs hold his Vars (ballads) in honour. He writes that Waheguru is the Gurmantar, the mantra the Guru gives, and that repeating it rids a person of the ego.
Dhikr: remembering Allah (﷾) often
Dhikr means remembrance. The Qur'an tells believers to remember Allah (﷾) often and to glorify Him morning and evening. Where the Arabic says dhikr, Yusuf Ali, whose translation this site uses, often writes "celebrate" and "praise". The Qur'an tells the Prophet (ﷺ), and through him every believer, to remember his Lord within himself, humbly and without loudness. It promises that hearts find rest in His remembrance. The Prophet (ﷺ) likened the one who remembers his Lord to the living, and the one who does not to the dead. In Islam the daily prayer is itself for remembering God (﷾), so remembrance runs through the whole of life. The page on why Muslims remember God (﷾) so often says more.
“O ye who believe! Celebrate the praises of Allah, and do this often;”
“And glorify Him morning and evening.”
“And do thou (O reader!) Bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and in reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be not thou of those who are unheedful.”
“"Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.”
Abu Musa reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said the one who remembers his Lord, compared with the one who does not, is like the living compared with the dead.
“Verily, I am Allah: There is no god but I: So serve thou Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise.”
Where the two practices meet
The likeness is real. Both practices repeat words about God (﷾) so that He stays in the heart. Both value the early morning. Guru Arjan says that remembering God (﷾) brings happiness. The Qur'an says hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah (﷾). A similar aim does not make the two practices one, though. Each uses its own words, and each holds that its words came from God (﷾). That is where they part.
“At the ambrosial hour of morning meditate on the true Name and God's greatness.”
“And glorify Him morning and evening.”
“by remembering Him you shall obtain happiness”
“"Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.”
| Point | Naam simran | Dhikr |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Remembering God (﷾) by repeating the Name | Remembering Allah (﷾) with the tongue and in the heart |
| When | Above all in the early morning | Often, morning and evening |
| The words | Most often Waheguru, the Gurmantar | His own names, given in revelation, and phrases the Prophet (ﷺ) taught |
| Where the words come from | The Gurus | The Qur'an and the Prophet (ﷺ) |
The difference is the words
The Qur'an says the most beautiful names belong to Allah (﷾). It tells believers to call on Him as Allah (﷾) or al-Rahman (the Most Merciful). Ibn Kathir explains that this answered idol-worshippers who objected to the name al-Rahman, as if it meant a second god. So the verse's words "by whatever name" mean whichever of these two. The Qur'an commands the Prophet (ﷺ), and believers with him, to glorify the name of the Lord, the Supreme, the Most High. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught short phrases for this, such as Subhan Allah (﷾) wa bihamdihi (glory be to Allah (﷾), and praise be to Him). He said they are light on the tongue, heavy in the balance and dear to the Most Merciful. His words count because the Qur'an says he speaks only what is revealed to him, and that whoever obeys him obeys God (﷾). Muslims may speak of God (﷾) in any language, as "God" in English or "Khuda" in Urdu. Those are ordinary words for Him. Ibn al-Qayyim explains that speaking about God (﷾) is wider than naming Him, and His names are fixed by revelation. His names, and the set words of dhikr, are the ones God (﷾) and His Messenger (ﷺ) gave. Islam does not count Waheguru among His names, so it does not treat saying it as the dhikr the Qur'an commands.
“Allah! there is no god but He! To Him belong the most Beautiful Names.”
“Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak thy Prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between."”
Ibn Kathir says the verse answers the idol-worshippers who denied that mercy belongs to Allah and refused to call Him al-Rahman. Its sense, he says, is that calling on Him as Allah or as al-Rahman makes no difference, for the most beautiful names are His. He sets beside it 59:22-24. He also records a report from Makhul, and one from Ibn Abbas, both narrated by Ibn Jarir. An idol-worshipper heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say in prostration "O Rahman, O Rahim". He said the Prophet claims to call on One but calls on two, and the verse was revealed.
“Then celebrate with praises the name of thy Lord, the Supreme!”
