Who truly is a Sikh?

I have been following the discussions here for some time. While it is very heartening to see so many people still keeping the spirit of the faith alive, by being open to deliberation and even new interpretations at times, I could not help but notice an under-current of orthodoxy.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-youth/29697-who-truly-is-a-sikh.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29697

There are many things I wish to speak of, but for now I will keep my query simple.

Can someone with shorn hair be considered a Sikh?

Most times, the reply to this question is that a Sikh should not modify the body that God has given him. But if that was the case, why is there no objection to things like, having intrusive medical procedures, or even a simple thing like cutting ones nails?

I personally feel that our religion has 'freedom' as its core. I do not think Guru Nanak Dev ji would have really imposed such a condition on his followers.

But, I am still young and immature, and more than anything else, I would like to hear the opinions of those who deliberate on our beautiful religion in their day to day living.

Thank you.

 
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Dear Gurpreet jeo,
The first basic identity of a Sikh is ones unshorn hair. The first of the five K's which one must keep in order to be a Sikh are Kesh or hair.
Regarding cuting of dead nails from the fingers or throwing away the dead hairs after doing the combing of ones hair are permitted as the Sikhi does not have any attchments to the dead parts of a human being, which is a natural process.
Now, coming to the freedom in Sikhi, pl remember every religion has some basic codes. In Sikhi these have been confirmed and illustrated in the SRM quite clearly. Freedom never means going away from the basic tenets of ones religion. Ours gurus have never taken any other freedoms from us but expacted us to be true followers.

Gurpreet ji,

Guru Fateh.

Thanks for the question.

I would like to ask you a couple of questions so that we do not get into any circular arguments rather than having a constructive conversation via interaction.

1. Are you a Keshadhari Sikhi?

2. If not, were you ever one?

3. If you were then what made you decide to cut your hair?


Thanks & Regards

Tejwant Singh

my friend cut his hair and his dad kicked him out for it. he says he is no sikh! y is this so unfair?

BullesShah ji

This type of thing happens a lot. And it is heartbreaking to read about it. Sometimes it is really difficult to have a discussion about "kes" that goes to the heart of why we keep kes without also coming to terms with the reality that there is real suffering in families where discussion cannot take place and kids are just to do it or else. If there was ever a religion that was born out of respect for another, Sikhism is it. A hard path to practice. Thanks for your quesiton.

so it means he not sikh now?

BullesShah ji

In my humble opinion the young man is a sikh. Parents do not own their children body and soul, and so they cannot make decisions about who is and who is not a sikh or anything else. But they do it all the time and in many different religions. Why do parents behave like this? That would actually make a very interesting discussion.

The question does kes make a Sikh needs to be answered on many different levels and in terms of our own personal encounter with Sikhism as a religion and Sikhi as a philosophy.This is a legal matter in India, but not in the diaspora. It is a religious matter in light of becoming amritdhari. It is a cultural matterf and a philosophical one as well. So again, in my humble opinion, it is nothing more or less than human tragedy when a worthy question is answered the way your friend was answered by his parents.

who make decision to say who is sikh? my friend say he not look like sikh but feel like one. so wot is diffrence?

BullesShah ji

It would be important at this place in the discussion to hear from your friend. I would like to know how he defines a Sikh in his own words. That would help me, just one person, have a better sense, and make the conversation less hypothetical.

how u define sikh please?with or without the long hairs?is it guru teaching? oh i dont know.