Confused about whether I must keep my hair

asked 2013-11-06 08:42:00 -0500

M.Singh
21 ●3 ●6 ●9

updated 2018-08-27 13:13:01 -0500

Guruka Singh

9730 ●15 ●53 ●121

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

I am a teenage sikh. I have been told by almost all my family members that it is not a must to keep my hair long. Up till this point in life my family members have made me cut my hair. When I was younger my family members never told me that sikhs keep their hair uncut. I only found out a year ago that sikhs have to keep their hair.

Ever since I have tried to keep my hair. But whenever my family members think that my hair or beard has grown too long they take me to a nearby barber shop and make me cut my hair and shave my beard.

So I started to ask them why they continuously kept making me cut my hair. They told me several reasons such as :

You need to look need neat and presentable It is very hard to maintain long hair It is very hard to tie a turban I will not get into a good school if I keep my hair and beard I need to shave my beard for things such as renewal of my passport.

Then a few days ago I sat down to discuss this matter with my grand uncle. Since he was the oldest in our family I thought he would be able to help me. I asked him why all the members in my family had been cutting their hair and why they were making me cut my hair. This is because I found out that Guru Gobind Singh Ji ordered us to keep our hair uncut and our beards unshaven.

What he said in response made me even more confused. He told me that Guru Nanak Dev Ji did not say that we could not cut our hair. I am not saying that my family members are bad. They have given me a very comfortable life and have cared for me a lot. But this may be one of the few times when I disagree with their decision.

Sorry for being so long. I am just a young sikh who wants to keep his hair and beard. I am inexperienced and I need some help. I have cried many times at night wondering what should I do. I did not want to cut my hair. I do not know whether Guruji will forgive me if I keep my hair and beard henceforth. Please help me out here.

Any opinions and advice will be very much appreciated.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Thank You

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answered 2019-03-16 13:28:04 -0500

Pavit
1

I am not exactly privy as to why Guru Gobind Singhji commanded sikhs to adhere to the 5 ks. It may be so that the geo-political situations of the time necessitated sporting a beard and turban to distinctly identify sikhs as a community or for sikhs to wear drawers or carry combs for the sake of hygeine in case of the nihangs involved in guerilla warfare. The only symbolic element among the 5 is the karha, which duely reminds one of the perpetuality of life. Besides this the 5 ks have only further institutionilzed our religion. Sikhism was not supposed to be a religion. It was a philosphy, a way of life, a collection of poems and hyms in the praise of God and principles on leading a good, honourable and magnanimous life. Never did Guru Nannak Ji envisage the establishment of a religion. One that is so replete with ceremonies, symbols, and stringent customs. What the great and noble Guru Gobind Singhji proclaimed vis a vis the 5 ks has unmistakably lost significance and the pragmatic need in this age. I am sure our guru did not vouch for long hair with the intent of demarcating our folks. He was well above such material desires. Howbeit the turban has existed for good and can be embraced for the sake of attaining a sense of belongingness among our people. Nevertheless, the idea of having a haircut being forbidden is unsound. I infer that having wearing hair signifies detachment from the material; quite the contrary to that, it sounds like sporting a turban is a mark of vanity in itself and prohibition on removal of hair is draconian.

My message to modern sikhs is to be cosmopolitans. Don't see sikhism exclusively as your religion, whereas, learn from all the religions around you(even from the ones which aren't doing so well publicly). The purpose of religion is spiritualism : an extremely unitary and individual experience. Don't be dragged into the rules and customs of social religion. Such customs are only material. Rather focus on the symbolism, deep meanings and principles enunciated in sikhism inter alia.

Be good, do harm to none, speak ill of none, think badly of none, don't trespass into other's privacy, dont envy others, love everyone around you, love the creator and his creations(which are both the same), help the needy, be humble, lead a life of honesty and sincerity, be true to yourself, never seek indulgence, thank nature, God, the universe at all times and never forget to apologise if you are in the wrong. God bless. Sat naam-Waheguru.

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answered 2017-04-13 11:44:50 -0500

[email protected]
1

A Sikh of Guru Granth Sahib comes in a variety of looks and socio-class background. Farmers, butchers, warriors, doctors, musicians, leather workers,...all are found on an equal platform. There is no emphasis on strict, meaning less, outer rituals or idol worship. An idol worshipper who saw experienced the divine due to his pure mind in a rock is also mentioned. 5ks are a uniform of the Khalsa. Khalsa is the custodian of the spiritual treasure of the SGGS and is given the political rulership. The 10th Nanak did consider every willing volunteer to be a worthy of the Khalsa lifestyle gifts. All the Gurus and Bhagats in SGGS are from non violent lifestyles. The only sword warrior Guru Sahib whose bani is found in SGGS is Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. Guru Gobind Singh ji kept his bani outside of SGGS and offered the bir rash to his Sikhs who volunteered to be a Khalsa. Keeping your hair uncut has many benefits

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answered 2016-11-30 12:33:29 -0500

Dharam singh
1

I am in the same situation as you I really want to keep my kes but my parents don't let me. I have tried everything to make them let me . I know now that when I am 18 in 1-1/2 years I will grow my hair. Trust me I have cried over this many time but waheguru ji understands and has supported me in these tough times . You look smarter and more presentable with a pagh becuase it is our crown . Just like a king without his crown is really no one. I tie really nice paghs but u will get one for real when I am 18.

