Please Share the Knowledge for the Sake of Allah
Praise to be Allah,
This pamphlet is to emphasize the importance and the length of the beard. Many Muslims have
queried regarding this point. To those who feel the issue is trivial to worry about, may ALLAH
guide him. But to those who genuinely wish to learn and practice what is right, here are
sufficient proofs from the Qur'an, Ahadeeth, and learned scholars.
Concerning Adherence to the Sunnah in the Holy Qur'an:
"O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority
among you." (Quran 4:59)
"O ye who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away from him when ye hear
(him speak)." (Quran 8:20)
"O ye who believe! give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calleth you to that
which will give you life; and know that Allah cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it
is He to Whom ye shall (all) be gathered."(Quran 8:24)
"Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exempler for him who hopes in Allah and
the Final Day, and who remembers Allah." (Quran 33:21)
"What Allah has bestowed on His Messenger (and taken away) from the people of the
townships,- belongs to Allah,- to His Messenger and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the
wayfarer; in order that it may not (merely) make a circuit between the wealthy among you. So
take what the Messenger gives you, and refrain from what he prohibits you. And fear Allah: for
Allah is strict in Punishment." (Quran 59:7)
Importance of the Beard in the words of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam):
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"I have no connection with one who shaves, shouts and tears his clothing eg. in
grief or affiliation."
[Reported by Abu Darda (R.A.) in Muslim, Hadith no. 501]
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"Trim closely the moustache, and let the beard flow (Grow)."
[Narrated by Ibn Umar (R.A.) in Muslim, Hadith no. 498]
"Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) ordered us to trim the moustache
closely and spare the beard."
[Narrated by Ibn Umar (R.A.) in Muslim, Hadith no. 449]
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"Act against contrary to the polythesists, trim closely the moustache and grow
the beard."
[Narrated by Ibn Umar (R.A.) in Muslim, Hadith no. 500]
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"Trim closely the moustache and grow the beard."
[Reported by Abu Hurairah (R.A.) in Muslim, Hadith no. 501]
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"Anyone who shaves has no claim to the mercy of Allah"
[Reported by Ibn Abbas (R.A.) in Tibrabi]
Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Umar {RA} used to cut that portion (which exceeds the
grip of the beard).
[Tirmidhi]
The Beard according to the Great Imams of Jurisprudence:
Hanafi
Imam Muhammed (R.A.) writes in his book "Kitabul Aathaar" where he relates from Imam Abu
Hanifa (R.A.) who relates from Hadhrat Haytham (R.A.) who relates from Ibn Umar (R.A.) that
he (Ibn Umar) used to hold his beard in his hand and cut off which was longer. Imam
Muhammed (R.A.) says that this is what we follow and this was the decision of Imam Abu
Hanifa. Therefore, according to Hanafies, to shorten the beard less than a FIST LENGTH is
HARAAM and on this is IJMA (concensus of opinion).
Shafi'i
Imam Shafi (R.A.) in his Kitabul Umm states, "To shave the beard is HARAAM." (Shari Minhaj
dar Shara Fasl Aqueeqa).
Maaliki
Shekh Ahmad Nafarawi Maliki in the commentary of Imam Abu Zayed's booklet states, "to
shave the beard is without doubt haraam according to all Imams." It is also mention in
"Tamheed" which is a commentary of "Muatta" (Sunnan Imam Malik (R.A.)) that to shave the
beard is HARAAM and among males the only ones to resort to this practice (of shaving) are the
HERMAPHRODITES (persons who possess both male and female features and characteristics).
Hanbali
The Hanbalies in the famous Al-Khanie'a Hanbali Fatawa Kitab state that "to grow the beard is
essential and to shave it is HARAAM." Also in the Hanbali Mathab books "Sharahul Muntahaa"
and "Sharr Manzoomatul Aadaab", it is stated "The most accepted view is that it is HARAAM
(prohibited to shave the beard)."
Also note, according to scholars of Islam: "To shave off the beard is unlawful (haraam) and one
who shaves his beard is legally speaking an unrighteous fellow (FASIQ); hence, it is NOT
PERMISSIBLE to appoint such a man as an Imam. To say Taraweeh behind such an Imam is
MAKRUH-E-TAHRIMI (near prohibition)" (Shami Vol.1, p.523)
The Durre-Mukhtar states: "No one has called it permissible to trim it (the beard) less than FIST-
LENGTH as is being done by some westernized Muslims and hermaphrodites." (Vol. 2, p. 155).
Also, "It is forbidden (haraam) for a man to cut off another's beard." (Vol. 5, p. 359).
Conclusion:
Thus, a Muslim who shaves or shortens his beard is like a hermaphrodite, his Imamate near
prohibition, his evidence is not valid, he will not have the right to vote or being voted for.
Shaving and shortening the beard is the action of non-believers. Imam Ghazzali (RA) says:
"Know that the key to total bliss (Saadah) lies in following the Sunnah and in emulating the life
of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) in ALL that issues from him, and in ALL his doings
even if it concerns the manner of his eating, rising, sleeping, and speaking. I do say thisin
relation to rituals in worship ONLY because ther is no way neglecting the Sunnah reported of
him in such matters - but what I say INCLUDES EVERY ASPECT of his daily life." (Kitab al
Arbain Addin, Cairo 1344, p. 89). Furthermore, in the Holy Qur'an, Allah told Rasulullah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) to say:
"Say: "If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Quran 3:31)
The daily recitation of a band of angels of Allah is "Holy is the Being who adorned men with
beards and women with braids" (Takmela e Bahr al Raiq, Vol. 3, p. 331)
Lastly, Allah Ta'ala says in the Holy Qur'an: "And when the true believers are called to Allah
and His Rasul (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) [to accept and practice the law and commands of
Allah and His Rasul (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)] that he may pass judgement upon them, their
ONLY reply is 'We hear and obey.' Such men shall surely prosper." (24:51)
"THE CALL IS TO GROW A FIST LENGTH BEARD, LET US HEAR AND OBEY TO
PROSPER."
