Prohibitions in Sikhism
Encyclopedia
There are a number of religious prohibitions in Sikhism
.
than Sikhs in other Indian states.
Nihang
Sikhs of Punjab, who are defenders of historic Sikh shrines are an exception and consume an intoxicant called bhang
(cannabis
) to help in meditation
, saying that it is puratan maryada (Punjabi
for "old tradition"). Bhang is common in India; according to a legend, even the Hindu God Shiva
was fond of bhang
(cannabis
) and it became his favourite food. In 2001, Baba Santa Singh, the Jathedar of Budha Dal, along with 20 chiefs of Nihang sects refused to accept the ban on the consumption of bhang by the highest Sikh clergy. Baba Santa Singh was excommunicated and replaced with Baba Balbir Singh, who agreed to shun the consumption of bhang.
The Udasi
s, who consider themselves as denomination of Sikhism, lay emphasis on being ascetic, thus violating the "Non-family-oriented living" principle. Shrichand, the ascetic son of Guru Nanak, was the founder of the Udasi
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
.
- Cutting hair: Cutting hair is strictly forbidden in Sikhism. Sikhs are required to keep unshorn hair.
- Intoxication: Consumption of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and other intoxicants is not allowed. Intoxicants are strictly forbidden for a Sikh.
- Adultery: In Sikhism, the spouses must be physically faithful to one another.
- Blind spirituality: Superstitions and rituals should not be observed or followed, including pilgrimages, fastingFastingFasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day , or several days. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive,...
and ritual purificationRitual purificationRitual purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of a deity...
; circumcisionCircumcisionMale circumcision is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin and ....
; idols, graveGrave (burial)A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
worship; compulsory wearing of the veilVeilA veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face.One view is that as a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space...
for women; etc. - Material obsession: Obsession with material wealth is not encouraged in Sikhism.
- Sacrifice of creatures: The practice of satiSati (practice)For other uses, see Sati .Satī was a religious funeral practice among some Indian communities in which a recently widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of force and coercion would have immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre...
(widows throwing themselves on the funeralFuneralA funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
pyrePyreA pyre , also known as a funeral pyre, is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite...
of their husbands), ritual animal sacrificeAnimal sacrificeAnimal sacrifice is the ritual killing of an animal as part of a religion. It is practised by many religions as a means of appeasing a god or gods or changing the course of nature...
to celebrate holy occasions, etc. are forbidden. - Non-family-oriented living: A Sikh is encouraged not to live as a recluseRecluseA recluse is a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society, often close to nature. The word is from the Latin recludere, which means "shut up" or "sequester." There are many potential reasons for becoming a recluse: a personal philosophy that rejects consumer society; a...
, beggar, yogiYogiA Yogi is a practitioner of Yoga. The word is also used to refer to ascetic practitioners of meditation in a number of South Asian Religions including Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.-Etymology:...
, monasticMonasticismMonasticism is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work...
(monkMonkA monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
/nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
) or celibateCelibacyCelibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
. - Worthless talk: Bragging, gossipGossipGossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
, lyingLyingLying may refer to:* Lie — a deliberate untruth.* Lying a 2011 book by neuroscientist Sam Harris* Lying — a horizontal position* Lying — a 2006 film* Lying — a song by Australian band, Amy Meredith...
, slander, "back-stabbing", etc. are not permitted. The Guru Granth SahibGuru Granth SahibSri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
tells the Sikh, "Your mouth has not stopped slandering and gossiping about others. Your service is useless and fruitless." - Priestly class: Sikhism does not have priests, they were abolished by Guru Gobind SinghGuru Gobind SinghGuru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
(the 10th Guru of Sikhism). The only position he left was a GranthiGranthiGranthi is any person of either gender, who performs the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib at congregational occasions, however this task can be performed by any individual who is part of the congregation...
to look after the Guru Granth SahibGuru Granth SahibSri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
, any Sikh is free to become GranthiGranthiGranthi is any person of either gender, who performs the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib at congregational occasions, however this task can be performed by any individual who is part of the congregation...
or read from the Guru Granth Sahib. - Eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner (Kutha meatKutha meatKutha meat is defined as "meat of animal or fowl slaughtered slowly as prescribed by Islamic law.". It has been more broadly defined as "killing an animal with a prayer" or "a sacrifice to God" or meat prepared through "unnecessary ritualism"....