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh

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answered 2015-10-15 15:26:17 -0500

gn
1382 ●14 ●20 ●36

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Sunita Singh Ji. A Sikh should remain a firm Sikh following what are Gurus have taught us, the same goes for Muslims and Christians.

We do believe that every person in this world has a chance to meet Waheguru regardless of their faith, we can see this in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Mahraj were it contains bani from Bhagat Naam Dev Ji, Bhagat Shaek Freed Ji, Bhagat Kabeer Ji and many more.

But certain religions vary in the amount of truth, and we believe that Guru Nanak was sent with the complete truth.

The point of reading 5 banis everyday is ideal as we gain so much knowledge and we get remained of very important things. For example

Japji Sahib - Gives us so much knowledge it's like a summary of Satgur Ji

Jaap Sahib - Reminds of the quality of Waheguru

Tav prasad savaiye - Helps us escape from this illusion and rituals

Chaupai Sahib - Is a benti to Waheguru reminding us that we are nothing and we need Waheguru as our strength

Anand Sahib - Brings us Anand/peace and tells us so much about our path and what we need to do.

The more we follow Guru Ji, the closer we get to Waheguru.

Other religions talk about the importance of long hair, but Waheguru Ji kirpa we've been told about it. Many Hindu Gods have long such as Shiv Ji.

As Sikhs we should remain strong Sikhs follow everything Guru Ji says, but we should encourage other people from other religions to remain firm in theirs.

Guru Ji says the highest religion is chanting Wahegurus name.

Check this great answer by anon

Please forgive me if i said anything wrong or offensive.

Sat Sri Akaal

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answered 2015-10-15 10:02:49 -0500

Sunita Singh
1

Dearest Sikhs, Wjkkwjkf, I myself have been cutting my hair for the past 40 years of my life and have been leading a normal manmukh life What seems like forever now. Hv done and tried almost everything. But since I turned 41 this past June, I hv abstained from cutting hair, drinking alcohol and have tried to wake up early to go to Gurdwara at least 3-4 I es a week. The process of letting my hair grow isn't easy since its a big change for me and everyone else around me as well. My head looks big and my hair looks huge. Hahaha.. Anyways, I am going to stick to it with WaheGuruJee 's blessings.. But there's not a single day that I don't think whether this is so important? If GOD is one, then he would love and accept a Christian or Hindu for whom it's very normal to cut hair as much as He will accept me. As long as our hearts are pure and all we desire is HIM. My Christian and Hindu friends can achieve nirvana ( or oneness with GOD) as well and they would never have to question the length of their hairs.. Neither do we Sikhs have to recite 5 prayers everyday as our Muslim friends to be with GOD. Shouldn't achieving oneness with GOD be universal for each and every human regardless of relegion, and rules.. Etc.. Still confused but keeping hair anyways :-)

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answered 2015-09-08 00:42:12 -0500

Puninder
1

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

I go to a lot of forums of discussions/veechar on Gurbani/Sikhism and honestly this is one topic which exists almost everywhere without failure. But this is the first i am going to write about it on any forum, cause after reading Prabhjot Sahi's comment (which is brilliant) i felt like completing it or rather complementing it.

Here are my two cents - (it is my finding, and it might be incomplete as I am a Seeker myself)

Guruji wanted to give an identity to a Sikh (as evident in an episode occurred in a Sakhi after Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji's martyrdom) so he decided to give an identity which was not an ordinary identity (or just another identity) but had a deeper meaning to it.

For centuries Bhagats, Saints, Fakirs in Indian Sub Continent has been known to keep unshorn hair. Why they kept? Because they never thought of removing something given by divine/god, for them shaving or trimming was trivial, Jaap/Meditation was Mahaan and most important for them. Infact, Guruji himself and even his contemporary disciples are known to keep unshorn hair, so he directed his Shishya (A Sikh) to keep hair unshorn as he saw a Saint, a Bhagat, a Fakir in each of his Sikh. He made us Singh (Lion) and then Khalsa (pure).

So Friends, we are directed to become a:

Sikh - Student (ever obedient to Guru and down to earth)
Singh - Lion (A Symbol of Strength)
Khalsa - Pure & Sovereign (Embodiment of nature & free to the timeless)

Sikh is blessed to have such an identity through which he is always reminded himself as a Bhagat and shall always seek to become a true Sikh (Shishya/Student) of Guru Granth Sahib.

