Chowrangi

Why don’t Sikhs get a haircut and trim their beards?

There was a case in Canada where a Sikh showed up at home clean shaven and with a haircut, and when asked why, said that a bunch of Canadians beat him up and cut his beard and hair from various places. In order to fix that he was left with no option but to get a haircut and shave. The parents went to the police, and after investigation it was found that the guy was lying, to which he later admitted.

This is the height of desperation that can be found among modern Sikhs. I’m sure hair in a turban does not feel comfortable, so the question is, why do Sikhs not get a haircut and shave or at least shape their beards properly. Is it because Guru Nanak said so. Even if he did, he was only a Guru and not a Prophet, so why does what he says have so much importance. Another question is that why are Sikhs allowed to remove hair on the body if they are not allowed to do so elsewhere. One version I have heard is that Guru Nanak said, “Take care of your ‘bal’ as in ‘bal-bachche’ (kids) and not hair. What do Sikhs have to say about this?

Is there some kind of punishment in Sikhism for getting a haircut and trimming the beard. Will Sikhs burn in hell for doing so?

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Mohammad Yusha

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58 responses to “Why don’t Sikhs get a haircut and trim their beards?”

  1. Singh Avatar
    Singh

    @Shakir Lakhani: Why should there be a punishment? The search for God and enlightenment/salvation is a personal one. Sikhism is not the only path to God, so it is not right to mandate any one way. Sikhism stresses keeping the body in the natural form as to maintain the look that God gave us, but as I said in my previous post, Sikhism values other traits such as being a good and honest person far more – keeping a hair and turban doesn’t automatically make you a good person.

    @Sikh: In regard to tying a turban, while I agree that there is nothing in the SGGS mandating Sikhs to wear it, the dastaar was made as mandatory wear for all Amritdhari Sikhs by Guru Gobind Singh, no? Up until that point, it was simply tradition, but Gobind Singh formalized the identity of the Sikhs with the panj kakkar and dastaar.

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  2. Mohammad Yusha Avatar
    Mohammad Yusha

    Thank you Singh and Sikh for answering my questions. I appreciate your time and effort. If there is anything that I may have said that ended up offending either one of you, or any Sikh here, then please accept my sincere apologies.

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  3. Shakir Lakhani Avatar
    Shakir Lakhani

    @ Sikh: is there any punishment in your religion for those who cut their hair, etc.? I mean, if there were a place where Sikhism only was followed, what pinishment would the law prescribe for those who do not obey the rules regarding the 5 K’s? (Like in Islam, the punishment for stealing is amputation of the hands).

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  4. Sikh Avatar
    Sikh

    Our two religions obviously differ on the notion of prophets and the afterlife, so I don’t know what more I can say on this matter, nor what good it will do.

    Once again on the idea on what is natural and unnatural, it seems like common sense that if man didn’t try to change what is already in nature, he would be letting nature take its course. Nature is natural, the two words are practically the same.

    The Gurus never claimed to know what God meant. But they did teach us to use our common sense, and to look for god around us, and in the hearts of people, rather than in houses of worship or in the afterlife.

    What I meant about not required to wear turbans is this:

    1. Sikhs are required to keep hair, but the method in which to keep the hair tidy is unspecified.

    2. It was common practice to wear turbans back then, and through hundreds of years the turban became part of the Sikh identity.

    3. I have seen Sikhs who don’t wear a turban, but rather a bandana or something else. However, this looks kind of odd to most Sikhs, and therefore most of us stick with the traditional turban. Even the style of turban varies from what part of the world you are from. Sikhs in India can be seen wearing large colorful ones, Sikhs in Kenya wear small starched white turbans that look kind of pointed, Sikhs in the UK usually wear small black turbans, and Sikhs in the US and Canada wear kind of a hybrid between the UK and Indian styles. Nothing is specified, it’s just what suits you, and keeps the hair clean and tidy.

    Having long hair doesn’t make us look like women because we have beards also. That would be a very ugly looking woman! Rather I think shaving makes you look more like a woman. Sikh men are the most manly looking people. The whole Sikh look is very tough and rugged, no metro-sexual pretty boys over here.