): Sikhs are strictly prohibited from eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner (such as halalHalalHalal is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. The term is used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law...
or kosherKashrutKashrut is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér , meaning "fit" Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus) is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha (Jewish law) is termed...
, known as Kutha meatKutha meatKutha meat is defined as "meat of animal or fowl slaughtered slowly as prescribed by Islamic law.". It has been more broadly defined as "killing an animal with a prayer" or "a sacrifice to God" or meat prepared through "unnecessary ritualism"....
), or any meat where langar is served. In some small Sikh Sects, i.e. Akhand Kirtani JathaAkhand Kirtani JathaThe Akhand Kirtani Jatha is a jatha of Sikhs....
eating any meat is believed to be forbidden, but this is not a universally held belief. The meat eaten by Sikhs is known as JhatkaJhatkaJhatka or Chatka meat is meat from an animal which has been killed by a single strike of a sword or axe to sever the head, as opposed to Jewish slaughter or Islamic slaughter in which the animal is killed by ritually slicing the throat.-Jhatka meat and Sikhs:Jhatka for Sikhs is the...
meat. - Having premarital or extramarital sexual relations
Violation of prohibitions
Not all people calling themselves Sikh subscribe to these prohibitions. Some young Sikhs are now cutting their hair to the dismay of spiritual leaders. According to the Sikh clergy, "the fad among youth to shed the pagri" is being observed more commonly among the Sikh youth in PunjabPunjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
than Sikhs in other Indian states.
Nihang
Nihang
Nihang is an armed Sikh order. Early Sikh military history is dominated by the Akali Nihang military order, particularly for many famous military victories won while often heavily outnumbered. The Akali Nihang have historically been held in great affection and respect by Sikhs due the pivotal role...
Sikhs of Punjab, who are defenders of historic Sikh shrines are an exception and consume an intoxicant called bhang
Bhang
Bhang is a preparation from the leaves and flowers of the female cannabis plant, smoked or consumed as a beverage in the Indian subcontinent.- India:...
(cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
) to help in meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
, saying that it is puratan maryada (Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
for "old tradition"). Bhang is common in India; according to a legend, even the Hindu God Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
was fond of bhang
Bhang
Bhang is a preparation from the leaves and flowers of the female cannabis plant, smoked or consumed as a beverage in the Indian subcontinent.- India:...
(cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
) and it became his favourite food. In 2001, Baba Santa Singh, the Jathedar of Budha Dal, along with 20 chiefs of Nihang sects refused to accept the ban on the consumption of bhang by the highest Sikh clergy. Baba Santa Singh was excommunicated and replaced with Baba Balbir Singh, who agreed to shun the consumption of bhang.
The Udasi
Udasi
Udasi is a religious, ascetic sadhu sect of Sikhism focused on the teachings of its founder, Sri Chand , son of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder and the first Guru of Sikhism....
s, who consider themselves as denomination of Sikhism, lay emphasis on being ascetic, thus violating the "Non-family-oriented living" principle. Shrichand, the ascetic son of Guru Nanak, was the founder of the Udasi
Udasi
Udasi is a religious, ascetic sadhu sect of Sikhism focused on the teachings of its founder, Sri Chand , son of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder and the first Guru of Sikhism....
External links
- Fools Who Wrangle Over Flesh
- Adobe Version of Fools Who Wrangle Over Flesh
- Professor Gurbax Singh Dhillon - Meat Eating and Rehat Maryada
- Video Showing Jhatka at Hazoor Sahib
- The Myth of Goat Sacrifice and Hazoor Sahib
- Tenets of Guru Gobind Singh by Baldev Singh
- Can Sikhs Eat Meat
- Sikh History on Diet
- Sikh Scholar Views on Diet