“Glorify the name of thy Guardian-Lord Most High, Who hath created, and further, given order and proportion; Who hath ordained laws. And granted guidance;”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said there are two phrases that are light on the tongue, heavy in the balance and dear to the Most Merciful: Subhan Allah al-Azim (glory be to Allah, the Supreme) and Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi (glory be to Allah, and praise be to Him).
“Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him:”
“He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah: But if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds).”
Ibn al-Qayyim writes that what may be said about Allah is wider than His names and attributes. Words such as "thing" or "existent" may be said of Him, but they are not among His most beautiful names. The names and attributes given to Him are fixed by revelation (tawqifi); words that only describe Him need not be.
Whose words are God's (﷾)?
A Sikh may reply that Waheguru was given by the Guru, so it too is a word from above. Guru Arjan says that the bani (the Word) came from the Primal Lord. God (﷾) looks at the heart, and many Sikhs hold this sincerely. But both faiths say their words come from God (﷾), and the practice alone cannot settle which is right. For Muslims, the names and the phrases both rest on one question: is the Qur'an God's word? The Qur'an sets its own test: produce a chapter like it, or find the discrepancy a human book would hold. The page on whether God (﷾) spoke through the Sikh Gurus weighs the Sikh claim.
Bhai Gurdas wrote out the scripture as Guru Arjan dictated it, in 1604, and Sikhs hold his Vars (ballads) in honour. He writes that Waheguru is the Gurmantar, the mantra the Guru gives, and that repeating it rids a person of the ego.
In a Sorath hymn Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru, says that the bani (the hymn, the Word) came from the Primal Lord, and that it removes all anxiety. Sikhs often cite this line for the teaching that Gurbani comes from God.
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Allah does not look at your faces or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.
“And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (If there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true.”
“Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy.”
Islam's invitation
Remembrance matters, and the question is which words God gave for it. Islam asks the reader to find that out. Read the Qur'an in a translation you trust, and test it as it asks to be tested. If it is His word, then the names and words it gives for remembering Him are His own. The last Prophet (ﷺ) showed how to live by them, in prayer, in fasting and in daily life.
“"Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.”
“And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (If there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true.”
“Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy.”
“Allah! there is no god but He! To Him belong the most Beautiful Names.”
Line by line
Bhai Gurdas, Var 13, pauri 2
Bhai Gurdas wrote out the scripture as Guru Arjan dictated it, in 1604, and Sikhs hold his Vars (ballads) in honour. He writes that Waheguru is the Gurmantar, the mantra the Guru gives, and that repeating it rids a person of the ego.
Cited for
Waheguru is the Gurmantar. The Guru gave it, and the Guru's Word comes from God, so it is as much from above as any Arabic phrase.
The response
God (﷾) looks at the heart (Muslim 2564), and many Sikhs hold this sincerely. Both faiths say their words come from God (﷾). For Muslims, the names and phrases of dhikr rest on one question: is the Qur'an God's word? It sends readers to the Prophet (ﷺ) (53:3-4; 4:80), and it asks to be tested (2:23; 4:82).
Where it lands — The claim stands or falls with the source behind it. The Qur'an invites the test.
Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 885 — Raga Ramkali, Guru Arjan
Guru Arjan writes that some call God Ram, Ram and some Khuda, and that some serve Him as Gusain and others as Allah. He calls Him the Cause of causes, the Generous, the Merciful. The hymn goes on to list how people differ: some bathe at holy waters and some go to Mecca, some read the Vedas and some the Kateb, some say Hindu and some say Muslim. It ends that whoever knows God's Will knows the secret of his Lord.
Cited for
Muslims in Punjab say Khuda, and Muslims in England say God. Neither word is in the Qur'an. Why is Waheguru any different?
The response
Khuda is the Persian word for God (﷾), as God (﷾) is the English one. Muslims use such words to speak of Him in their own language. They do not claim them as names revealed in the Qur'an. In Naam simran, Waheguru is not repeated as a plain word of Punjabi. Sikhs repeat it as the Gurmantar, the mantra the Guru gave. So the question is whose word is from God (2:23; 4:82).