    Circle of life and death does not entail past lives. I mean that you are born from the earth, the universe (we are all god’s creation and thus connected to him, and his other creations), and when you die, you return to the earth, and thus return to him. This completes the circle.

    Escaping the circle means going above and beyond birth and death. When you meditate on God, meditate on his essence, and become one with it, you have achieved your salvation.

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  5. Singh Avatar
    Singh

    In regard to God “speaking” to prophets and spreading his word in that respect, we are at a fundamental difference between religions and thus I think we should go no further here. Personally, I believe that God did not speak directly to Guru Nanak or to any of the other major prophets. I believe they were all enlightened souls, yes, but not that any of the paths are specifically chosen by God. Your opinion is obviously different, and that is to be respected. Just because I follow one path and you follow another doesn’t mean one of us is right and the other wrong,

    My personal stance on reincarnation is uncertainty – perhaps Sikh will be able to explain his point of view. From my understanding though. a basic interpretation would be that the soul is reincarnated – not the mind or personality – until it reaches enlightenment. So while one’s soul may progress, one’s sense of personal individuality is not constant.

    If you assume that God created all life, then it follows that the natural, ie unchanged, form of humans (long, untouched hair) would be the image that God created humans in. Simple.

    And please quit referring to Guru as if it is derogatory. We clearly have different definitions of Guru. In Sikhism, the Gurus were teachers and the ones who spread the doctrine of Sikhism, Just like Jesus in Christianity and Mohammad for Islam.

    Also, I don’t believe you understand what “natural” means. It is, by definition, unnatural, to change the body’s appearance. Not that I’m saying its wrong, but its unnatural. In Sikhism, we maintain the natural appearance of the body – that is, not cutting hair, not getting piercings, etc. Following, taking drugs & alcohol are forbidden since they impair the mind, causing it to work unnaturally. Thus, women growing hair on their bodies is not unnatural. Keeping a long beard and mustache is not unnatural. Men keeping hair long is natural.

    Finally, Sikhs do not wear turbans to keep from looking like woman. Indeed, when Guru Gobind Singh mandated that all Sikhs wear turbans, he did not exclude women. Women are encouraged to wear turbans also. While traditional Indian customs have prevented the spread of this, you will find that many Amritdhari women do wear turbans. Also, many American Sikh women tend to wear turbans.

    The reason for the turban is partially to keep the hair tidy and clean, but the turban is a multifaceted symbol. The turban traditionally in India was only worn by people of class: rulers, leaders, emperors as a “crown.” Thus, when Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa, he, in accordance to the teachings of Guru Nanak, sought to make all people equal and remove the class/caste system. Thus, he crowned all of his Sikhs with a turban.

    Additionally, in the time of Guru Gobind Singh, Sikhs were persecuted against by the Mughals. The turban made Sikhs to stand out amongst the crowd – they could not possibly be confused for Muslims or Hindus. This made them easier to be recognized and thus forced Sikhs to proudly wear their faith openly and also to defend their faith when necessary. Thus, the turban became an article of faith and a part of the identity of the Sikhs.

    Because the Sikhs stood out, it signified commitment to the Sikh principles since, by so openly wearing a turban, your actions are representative of the entire Sikh community. Thus, it is a sign of responsibility and a commitment to the high moral and ethical standards of Sikhism.

    You do seem to have many questions…certainly some are best answered through this kind of conversation, but points like “Why do Sikhs wear Turbans?” can be much better answered by consulting online resources.

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  6. Mohammad Yusha Avatar
    Mohammad Yusha

    You mentioned you don’t believe in past or future lives but you mentioned escaping the circle of life and death. How can you believe in circle of life and death if you don’t believe in past or future lives.

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  7. Mohammad Yusha Avatar
    Mohammad Yusha

    It was God’s will that He be known to mankind. This is why God chose to send prophets to human beings. It was not Prophet’s who decided that they will preach the word of God.

    God is a being that will reward people in hell or heaven based on their deeds. We know this through Prophets.

    It is interesting to note that Sikhs don’t believe in past or future lives.

    You mentioned that when people cut hair they are fighting against what God meant humans to be like. How do you know this. How do you know what God meant humans to be like. Through a Guru? Who were Gurus to tell people what God meant humans to be like?

    I agree that a woman’s body is not as hairy as a man’s but hair still grows on a woman’s body which needs to be removed. Women growing hair on their body is also unnatural.

