Shaving the Beard: A Modern Effeminacy

[Abu Hurairah]

Shaving the Beard: A Modern Effeminacy
Shaykh Abu `Abdillah Muhammad al-Jibaly

Definition

The beard (Arabic: liyah) is defined as the hair which grows on the cheeks and the jaws (ex., review: al-Q m s al-Muh t by al-Fayrazabad ). It includes the hair of the temples, the growth underneath the lower lip, the hair of the chin, and the hair that grows on the lower side of the jaws.

The Islaamic Ruling Concerning Beards

Growing the beard is a wajib (mandatory) for all males who are capable of doing so. This has ample evidence in the Sunnah (as will be shown below) and is the unanimous opinion of the ulamaa of Islaam. One should not be misled by the neglect to this Sunnah by a few contemporary Shouyukh, and by their providing shaky fatwas to support their action. By doing that they make people follow them into the wrong way, when the Messenger (saw) said:

He who starts a good sunnah (way) will be rewarded for it, in addition to receiving rewards equal to the rewards of those who follow him into it. Whereas he who starts a bad sunnah will be burdened with it, in addition to receiving burdens equal to the burdens of those who follow him into it. [Muslim]

And he said:

Allaah does not pull the knowledge abruptly from the hearts of people, but he takes away the knowledge by taking [the lives of] the `ulamaa (true scholars). When no `ulamaa are left, people will take ignorant persons for leaders. Those will give them fatwa (religious verdicts) without knowledge. By doing this, they will stray and lead others astray as well. [Al-Bukhari]

A List of Violations

Shaving the beard results in a series of Islaamic violations, as is obvious from Allaah's Book and His Messenger's Sunnah. The following is a list (not necessarily comprehensive) of such violations:

a. A Disobedience to Allaah (ta'la)

Shaving the beard is a disobedience to Allaah (ta'la). The ruler of Yemen, appointed by the Persian emperor Kisraa, sent two envoys to the Messenger (saw) to summon him. When they came into his presence, he noticed that they had shaved their beards and grew their moustaches. He hated to look at them (because of their odd appearance) and he said: Woe be to you, who told you to do so? They replied: "Our lord! (referring to Kisraa.)" The Messenger (saw) then said:

But my Lord, may He be exalted and glorified, has commanded me to leave alone my beard and to trim my moustache. [Recorded by Ibn Jar r a-abar , and judged to be Hasan (good) by al-Albani.]

b. A Disobedience To the Messenger (saw)

Shaving the beard is a disobedience to the Messenger (saw). In many hadiths, the Messenger (saw) commanded men to leave alone their beards. These different hadiths have a similar meaning:

Trim the moustache and save the beard. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Obeying the Messenger (saw) in that is equivalent to obeying Allaah (ta'la) who said (what means):

He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allaah. [An-Nisaa 4:80]
c. A Deviation from the Appearance and Guidance of the Messenger (saw)

Shaving the beard is a deviation from the appearance and guidance of the Messenger (saw). The Messenger (saw) used to have a large beard [Muslim]. One should strive to imitate him (saw) in his practices, as Allaah (ta'la) said (what means):

In the Messenger of Allaah is a good example for you to follow. [Al-Ahzab 33:21]

And the Messenger (saw) said: Verily, the best guidance is Muhammad's guidance. [Muslim]

d. A Deviation from the Way of Believers

Shaving the beard is a deviation from the way of believers. All the Prophets (as), the Sahabah (Prophet's companions), the great `Ulamaa, and the righteous early Muslims of this Ummah (Nation) grew their beards. There is no report of a single one of them ever shaving his beard. Thus, this is their way, and Allaah (ta'la) says (in the meaning):

Whoever disobeys the Messenger after guidance has been clarified to him, and follows other than the path of the believers, We shall give to him what he deserves and broil him in hell, which is the worst abode. [An-Nisaa 4:115]

e. An Imitation of the Disbelievers

Shaving the beard is an imitation of the disbelievers. This has been emphasized in several hadith of the Prophet (saw). For example:

Cut the moustaches and grow your beards. Be different from the Magians (followers of a religion that dominated in Persia). [Muslim]

Cut your moustaches and leave your beards alone. Be different from the people of the scripture. [Muslim]

Be different from the Mushrikin (those who worship other than Allaah (ta'la); trim your moustaches and save your beards. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

We have been commanded to be different and distinct from the disbelievers, as in Surat ul-Fatihah. Also, Allaah (ta'la) said (what means):

Follow not the whims of those who have no knowledge (of Islaam). [Al-Jathiyah 45:18]

And His Messenger (saw) said: Whoever imitates a people is but one of them. [Recorded by Abu Dawud, and judged to be authentic by al-Albani]

f. Changing Allaah's Creation without Permission

The Messenger (saw) declared that the women who change what Allaah (ta'la) has created (such as plucking the hair from their eyebrow or filing their teeth or tattooing their bodies) seeking by that to improve their appearance, are accursed by Allaah (ta'la). [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The hadith mentioned women in particular because they normally seek to beautify themselves more than men. But the warning surely applies to both sexes, because the condition for the curse is declared, and thus the curse applies to anyone who satisfies such condition.

