Beard For Men

In Islam beard is incredibly encouraged for Muslim men. The absence of it was abhorred by the Holy Prophet. Today, contemporary science and research is showing us of tremendous benefits of maintaining beard and long hair like that of the Holy Prophet.

Islam is a complete way of life:

Islam is an entire way of life. Just as all other factors of Islam, Mua’asharaat (social dealings) also perform a crucial role in Islam. Suggestions regarding a person’s outer appearance, form and clothing are contained in the teachings of Islam. A true and complete Muslim is he who holds to these Islamic teachings and routines upon them. While Allaah Ta’aala is knowledgeable of our inner qualities, there is a sociable need for our outer condition to be correct. Therefore, the declare of having complete Islam without one’s outer condition being proper is bogus.

To guide us properly, Allah Almighty, send holy prophet, human being who resided a perfect life, and we are encouraged to follow Quran, and the Sunnah of the holy Prophet. The following Quranic verses emphasis the following of Quran and Sunnah.
“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)

Following the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.W:

The religion of Islam is a natural religion. Any person who has a natural disposition will be inclined to the laws of Islam. It is only in Islam that a person’s benefits lies. Keeping a beard and cutting the moustache is also from amongst these laws. It has also been the practice of the other Ambiya (A.S). Mention has been made in the Qur’aan about Haroon (Alaihis-Salaam’s) hair and beard that it was so long that Moosa (Alaihis­Salaam) could hold it. (20:94)

In a Hadith ten things have been mentioned as being from “fitrat” (nature). Ulema have interpreted “fitrat” to mean the way of the Ambiya (Alaihis­Salaam). Among these ten things, lengthening the beard and cutting the moustache has also been mentioned.

Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dahlawi (RA) has mentioned the following benefits of keeping a beard:

The beard helps in differentiating seniors from juniors. It is a means of honour and beauty for a person. A person’s man-hood is completed by keeping a beard. It is the Sunnah of all the Ambiyaa (Alaihis-Salaam).

Shaving the beard is the practice of the fire Worshippers, Hindus and most non-Muslims. Similarly, due to the fact that generally common people as well as people of low status shave their beards, a person who does not keep a beard will be included among them. [Maariful Hadith Vol.3 page 62 from ‘Beard and the Sunnats of Ambiyaa, pg 129]

In shaving the beard one of the harms is that a person will be imitating the non-Muslims, and it has been narrated in a Hadith. ‘The person who imitates a nation is from amongst them.’ [Abu Dawood Pg 559]

MASAAIL

It is stated in Fatawa Darul Deoband (Fatawa No. 967) that a Muslim who shaves his beard or trims it less than a fist length is a Faasiq (Transgressor). To read Salaat behind such a person is Makrooh.[Karachi Print Vol 3 pg 240]

The above text indicates that to shave the beard and trim it less than a fist length is not permissible. The Ulema of all four Schools of Fiqh (Hanafi-Maliki-Shafi-Hambali) have consensus on this Masala (ruling).

At another place it is stated: “The person whose beard is shaven is a Faasiq, and just as his Imaamat for Fardh Namaaz is Makrooh-Tahrimi so is his Imaamat for the Taraweeh Salaat.” [Fatawa No. 935 Vol 3, pg 226]

Mufti Rasheed Ahmed Ludhyanwi writes in Ahsaanul Fatawa. “A person who trims or shaves his beard and adopts a western hairstyle is a Faasiq. Thus his Azaan and Iqaamat is Makrooh-Tahrimi. It is Mustahab (desirable) to repeat the Azaan, not the Iqaamat.” [Vol 2 pg 286]

It is stated in Durre Mukhtar: To trim the beard less than a fist length (as some people of the west and some men who imitate women do) has not been regarded as permissible by any Scholar. To shave the entire beard is an act of the Jews of India and the non-Arabs and the fire worshippers. [Durre Mukhtaar with Shaami Vol.2 pg.123 Rasheedia Print]

The above text indicates that to shave the beard and trim it less than a fist length is not permissible. The Ulema of all four Schools of Fiqh (Hanafi-Maliki-Shafi-Hambali) have consensus on this Masala (ruling).

[Refer to Al-Minhal-ul-Gharbul Morud – commentary of Abu Dawood Vol.1 pg.186, Ibn Hazam Zaahiri regards keeping of the beard as Fardh (Almahali Vol 2 pg 220]

The verdict of the four Imaams of fiqh has been quoted in Moulana Mohammed Zakariya (RA)’s book entitled “Dhari ka Wujoob” and Mufti Saeed Ahmed Palanpuri’s book entitled “Dhari our Ambiyaa ki Sunnat” as well as Mufti Mohammed Shafi (RA)’s book entitled “Jawahir-ul-fiqh.” The above books can be referred to.