Is Having Hair Mandatory In Sikhism?

[Mehtab Singh 3,896]

Japjeev Singh

I have contacted a Singh from New Jersey and he is ready to talk to you. He is only some years older to you. Let me know if you are interested and I'll pass on his email to you. He knows loads of other amazing Singhs who can help you out.

[hkaurP 29]

Well that made me feel better. SO we are warriors people who have turbans and have the courage to have a turban and mustache, beard. Which many people dont. But... What about other Religions they dont have to keep their hair. I am confused on that part or is SIkhism the only real religion. i am confused on that part.

Edit: i am from New York City

Im glad it helped you. Other religions don't have to keep their hair but then again, muslim women have to wear a burka, which other religions aren't required to. Does that make Islam the only true path? Our path of Sikhi requires us to keep our hair because it is a way of showing commitment to God and showing how we appreciate the way he made us. Other religions have their way of showing commitment but this is our way of showing commitment to God. The perfect Lord has made our bodies to be the way they are for a purpose and we don't want to alter that.

Rab Rakha

[SunSingh 280]

other religions were actually required to keep their hair. christ kept his hair, but the catholic church changed the religion to gain acceptance from the roman emperors. the prophet mohammed kept his, but b/c he had a thin moustache muslims trimmed theirs to emulate him. over time their adherance to keeping kesh decreased. the old testament commands the keeping of hair - jews kept theirs... now they trim and even rabbis only keep hair uncut over certain parts of the head. Guru Gobind Singh ji gave a blessing to the khalsa, that all will leave their dharms (meaning they watered down some main religious principles), but khalsa will stay true to its dharm in kaljug.

[Guest harminderkaur]

Wearing a turban in america post 9/11 is not bad as it sounds, if you are educated about Sikhi and your turban. I have recently started to wear a turban and I love it when people come in and ask if I am muslim or often if I hurt my head. That gives me a chance to explain sikhism to them and spread the message of Sikhi. Did you know now majority of my customers (i work at 7/11 type of store) get mad at me if they see me without turban because now they know what it means.

All my veers and bhens around the world please don't cut your hair, educate yourself on Sikhism, learn to be calm when made fun of, wait till the other person stops laughing and then take their joke to explain to them what sikhi is. If you can do that, you can not only find acceptance for yourself in your community, help others around you that go through same issues and most importantly spread khalsa raj.

[japjeev singh 11]

Wearing a turban in america post 9/11 is not bad as it sounds, if you are educated about Sikhi and your turban. I have recently started to wear a turban and I love it when people come in and ask if I am muslim or often if I hurt my head. That gives me a chance to explain sikhism to them and spread the message of Sikhi. Did you know now majority of my customers (i work at 7/11 type of store) get mad at me if they see me without turban because now they know what it means.

All my veers and bhens around the world please don't cut your hair, educate yourself on Sikhism, learn to be calm when made fun of, wait till the other person stops laughing and then take their joke to explain to them what sikhi is. If you can do that, you can not only find acceptance for yourself in your community, help others around you that go through same issues and most importantly spread khalsa raj.

Yea That was a really good explanation and well Now on i will tell them what Sikhi is because i just noticed by reading this. all of my friends that know what sikhi is treat me equally and even protect me when some other people try to make fun of me.

[xtremesingh18 29]

VahegurooJiKaKhalsaVahegurooJiKiFateh!

Guru Gobind Singh Ji, GOD HIMSELF, keeps his hair and took amrit, how important must it be if GOD himself keeps it?

correct me if im wrong but didnt Guru Gobind Singh Ji actually explicitly say that he was NOT God?

[Mehtab Singh 3,896]

Thats why He is called choji preetam

[GuptSingh84 0]

VahegurooJiKaKhalsaVahegurooJiKiFateh!

Guru Gobind Singh Ji, GOD HIMSELF, keeps his hair and took amrit, how important must it be if GOD himself keeps it?

ਸੋ ਮੁਖੁ ਜਲਉ ਜਿਤੁ ਕਹਹਿ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਜੋਨੀ ॥੩॥

So mukẖ jala▫o jiṯ kahėh ṯẖākur jonī. ||3||

Let that mouth be burnt, which says that the Lord takes birth. ||3||

[santsevak 0]

correct me if im wrong but didnt Guru Gobind Singh Ji actually explicitly say that he was NOT God?

