Sikhs who do not follow a vegetarian diet may eat meat from any animal, but are prohibited from eating any meat which has been ritually slaughtered, including halal and kosher meat products. However, some Sikhs may choose to not eat beef or pork.
Some Sikhs are vegetarian. The religion allows individual choice about meat consumption. However, it is forbidden to eat meat from animals slaughtered according to religious guidelines, and therefore Sikhs do not eat halal or kosher meat. Sikhs do not consume alcohol.
However, vegetarian Sikhs do consume dairy products. Sikhs who are not vegetarian may choose to abstain from eating pork or beef. However, all Sikhs are prohibited from eating any meat that has been ritually slaughtered including halal or kosher meats4.
Diet. Sikhs who have taken Amrit (baptised) are vegetarians. They will exclude from their diet eggs, fish and any ingredients with animal derivatives or cooked in animal fat. Dairy produce is acceptable providing it is free from animal fat e.g. cheese made from non animal rennet.
Roti or Phulka are among traditional Sikh foods. These are flatbreads made with wholemeal flour. Sabzi (cooked vegetables) and Daal (cooked lentils) are also included in many Sikh dishes, whether meat or vegetarian.
"Amritdhari" Sikhs (i.e. those that follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada - the Official Sikh Code of Conduct) can eat meat (provided it is not Kutha meat). "Amritdharis" that belong to some Sikh sects (e.g. Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Damdami Taksal, Namdhari) are vehemently against the consumption of meat and eggs.
Intoxication – A Sikh must not take hemp (cannabis), opium, liquor, tobacco, cocaine, narcotics, etc. In short, any intoxicant is not allowed. Cannabis is generally prohibited, but ritually consumed in edible form by some Sikhs.
However, beef has never been on the menu of either of these communities. The Sikhs living in India are never seen or known to consume beef. And therefore, to reaffirm again, yes, the cow is as sacred for Sikhs as it is for their Hindu brothers, beyond any doubt.
The following are NOT suitable for a vegetarian diet! Calcium stearate Emulsifiers EnzymesFatty acids, Gelatin, Magnesium stearate, Mono and diglycerides, Monostearates Oleic acid OleinPalmitin, Palmitic acid, Pepsin, Polysorbates, Rennet, Stabilizers, Stearic acid, Stearin, Tween.
Langar is the free meal service provided in Sikh Gurudwaras to all visitors. The philosophy behind langar is that everyone without any distinction of cast, creed religion will be able to partake this food and that is the reason the food served here is usually vegetarian and without onion and garlic.
Tobacco use is strictly prohibited in Sikhism and is considered a taboo in this religion, which leads users to deny and conceal their tobacco use status; in such cases, any intervention for cessation should harp on the tenets of Sikhism to reinforce an effort.
Yes, a Sikh can marry a non-Sikh, but it depends on whether the non-Sikh is willing to believe in Guru Sahib. Sikhs believe that when people marry, their souls become one. Guru then blesses the union after the couple submits to him in reverence. If the non-Sikh can't submit to Guru, their souls can't unite.
Tattooing, piercing, wearing jewelry, bindi dot, makeup, and trendy fashions, etc are restricted, but are not spiritually punishable offenses, so much as considered impediments of spiritual consciousness.
In Sikhism, cutting your hair is not allowed. The idea is that you shouldn't change God's image of you. However, my experience has taught me that forcing a religion onto your child will only push them away. It's important for kids to explore themselves and who they want to be.
The Five K's are the markers of Sikh identity, and they consist of: uncut hair, a short sword or knife, a steel wristband, a wooden comb, and shorts worn as an undergarment. The observance of the Five K's was originally the mark of the Khalsa.
As per Sikhism, God doesn't punish. And any Sikh who cuts hair or beard in principle knowingly or unknowingly has challenged Sikhi. Guru Gobind Singh Ji (10 th Guru who passed on Guruship to Guru Granth Sahib) made it very clear that Rehat (maintaining Sikh look) is first and then comes following Sikh principles.
I wanted to bring to your attention that the meat being served to Sikh prisoners does not meet the requirements of our religious obligations. Sikhs are forbidden to eat halal meat and we have only just discovered that this is what the kitchen has been serving us.
The Sikh prohibition on halal specifically means that they cannot eat meat killed thru zabiha. Which is why several old Sikh texts don't even use the word “halal” or “kuttha” and specify that Sikhs are forbidden from eating meat cut in the Islamic way.
However, Muslims do not approve gelatin derived from prohibited sources like porcine gelatin except the extreme situation where there is no other alternative. In contrast to that, pork derived gelatin can be replace by using gelatin derived from halal sources.
Guru Gobind Singh took a rather serious view of this aspect of the whole matter. He, therefore, while permitting flesh to be taken as food repudiated the whole theory of this expiatory sacrifice. Accordingly, he made jhatka meat obligatory for those Sikhs who may be interested in taking meat as a part of their food.
Since 1699, about two centuries after the founding of the religion, Sikh leaders have prohibited their members from cutting their hair, saying long hair is a symbol of Sikh pride. The turban was conceived to manage the long hair and intended to make Sikhs easily identifiable in a crowd.
The Sikhs living in India are never seen or known to consume beef. And therefore, to reaffirm again, yes, the cow is as sacred for Sikhs as it is for their Hindu brothers, beyond any doubt.
Sacrifice of creatures: Practices such as sati (widows throwing themselves on the funeral pyre of their husbands) and ritual animal sacrifice to celebrate holy occasions are forbidden. Non-family-oriented living: A Sikh is encouraged not to live as a recluse, beggar, yogi, monastic (monk/nun) or celibate.
Sikhism. Despite some gurdwaras allowing weddings between a Sikh and a non-Sikh, the vast majority oppose it. As per the 1945 Sikh Rehat Maryada (Code of Conduct), an interfaith anand karaj is not allowed within the Sikh faith.
The Three Golden Rules which Sikhs follow are to remember God constantly, to earn an honest livelihood, and to share their earnings with everyone through charity. Sikhs show commitment to their faith by adopting a way of life which requires them to wear the Five K's.