Where it lands — Any language may speak of God (﷾). Waheguru in Naam simran comes with the claim that the Guru gave it, so the question is whose word is God's (﷾).
Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 885 — Raga Ramkali, Guru Arjan
Guru Arjan writes that some call God Ram, Ram and some Khuda, and that some serve Him as Gusain and others as Allah. He calls Him the Cause of causes, the Generous, the Merciful. The hymn goes on to list how people differ: some bathe at holy waters and some go to Mecca, some read the Vedas and some the Kateb, some say Hindu and some say Muslim. It ends that whoever knows God's Will knows the secret of his Lord.
Cited for
Guru Arjan writes that some call God Ram and some Khuda or Allah. So God belongs to no one community and no single name, whether one says Waheguru or Allah.
The response
The Qur'an tells believers to call on Him as Allah (﷾) or al-Rahman (17:110). That verse answered people who took the two names for two gods. Its words "by whatever name" mean whichever of the two, for the most beautiful names are His (20:8). It does not make every word for God (﷾) one of His names.
Where it lands — God (﷾) is called on by the names He gave Himself. Which words those are depends on who taught them.
Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 262 — Raga Gauri, Sukhmani, Guru Arjan
“by remembering Him you shall obtain happiness”
Cited for
The Sukhmani and the Qur'an both say that remembering God brings peace. So Naam simran and dhikr are the same path.
The response
Both do speak of peace in remembering God (13:28). But a shared aim is not a shared path. Dhikr uses the names Allah gave Himself and the words He commands (20:8; 56:74).
Where it lands — The two practices are alike in aim. They differ in their words, and Islam holds that its words come from God (﷾).
Perspectives
Sikh: Naam simran, remembering the Name the Guru gives
Sikhs hold that remembering the Name, at dawn and through the day, is the heart of devotion. The Guru gives the Name, and Waheguru is the Gurmantar. Remembering it frees a person from the ego and brings peace.
Gurbani (the Guru Granth Sahib's hymns) tells the Sikh to meditate on the true Name at dawn. It tells him to remember God again and again.
Rebuttal
The question is not whether to remember God (﷾); the Qur'an commands it often (33:41). The question is which words He gave for it. Muslims call on Him by the names He revealed, for the most beautiful names are His (20:8).
Waheguru is the Gurmantar, given by the Guru, so its words come from above too.
Rebuttal
God (﷾) looks at the heart (Muslim 2564), and many Sikhs hold this sincerely. But for Muslims, which words are God's (﷾) rests on one question: is the Qur'an His word? The Qur'an asks to be tested on exactly that (2:23; 4:82).
Guru Arjan writes that some call God Ram and some Khuda or Allah. Many Sikhs read this as showing that God belongs to no one community and no single name.
Rebuttal
The Qur'an tells believers to call on Him as Allah (﷾) or al-Rahman, for the most beautiful names are His (17:110; 20:8). That verse answered people who took the two names for two gods. It does not make every word for God (﷾) one of His names.
The Islamic perspective
Remembering Allah (﷾) often is commanded, and hearts find rest in it. Its set words are the names He gave Himself and the words He and His Messenger (ﷺ) taught. Which words are God's (﷾) turns on one question: is the Qur'an His word? It sends readers to His Messenger (ﷺ), and it asks to be tested.
The Qur'an commands believers to remember Allah (﷾) often and to glorify Him morning and evening.
The Qur'an promises that hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah (﷾).
The most beautiful names belong to Allah (﷾). The Qur'an tells believers to call on Him as Allah (﷾) or al-Rahman, two of those names.
The Qur'an commands the glorifying of the name of the Lord, the Supreme, the Most High.
The Prophet (ﷺ) taught phrases of praise that are light on the tongue and heavy in the balance.
Islam does not count Waheguru among Allah's (﷾) names. His names are the ones the Qur'an and the Prophet (ﷺ) give.
Which words of remembrance are God's (﷾) own rests on whether the Qur'an is His word. It sends readers to the Prophet (ﷺ), and it sets its own test.