You are correct. Whoever says so is plain wrong and is spreading wrong messages and misinformation.

Right there, on the very first page of SGGS, the very first line, it is written that God is self existent and doesn't go through a life cycle of birth and death.

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace ~

(from http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=1)

None of the gurus were God. In my understanding, all Sikh gurus are considered as messengers of God.

ਚਡ਼੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ।

[Jai Tegang! 33]

Simple answer, Vaheguru is not going to say 'I'm Vaheguru'.

When Parmeshwar Vaheguru takes sargun form as Satguru, they show us what true humility is.

You have to understand Guruji's Ramz when interpreting Gurbani, which is not possible for most of us. That's where His Bhagats/Sants help.

[Mehtab Singh 3,896]

There are loads of shabads in Gurbani stating that SatGuru and Vaheguru are one.

[santsevak 0]

There are loads of shabads in Gurbani stating that SatGuru and Vaheguru are one.

I am not very familiar with SGGS. Could you cite a few pangtian/lines that state that? More clear the statements the better.

In contradiction to your claim, however, Sikh gurus are considered as children or messengers of God. God, as I wrote in an earlier reply here, is *clearly* stated in Japji sahib as being free from life cycle, formless and timeless being.

[Jai Tegang! 33]

I am not very familiar with SGGS. Could you cite a few pangtian/lines that state that? More clear the statements the better.

In contradiction to your claim, however, Sikh gurus are considered as children or messengers of God. God, as I wrote in an earlier reply here, is *clearly* stated in Japji sahib as being free from life cycle, formless and timeless being.

ਗੁਰੁ ਪਰਮੇਸਰੁ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਣੁ ॥ Know that the Guru and the Transcendent Lord are One.(Ang 864, Gond Mahalla 5)

ਭਨਿ ਮਥੁਰਾ ਕਛੁ ਭੇਦੁ ਨਹੀ ਗੁਰੁ ਅਰਜੁਨੁ ਪਰਤਖ੍ਯ੍ਯ ਹਰਿ ॥੭॥੧੯॥ So speaks Mat'huraa: there is no difference between God and Guru; Guru Arjun is the Personification of the Lord Himself. ||7||19|| (Ang: 1409, Bhatt Mathura)

ਆਪਿ ਨਰਾਇਣੁ ਕਲਾ ਧਾਰਿ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਪਰਵਰਿਯਉ ॥ The Lord Himself wielded His Power and entered the world. (Ang: 1395, Bhatt Kirat)

I would recommend you especially read Bhatt De Savaiye, which are in praise of Guru sahibaan. The Savaiye tell us who really Guru Sahib were. Also describes the numerous Bhagats, Rishis, Avatars, Devtay that also praise Guru Maharaj, as they are Sargun Parmeshwar.

[Servant of Sat 0]

The only thing that is mandatory on this path to God is infinite love for him and complete surrender to his feet and if you have those, you will make it!

He doesnt care what clothes you wear and what society you are born in, only thing he wants from you is his head, give yourself to him, dedicate and devote yourself completely to him by doing his Naam Simran and live for others and become the dust of everyone feet, then you will find him within yourself one day!!!

"See only God in yourself and others, glorify him for everything, become nothing" This is the secret to God-Realisation

The world is playing at the hands of Maya and ignorance. There is one infinite divine Power - Param Jyot who supports everything in the universe and it is beyond the reach of a normal human.

He can only be reached through complete surrender with true devotion, faith and trust in him.

Self-Realised person, who gurbani calls gurmukh has awaken from the dream and sees God everywhere. Every atma, like me and you, is a part of him, we are all in search to realise the highest self out of, the infinite part of us, the Akaal part of us, once we have achieved that, we become immortal and dont take birth again, unless we want to come back to help others

but to get there, it requires complete surrender to his will. only 0.1% surrenders 100% to him, thats why this world is full of manmukhs like me! LOL!

Good luck in your journey

[santsevak 0]

Those are interesting quotes. Since I do not fully understand all of this in their context, I am going to discuss this with some learned Sikh scholars that I know. Having said that, I always understood that this meant that Guru is to be considered equivalent to God with relation to moral teachings and religious leadership. Moreover, don't you think these lines contradict the very first line of SGGS?

ਚਡ਼੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ।