The Sikh Turban: Post-911 Challenges to This Article of Faith

More documents

Recommendations

Info

I. Sikhism and the Sikh Turban Truth is high, but higher still is truthful living. 23 - Guru Nanak A. Founding and Early Development of Sikhism In 1469, a man named Nanak was born in Punjab—the region now split between present-day northwest India and eastern Pakistan. 24 Historians contend that Nanak lived in a time of “tumult of hate and falsehood” involving Hindus and Muslims, where tension existed between the two communities and where the religious practices of both groups were generally becoming more ritualistic and less meaningful. 25 At the age of 30, Nanak emerged from a period of intense meditation with a vision of unity and spiritual renaissance: “There is no Hindu, there is no Mussulman,” he declared. 26 According to Sikh history, at this age, Nanak also penned a brief verse that is recognized as the fundamental summation of Sikh philosophy and theology. Hence, this verse is called the mul mantar, or “root formula.” 27 The importance of the mul mantar in Sikhism is clear, as it serves as the opening passage to the Sikh holy book, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which totals 1,430 pages. 28 The text of the mul mantar, as translated to English, is as follows: God is only One. His name is True. He is the Creator. 23 Sikh Values, sikh.net (2002), available at http://www.sikh.net/Sikhvalu.htm [hereinafter Sikh Values]. 24 See Stromer, supra note 11, at 741; Jaideep Singh, ‘No Sikh Jose:’ Sikh American Community Mobilization and Interracial Coalition Building in the Construction of a Sacred Site, 8 ASIAN PAC. AM. L.J. 173, 175 (Spring 2002). 25 KHUSHWANT SINGH, A HISTORY OF THE SIKHS, Vol. 1: 1469-1839, 29 (1978). 26 Id. at 32-33. 27 Pashaura Singh, Sikhism and Restorative Justice: Theory and Practice, in THE SPIRITUAL ROOTS OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE 204 (Michael L. Hadley ed., State University of New York Press 2001). 28 See Satvinder S. Juss, The Constitution and Sikhs in Britain, 1995 B.Y.U. L. REV. 481, 492 (1995). 8
He is without fear. He is inimical to none. He never dies. He is beyond births and deaths. He is self-illuminating. He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru. Repeat his Name. He was True in the Beginning. He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True. He is also True now. Nanak says that He will certainly be True in the future. 29 In addition, Nanak established what are generally understood to be the three essential aspects of Sikh life: 1) remembering and meditating upon God’s Name (naam japna); 2) living a truthful and honest life (kirat karni); and 3) giving one’s resources and labor to help others in the community, particularly the less fortunate (vand ke chhakna). 30 These three activities blend solitary reflection with active service to society. 31 Nanak also believed in the equality of all people, including the downtrodden. 32 This was a groundbreaking principle, given the rigid social hierarchy that existed at the time. 33 As a result of this doctrinal tenet, Nanak contended that every person, regardless of circumstance, could realize God by following the three aforementioned rules. He also rejected all forms of caste systems 34 and extolled the equality of the sexes, a progressive 29 Select Writings: Japji Sahib by Guru Nanak Dev, The Sikhism Home Page, 1998, available at http://www.sikhs.org/japji/jp1.htm. 30 Wand Kay Shako, SikhiWiki, Nov. 8, 2006, available at http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php?title=Wand_kay_Shako. 31 See Khushwant Singh, supra note 25, at 39-43 (elaborating on the teachings of Nanak, including “strict monotheis[m],” rejection of “ascetic isolation” and social “detachment,” and belief in “righteous conduct towards one’s neighbors”.). 32 See id. at 43 (“Nanak’s writings abound with passages deploring the [caste] system and other practices which grew out of the caste concepts[.]”). 33 See id. at 97 (noting that, despite the social order that was embedded in Punjab, “The doors of Sikh temples were thrown open to everyone and in the Guru’s langar [or free kitchen] the Brahmin and the untouchable broke their bread as members of the same family.”). 34 See id. 9
Page 1 and 2: RUTGERS JOURNAL OF LAW AND RELIGION
Page 3 and 4: Introduction Ten to twenty feet of
Page 5 and 6: of Sikhs, the community that is sai
Page 7 and 8: leading Sikh advocacy organization,
Page 9: writing in defense of pluralism and
Page 13 and 14: spread of Sikhism. Arjun refused to
Page 15 and 16: similarly have provided several the
Page 17 and 18: “peaked” look to the turban, wh
Page 19 and 20: More recently, the turban has also
Page 21 and 22: Those responsible for planning the
Page 23 and 24: Once Chawla arrived in Brooklyn,
Page 25 and 26: Ultimately, it was announced that S
Page 27 and 28: still here?” “Go to your home.
Page 29 and 30: D. Denial of Entry into Public Plac
Page 31 and 32: efused to employ Sikhs or harassed
Page 33 and 34: employer’s directives, Singh even
Page 35 and 36: The requirement that Sambo’s rest
Page 37 and 38: to extra-legal remedies, such as th
Page 39 and 40: continuing nature of the backlash a
Page 41 and 42: Given the relatively large proporti
Page 43 and 44: years. Sikhs even have their own co
Page 45 and 46: in some countries’ major metropol
Page 47 and 48: Conspicuous articles of faith are m
Page 49 and 50: are uniformly forbidden to enroll i
Page 51 and 52: Accordingly, now half of Germany’
Page 53 and 54: Despite the opposition, the governm
Page 55 and 56: On October 24, 2006, in one of the
Page 57 and 58: unemployment compensation field . .
Page 59 and 60: Boerne v. Flores, declared that RFR
Page 61 and 62:
IV. Conclusion As noted at the outs
show all

The Sikh Turban: Post-911 Challenges to This Article of Faith

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?