Sikh Missionary Society U.K. (Regd) 10, Featherstone Road. Southall, Middx, U.K. UB2 5AA Tel: +44 020 8574 1902 Fax: +44 020 8574 1912 Email: info@sikhmissionarysociety.org Reg Charity No: 262404
A Spur To The Sikh Youth

Sikh Missionary Society: Publications: A Spur To The Sikh Youth:

Some Independent Opinions

Some Independent Opinions

"The Sikhs are a deeply devoted people and faith is an essential trait of their nature. An immense reserve of spiritual energy has been their strong asset in many a crisis during their 500 year-old history."
(World's living religions-by Robert E. Hume)

"The distinctive outward feature of the Khalsa religion are the unshorn hair and the beard. Wearing the hair and beard has been a tradition among Indian ascetics. By making this obligatory, Guru Gobind Singh intended to emphasise the ideal of ascetic saintliness and to raise an army of soldier-saints. It is also likely that by making his followers easily recognizable by virtue of their turbans and beards. the Guru wanted to raise a body of men who would not be able to deny their faith when in danger but whose external appearance would invite persecution and, in turn, breed courage to resist it."
(The Sikhs Today - by Khushwant Singh)

"Turban must be worn, the hair must be let down and combed at least twice a day. Granth Sahib or sacred writings must be read morning and evening and, if possible, before meals.
(The Sikhs of the Punjab - by R. E. Perry)

"To the new holy order the Guru gave his own personality of beard and hair with turban on."
(A brief sketch of Guru Gobind Singh - Tarlochan Singh)

"Although the Guru allowed his Sikhs to adopt the dress of every country they inhabit, yet they must not wear hats but turbans to confine to long hair they are strictly enjoined to preserve."
(The Sikh Religion - by M. A. Macaullife)

"Under no circumstances, not even to save his life in fever, will a Sikh allow his hair to be cut."
(The Sikhs - by General Sir Charles Gough)

"Guru Gobind Singh made Sikhism more formal. He forbade smoking and cutting of hair at any period of life."
(Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics)

"The maintenance of uncut hair is as important to a Sikh as is the avoidance of pork to a Jew or a Muslim."
(Mrs. P. M. Wylam, editor Sikh Courier, London)

"Many groups of Indians who in the past wore turbans have long since given them up. For them the turban was simply one kind of headgear among others, as it is to us. To the Sikh, however, the turban is part of his religion, and no true Sikh will give up wearing it, even to secure a job..."
(Rev. R. H. S. Boyd, Belfast 9)

"The contribution of the Sikh community in men and material was ten times that of any other community of India."
(The Great War 1914-1918 -  Sir John Maynard)

"They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world enduring shell - fire with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith."
(The Sikh Regiment in the Second World War by Col. F. T. Birdwood)

"The Sikh's turban is practical, smart and well defined and the Sikhs are are general noted for their fine bearing."
(Mr. Hare, ex-Minister)