Sikhs and Sikhism... by Jas...

        Over the last year, I have come to know many people around the world, and the internet has been the main reason for this occurrence.  I have learned a great deal about my community and the struggles they are facing, and have talked to many individuals via e-mail who have asked me for advice on matters concerning Sikhism, and many more who just needed a friend who would listen to them and talk to them.

         I would like to discuss one concern in this paper, that Sikhs have over and over again talked about with me. Sikhs have asked me many times that, "does it really matter what you look like on the outside? is it not what you are on the inside that God is pleased with?."  They are asking me, as Sikhs do we need to keep uncut (long) hair.  Their reason for asking this question are; they don't want to be ridiculed by their class-mates in school, they want to fit into or be accepted in this societies norm.  They feel keeping long hair is not a requirement to be a Sikh and its what is on the inside that truly matters, they don't want to have to keep explaining to the ignorant society around them, who ask them questions, about the significance of keeping hair, and the other gifts given to the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.   All in all, they want to feel belonged and blend in with western society and not stand out as some funny looking icons. 

         Ironic is the fact, they talk about wanting to be "individuals".  They talk about carving out their own identity.  Yet they do not see, by blending into society, they are giving up more and more of what they are, their history, their culture, their traditions, and eventually their values and religion.

         They say that keeping hair in India is easier because the culture there is accepting.  They say if the Guru saw the difficulty we have in the western countries they would not want us to feel hurt and pain, and would not require us to keep hair.  They say is God not supposed to be all-compassionate... why then would he want us to suffer by having us keep our hair? and they say many many more things, yet they are not reflecting what is at the core of all their questions.

         At the core of their question is only "I"!, "I"! and "I".  What benefit is there for me in being a Sikh?!  Why should "I" bother keeping my hair if its going to make "my" life harder?!  Why should "I" not just take up the values of the western culture and live a more accepting life. And these egoistic, selfish questions go on and on.

         I would just like to give my reasons why Sikhs should not give up so easily and cut their hair just to blend into society and make life easier for themselves.  Which I believe is the greatest myth sold to them by western society.  We should learn from the blacks, chinese, and all other non-anglo-saxon groups that this is a complete lie.  However I don't want to discuss the cultural institutionalization of society, only why Sikhs should not cut their hair by accepting a false myth.

     Here are only a few reasons why one should keep their hair and what I think it means to be a Sikh.

1.  To be a Sikh, is to want to be a "student, disciple, a son/daughter" of the Guru, and obey in humility His wishes and teachings, which are set out in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib to helps us attain the ultimate Truth (Mukti), the purpose of this gift of human life.

2.  If we have a belief in God, and if we accept the divine teachings given to us by the Gurus, then as their Sikhs we would try our best to emulate their lives, as well as their form, as well as maintain God's gift to us in its natural form as is depicted in Gurbani, where it says that God himself has long hair ("Lamre vallaa") and they are covered with a "Dastar".

3.  Ask yourself are we as Sikhs today so weak, so shallow, so selfish, so egoistic and without a sense of pride that we fear this world, which will not kill us for if we maintain the Sikhi form. 

    Have we forgotten the countless Sikhs who gave their life, in times much harsher then we live in now, or could ever think of, to maintain this gift given to us by our Guru and God.

    These Sikhs sacrificed their lives but did not accept Islam.  They fought for the right for Sikhi to exist but did not give up their faith, and the other gifts given to us by Guru Gobind Singh. 

    Today we voluntarily let go of Sikhi, so we can gain material things, indulge in sexual relationships with many men and women and to gain other worldly pleasures.

4.  Have we forgotten Guru Gobind Singh's sacrifices.  Have we forgot the sacrifice of Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh (youngest sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji) who were only 8 and 6.  They did not accept Islam, or give up the Sikhi form,and gave their life instead.  The older sons 16 and 14, Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh respectively, both gave their lives on the battle field, but maintained their faith and honor.

5.  Have we forgotten the selfless sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadar Ji, who gave his head for the freedom of people to worship their respective faith.  Not to forget Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who was tortured under unthinkable conditions, yet not once did he think "I should become a Muslim, this will much easier for me, and at the same time, I will become rich and live in palaces".  Instead while being tortured he did not let out a single  "Sigh" in pain, or "question" God as Jesus did, when being crucified,  but uttered the words... " Oh Lord, outmost sweet is Thy Will, I ask only for Thy Name"!  Such is the humility, valour and love of my Guru, and should be of his Sikhs.

 6.  Are we Sikhs today so ignorant to the sacrifices of our Gurus as well as the many Sikhs who kept long hair, such as Bhai Taru Singh (who told the Muslim who was to carry out the sentence of cutting his hair off... not to cut his hair, but cut his scalp off instead, so he would be able to keep his Guru's command!) Such is the strength, courage, and love of true Sikhs for their Guru's teachings. 

    Today we as Sikhs have from Lion's become Jackals and are selling our faith freely to this world only so that we may fulfil our lustful and other selfish interests.

      I would like us Sikhs to look at the Gora Sikhs who have a lesson to teach us.   Though they are white in appearance, and are part of the dominant culture by their birth and easily fit into the western culture,

and gain all the materialistic things we all yearn to gain by trying our hardest to assimilate into this culture and giving up our faith and religion.  They have instead done the reverse. They have adopted a foreign religion, they have become "outcasts"  amongst their own people, have given up a lot of friends and family,  have still not been able to integrate amongst the Sikh community. 

     Why have they given up so much? yet we lustfully try to gain those things?! Simply because they have taken the time to understand the Sikh religion. Its message, its history, and its greatness.  They have spent time reflecting on the Gurus wisdom, the divine knowledge the Gurus shared to us and the love and sacrifice they gave to humanity. They see the strength and  courage the Gurus had to uphold their conviction and by their actions they showed this to the world and taught their Sikhs how to lead their lives. 

         We should learn from these Gora Sikhs, a well deserved lesson.  A lesson that we should not be weak at heart and soul and sell ourselves to this materialistic world.  We should not forsake our Gurus and their sacrifices and teachings, instead we should gain the strength and courage needed by reading the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji to become fearless ourselves.  We should never forget our great history, we should tell the world of our great religion and by our actions, like did the Gurus, practice and share it with the rest of the world.  Then only will we be real Sikhs, and start our long journey towards God.  Hope people will give sometime in reflection and think about what I've shared with you today.

Thank You,

Jas.

P.S.  Forgive me my mistakes, I do not mean to offend anyone, though I know I have many.