The Five Articles of Faith

...

Wearing these articles show a true commitment to their faith and beliefs. Many people have misconceptions about Sikhism and are ignorant of the reasons behind wearing these articles of devotion. Sikhs are constantly stereotyped and grouped with terrorist groups because people assume if someone is wearing a turban they must be an Al-Qaeda terrorist. This cannot be easy for a Sikh to practice their beliefs by wearing a turban when so many people in this world think of them in this way (Singh). By continuing to hold on to these practices shows me how strong their faith is in their practices despite it being against the norm in many places such as America. Hopefully we can educate ourselves before making ignorant judgements and realize the dedication it takes to be a Sikh.

In many ways Christians uses similar ways to show their devotion to their beliefs and faith. Though the Bible doesn’t require Christians to do so, many choose to express their faith by wearing the symbol of Jesus on the Cross. This symbol can serve as a reminder to stay humble and forgiving or simply to be identified by others as a Christian. Either way, for Christians it is a choice, but for Sikhs wearing the Five Articles of Faith was commanded by their Guru and made a requirement. Many people are used to seeing people wearing a cross so it is completely normal to us, but when we see another religions norm we tend to react differently.

There are some Christian-based faiths that have similar requirement of dressing. Some encourage members to dress modest while others see it as a requirement. Apostolic Pentecostals believe that women should not cut their hair. They base this off the literal interpretations of the Bible, which includes “every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” and “if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. (1 Corinthians)”. Islamic women are also required to cover their hair and dress modestly. There are many different versions to what is modest and what type of coverings should be used but in those religions, those practices are their norm.

Learning about a different religion and their practices can open your eyes to see people in a new light. When you are educated, you can then understand the real reasoning behind someone’s practices and not be quick to judge because it goes against what you may be used to or what you see as a typical norm. I learned that in a Sikh’s eye they wear the Five Articles of Faith not only because it is required, but to show their commitment to their faith.

Works Cited

“1 Corinthians.” Holy Bible. n.d. 11:1-16.

Fisher, Mary Pat. “Sikhism.” Fisher, Mary Pat. Living Religions. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2014. 434-457.

Kapoor, Dr. S.S. The Making of the Sikh Rehatnamas. Delhi: Hemkunt Publishers, 2008. p.25.

Sikiwiki.org. n.d. 11 October 2015.

Singh, Jagraj. Who and What is a Sikh? Katie Kester. 8 October 2015.

United Sikhs. United Sikhs. 1997. 16 October 2015.