Exceptions for religious accommodation In 2010, the Army granted waivers for a number of Sikh soldiers and one Muslim soldier, permitting them to have beards (and in the case of the Sikh soldiers, to have "unshorn" hair covered by turbans).
These religions include Orthodox Judaism, Rastafarianism, and Sikhism. These religions prohibit haircuts and the removal of facial hair as they believe hair to be a gift from God. Other branches of Judaism state that men must not only grow beards but are forbidden to remove any portion of their sideburns at any time.
Observant Sikhs are unique in that they've been granted permanent blanket waivers for beard and hair length at the service level by the Army and Air Force.
If commander authorizes, members will keep all facial hair trimmed not to exceed ¼ inch in length. Individuals granted a shaving waiver will not shave or trim any facial hair in such a manner as to give a sculptured appearance. Commanders and supervisors will monitor progress in treatment to control these waivers.
Judaism prohibits shaving with a razor on the basis of a rabbinic interpretation of Leviticus 19:27, which states, "Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard." The Mishnah interprets this as a prohibition on using a razor on the beard.
Exceptions for religious accommodation
In 2010, the Army granted waivers for a number of Sikh soldiers and one Muslim soldier, permitting them to have beards (and in the case of the Sikh soldiers, to have "unshorn" hair covered by turbans).
Shaving the beard is forbidden, this is the opinion of the majority of scholars and it is the preponderant opinion. The evidence of this opinion is what is reported in several authentic Ahadith that indicate growing the bread.
“You may wear a beard in accordance with AR 670-1 with approved religious accommodations. Again, it's pretty vague and the regulation nor appendix expand on the definitions.
Service members can generally put whatever religious preference they want on their tags, including "Atheist" or "Agnostic." Some even ask for "Jedi" or "Druid." There is no list of official or approved religions--after all, that would constitute government endorsement of a particular religion.
Obtaining a military shaving profile or waiver is a medically necessary process for many service members who suffer from conditions like PFB. Each branch of the military has specific requirements, but the general process involves medical evaluation, documentation, and approval through the chain of command.
Religions such as Orthodox Judaism, Rastafarianism, and Sikhism all prohibit haircuts, the removal of facial hair, or a combination of the two due to beliefs that hair is sacred or a gift from God.
The Army directive says that each lock, or dreadlock, "will be of uniform dimension; have a diameter no greater than 1/2 inch; and present a neat, professional, and well-groomed appearance." All female Soldiers can opt to wear dreadlocks, Moore said.
In Sikhism, kesh or kes (Gurmukhi: ਕੇਸ) is the practice of allowing one's hair to grow naturally without cutting. The practice is one of The Five Kakaars, the outward symbols ordered by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 as a means to profess the Sikh faith.
Removal of axillary and pubic hair is a hygienic practice that was taught by the prophet Muhammad and which was espoused as having been part of practices conforming to man's premortal (ie, fitrah) nature. It was advised by Islamism to have the moustache cut, nails cut, and axillae and pubic shavings within 40 days.
The big ones are Sikhism, ultra-Orthodox or Haredi Judaism (as opposed to Modern Orthodox Judaism which allows men to shave), and Islam. It's a very strong tradition in Orthodox Christianity; some of our monks have even managed to become 100% beard because of their piety.
Alternatively, a round bald spot might be shaved on the head. It is this type of false worship the Bible forbids. Shaving one's beard and cutting one's hair for normal good grooming is something entirely different and not at all condemned in the Scriptures.
Muslim military personnel have served in all branches of the United States Armed Forces and in every major armed conflict to which the United States has been involved, including the War of 1812, the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and others.
The United States has the largest Christian and Protestant population in the world. Judaism is the second-largest religion in the US, practiced by 2% of the population, followed by Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, each with 1% of the population.
Foremost among them were the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites, and Church of the Brethren.
A waiver for a religious accommodation is a request for anything not covered in AR 670-1 (for example: males requesting uncut hair, religious headgear that does not comply with para 3-15); HQDA, DCS, G-1 is the waiver-decision authority.
Modern Catholic views of beards
While there's no doubt an element of fashion, with beards wholly absent from Rome, there are no strict rules for or against. According to the 1983 Code of Canon Law, questions about beards and grooming are a matter of personal choice.
Soldiers can belong to any religion they want, as long as it is not illegal under civil law and is compatible with the Values and Standards of the Army. When you join, you'll be asked about your religion or other belief system, however soldiers are judged only by their actions.
Leviticus (19:27): "You shall not cut the hair on the sides of your heads, neither shall you clip off the edge of your beard." To cut off another man's beard, according to Samuel (10:4) is an outrage. According to Jeremiah (41:5), to shave or pluck one's own beard was only appropriate during times of mourning.
According to the Islamic Medicine Academy, natural non-permanent (such as henna) tattoos are permitted in Islam while permanent or semi-permanent tattoos are forbidden and Mohammed encouraged females to use color on their hands (by using natural medium such as henna) while males can only use henna on their hair.
Alcohol use is forbidden in many religions, including Judaism and Islam. Alcohol use in Muslim communities is below the global average, yet reports show that unrecorded consumption is high [1]. In recent years, there has been increasing attention on alcohol-related harms in Muslim communities [2].