Sacha Achar (Keeping good moral character)

Guru Nanak Dev says,

"Truth is the highest of all, but higher still is the truthful living."
Sachon oarai sab ko ooper sach achar.
schu ErY sBu ko aupir scu Awcwru ]
(62)
Sach Karni Sach Ta Ki Reht.

The Sikhs must keep good moral character as a part of daily life, may they be in war or peace. They should not be adulterer. They should not have sinful eye on beauty or wealth of any other’s wife, sister or mother. They must stay away from vices like lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego by leading a virtuous and pious life.
Guru Nanak Dev says,

“Make thy mind the ploughman, good deed the farming, modesty the water and your body the field. Let God’s Name be your seed, contentment the earth crusher and garb of humility your fence of the farm.”
mnu hwlI ikrswxI krxI srmu pwxI qnu Kyqu ]
nwmu bIju sMqoKu suhwgw rKu grIbI vysu ]
(595)
Guru Nanak says,
"Make compassion the cotton, contentment the thread, continence the knot and truth the twist. This is the sacred thread of the soul and if you have it, O Brahman, then put it on me.”
dieAw kpwh sMqoKu sUqu jqu gMFI squ vtu ]
eyhu jnyaU jIA kw heI q pwfy Gqu ]
(471)
Guru Nanak Dev Ji says,
“The first is truthfulness, second the honest earning and third charity in God’s name. The fourth is pure intent and mind, and the fifth the Lord’s admiration and praise.”
pihlw scu hlwl duie qIjw KYr Kudwie ]
cauQI nIAiq rwis mnu pMjvI isPiq snwie ]
(141)

For Sikhs, as for the followers of many other faiths, lying, cheating, stealing etc. are forbidden. Sexual relations are restricted to married couples only. Recognizing that during the medieval ages, after battle women of the defeated side were often raped as an expression of power over the enemy, Guru Gobind Singh ordered that any person guilty of rape would be expelled from the Khalsa Panth.

The moral character of Sikhs, in war and in peace, was praised highly by Muslim historians of those times. Nur Mohammed, though he expresses extreme hatred for Sikhs, still cannot help admitting their high character. In his book, "Jang Nama" he writes:

In no case would they slay a coward, nor would they put an obstacle in the way of a fugitive. They do not plunder the wealth or ornaments of a woman, be she a well-to-do lady or a maidservant. There is no adultery among these 'dogs' nor are these mischievous people given to thieving. Whether a woman is young or old, they call her a 'buriya' and ask her to get out of the way. (The word "buriya" in the Indian language means "an old lady.") There is no thief at all among these 'dogs' nor is there any house-breaker born among these miscreants. They do not make friends with adulterers.