    Sikhs are not required to wear Turbans? Now this seems like a cop out. Sikhs wear Turbans to avoid looking like women, because growing hair for men is unnatural. Have you ever seen a Sikh without a Turban?

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  8. Sikh Avatar
    Sikh

    Who are these prophets to dictate the will of god? I am saying that god is beyond the comprehension of people. Even if we were to think on him a million times, we cannot fully understand his greatness. One is a fool who considers himself to know god.

    Life after death and the belief in god only go together based on your definition of what god is. If you believe that god is a being that is waiting to reward you in heaven, then the two are linked. However, how can you know this for sure? Saying that the prophets revealed this to the people through the ages seems like a cop out. How did they know? What Sikhism says is that we cannot understand god because he is too vast, and too great for us humble humans to comprehend. We cannot even comprehend the vastness of the universe, so how can we pretend to comprehend god? What we know of god is what we can see around us, in life.

    Pavan guru, pani pitha, matha dhart mahat- “ Air is the guru, water the father, and earth the mother”

    This means that god is all around us, he does not just reside in heaven or in the afterlife

    Once again on reincarnation, it is not literal reincarnation. We do not believe in past lives, etc…What I said is that one’s actions on earth lifts oneself above the circle of life and death. When you are a child, you are pure and good. However, through life one has the tendency to go astray and become filled with hate and anger. By remaining pure all the way through death, one becomes one with god. One comes in pure as a child, and goes out pure as a child, thus escaping the circle.

    You sleep when you are sleepy, and awake when you are fully rested.

    You eat when you are hungry, and stop when you are full

    This is really irrelevant, and I don’t understand what this has to do with anything

    Also, why do you feel that letting your hair grow is unnatural. When you cut your hair you are fighting what god meant to be. Do you know the exact length of hair that is considered natural?

    It is not required for Sikhs to wear turbans. However, men do so to keep themselves looking tidy, and to keep their hair clean from dirt, and other things that might get into the hair. At the time of the gurus, many people of different religions wore turbans, so it was not just a Sikh thing. This method of keeping a turban was thus handed down through the generations, and became an integral part of our identity. This is especially true since we are some of the few people who still wear turbans. Some women also wear smaller turbans, but not that many because it is more of a masculine article.

    The moustache is not uncomfortable. It may seem that way to you because you probably shave your moustache, thus producing prickly stubble. Also it does not look gross, saying that it does is just your own personal opinion.

    Women’s bodies are not as hairy as men’s. You probably think that if a women didn’t shave her arms and legs, she would look like a man, but it doesn’t work like that. Women don’t have that much testosterone (LOLZ).

    Kahcha are basically boxers. They are part of the 5 K’s because it goes into the whole idea of looking modest and presentable. In ancient India, a lot of people did not wear underwear, and a lot of Hindus wrapped a lungi around themselves. This is basically just a long cloth wrapped around the body, and you are naked underneath. Guru Gobind Singh felt that it was important for his Sikhs to look modest and respectable and thus instituted the Kahcha as part of the 5 K’s.

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  9. Mohammad Yusha Avatar
    Mohammad Yusha

    God told people how to live life through his Prophets, who were sent from time to time for the guidance of mankind.

    If you believe in God, how can you not believe in life after death. It does not make any sense. Also, if Sikhs believe in reincarnation until one is good enough to find salvation, life appears as some kind of pain. If this is the case, why did God create people?

    It is natural to sleep, but for a certain number of hours. It is natural to eat, but in a limited quantity. It is natural to work, play, study and a number of activites, but only in moderation. Similarly, it is natural to grow hair, but in moderation.

    If it was natural for men to grow hair long, they would not be needing or wearing a Turban. Why do Sikhs wear Turbans if it is natural to grow hair long. Can anyone answer this question

    Is it also natural to grow the moustache to the point it covers the lips making life uncomfortable and also ends up looking gross?

    Is it also natural for Sikh girls to live life with hairy bodies?

    The fifth K is Kachcha. What is the significance of this and what does this have to do with religion?

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  10. Sikh Avatar
    Sikh

    @ Muhammad Yusha

    Sikhs are not supposed to cut their body hair either

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