So Friends in simple terms - Unshorn hair means you have not done anything to hair, a natural action to something given by divine. You are natural - Khalsa. I think this is what a Sikh is suppose to do (As per Gurbani) surrender to the Almighty, as altering something means you are not happy the way you look or with what you have been given, which means there is still some worldly desires left in you, and Gurbani clearly states that unless a human rises above such desires (which can be done through Naam Meditation) Path of Enlightenment is not even found, leave alone treading it.

I hope i have been able to give my thoughts on importance of unshorn hair, i may realize deeper meanings as i tread along the path of Gurbani.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Puninder Singh - New Delhi

About Myself: I am a born Sikh and an avid reader. After listening to Maskeen Ji for sometime (again and again) I have started doing Nitnem (though I have always told by my parents to do so), I practice Naam meditation (this is THE THING - "Waheguru Meditation" first thing early morning) and also try to read/understand Guru ... (more)

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answered 2015-08-08 06:07:52 -0500

This post is a wiki. Anyone with karma >100 is welcome to improve it.

First let me disclose that I am a sikh born in a punjabi sikh family. However, none among me & my immediate family have taken Amrit. And I am not a Amritdhari sikh. So, going by the accepted premise, my status as a sikh is debatable. So, kindly, accept that these are my personal views and it is OK for you to disagree with me. Further, whatever I say is merely a friendly advice and nothing more.

Secondly, I will answer directly to the question asked by Mr. Singh. (however, its 2 years since he asked the question] I firmly believe in the premise of personal freedom as long as it does not interfere with that of the others. Do what your heart says. If your heart is with the Guru and you put undoubted faith in his word, than do keep your hair. You have all the right in the world to keep your hair uncut & unshorn. Your parents should be sensible to understand that. In case they don't agree then wait untill you are 18 and get your adult rights. You can check with local authorities regarding law of the land regarding personal freedom as well.

Thirdly, I am presenting my personal view on the matter of keeping unshorn hair in sikhism. I shall divide my answer, henceforth in two parts or questions.

Q1: Is it mandatory for sikhs to keep hair? A1: Yes. There is clear directive given in Sikh Rehat Maryada (Sikh Code of Conduct] that we have to keep unshorn hair. The code was made by sikh scholar after study of SGGS and other historical references. The current code came into being in about 1950 as per the wikipedia page. So, yes, technically, a sikh has to keep unshorn hair.

Q2: Should the Sikh Code of Conduct remain the same today? A2: I have pondered on this in the past and reached somewhere close to a conclusion that religions need to adapt to the current times. There is of course a risk of losing your identity in the process of this adaptation but it is something that can be discussed. Let us look at the features of sikhism that remain relevant today:

Simran = Meditation. Very relevant, probably more relevant today than in the past due to more stress in our lives.
Sewa = Service. Certainly a practice that gives purest form of satisfaction. Very Relevant.
Gurudwaras & Langar. Again, very relevant besides being a highly useful establishment in bringing people together and fostering brotherhood.
No Drugs/adultery. Very well. Basics for a healthy living
Five thiefs. Very relevant, we see in day today life.
On God. No issues here.
Kes. Lets see.

I am a kesdhari since birth, never plucked a single hair. Primarily because I love my parents & love going to the tranquil place called Gurudwaras, and both of them want me to keep my hair. And I don't want to hurt the people I love. And now, Turban & Beard are integral part of my ... (more)

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answered 2015-03-19 16:39:36 -0500

Ray
1

Can anyone please tell me the literal meanings/definition of the following words: - Sikh - Sikhism - Rehat - Maryada

I am sorry if my words sound inappropriate.

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answered 2015-03-08 10:21:52 -0500

Balvinder Singh
1

Can I commit incest. Since there is nowhere written in Guru Granth Sahib Ji, then I can commit incest.

I want to join the police force, but can I join without wearing the uniform. I think as a police officer, what is inside me is more important than the uniform ... discipline, dedication to law, expert in using my gun etc.

To ponder.

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answered 2015-03-01 03:45:21 -0500

sarab anand
26 ●4 ●5 ●8

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fate

hi i am sarab anand. considering the sikh history you will see that guru gobind singh ji our tenth guru was fighting for war at the time he made khalsa panth, so to take all the people on his side and for creating a difference between a sikh and muslim he created khalsa. As you also know that guru gobind singh ji created jhatka which said that we cannot eat chicken cut by a MUSLIM, it can be a hindu or christian but not a muslim, yes guru gobind singh ji did not like the way they cut a chicken but at the end you are killing the being. I being raised in a sikh family want to cut hair but i cannot, because i am forced to and i dont doubt it for me my family comes first and for them if i have to keep hair i will.

see i am not saying that you should or should not cut hair, both of them are not a sin. just do what you want to do, and stand for yourself, if you want to keep hair you should be confident about it, so fight for your rights.

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Confused about whether I must keep my hair

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