Shaving the beard falls under this warning, as it is much worse than the Nam (removal of hair ie. plucking) practiced by some women. It involves obeying Satan who said:

And I shall tempt them until they change what Allaah has created. [An-Nisaa 4:119]
g. An Imitation of Women

The beard is a major distinction between men and women. Shaving it removes this distinction, and is thus a means of imitating women. The Messenger (saw) said:

Allaah curses those men who imitate the women, and He curses those women who imitate the men. [Al-Bukhari]

h. Shaving the Beard Contradicts the Pure Fitrah (Nature)

Allaah's Messenger (saw) mentioned ten qualities as indicative of a good, clean nature [Muslim]. Two of these qualities are to trim the moustaches and to grow the beard.

The Messenger (saw) also tells that every child is born with a clean, pure fitrah, which later may get deformed by the influence of the environment and the up-bringing. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In the footsteps of the disbelievers, many Muslims' fitrah is now, unfortunately, so much deformed that they seem to find a clean-shaven man more handsome and masculine than one with a beard - exactly the opposite of what the Messenger (saw) declared in the above hadith.

This fitrah never changes with time: Allaah (ta'la) said (what means):

The pure nature according to which Allaah has created people. There is no change in Allaah's creation. [Ar-Room 30:30]

For shaving their beards, some men give the strange excuse that their wives prefer them without one! As if their purpose in this life is to follow the unjust inclinations of their wives instead of the clear-cut commands of Allaah (ta'la) and His Messenger (saw)!

Others claim that growing their beards results in an irritability and scratching. This cannot result from abiding by the pure fitrah, but would result (if true) from neglect of the proper cleaning and washing with wudu as instructed in the Sunnah.

What the `Ulamaa and Imams Say

All the `ulamaa of as-Salaaf us-Saalih, including the Four Imams, agreed that shaving the beard is haraam (prohibited). They considered shaving it an impermissible mutilation, as has been reported about Umar bin Abdil-Aziz. They used to consider the person who shaved his beard effeminate. Many of them would not accept his witness or allow him to lead the prayers.

May Allaah (ta'la) guide us to abide by His Deen, and to adhere to His Messenger's Sunnah, and to be among those whom he blessed in both lives.

[Kasim2k7]

Its all about shaving? What about trimming?

[MNK]

what about shaving your head e.g when you go for hajj etc.. isn't that also considered to be mutilating yourself i.e. changing what Allah has created?

[Abu Hurairah]

Its all about shaving? What about trimming?
One needs to be ensured is that ones beard is neat and presentable and not untidy thereby trimming that which is more than a fists length to keep it in shape and manageable is permitted.

Please remember the key here is 'more than a fists length', the evidence can be found amongst the practice and statements of the scholars of the past:

Taking hold of the Beard and removing what is more than a handful due to presentation and not desire


Author: Ibn Abee Shaybah
Source: Al-Musannaf (trans. by Dawud Burbank)

Ibn Abee Shaybah narrates in his mussannaf, (5/225-226):
Ghundar narrated to us, from Shu'bah, from Mansoor who said, "I heard Ataa ibn Abee Rabaah (the taabi'ee) saying, 'They used to like to leave the beard except in Hajj or Umrah (where he would trim excess), and Ibraaheem used to take from the sides of his beard.'"

And he narrates, 'Aa'idh ibn Habeeb narrated to us, from Ash'ath, from al-Hasan (i.e., al-Basree) who said, "They used to allow for what was in excess of what is gripped by the hand of the beard, that it be taken from."

And he narrates, Aboo Aamir al-Aqdee narrated to us, from Aflah who said, al-Qaasim (the taabi'ee) when he trimmed his head would take from his (excess) beard and moustache."

And he narrates, Alee ibn Haashim and Wakee narrated to us, from Ibn Abee Laylaa, from Naafi, from Ibn Umar, "That he used to take what was above a hands grip." Wakee said, "What was in excess of a hands-grip."

And he narrates, Wakee narrated to us, from Aboo Hilaal who said, "I asked al-Hasan (i.e., al-Basree) and Ibn Seereen who both said, "There is no harm for you to take from the (extra) length of your beard."

And he narrates, Wakee narrated to us, from Sufyaan, from Mansoor, from Ibraaheem (an-Nakha'ee) who said, "They used to take something from and tidy their beards and take from the sides."

Allahu Alam.

[Abu Hurairah]

what about shaving your head e.g when you go for hajj etc.. isn't that also considered to be mutilating yourself i.e. changing what Allah has created?
It is from the Sunnah of our Rasul (saw) and is clear from Seerah that Muslim males shave their heads and remove certain bodily hair when undertaking Hajj (but leave the beard unshaven).

If this the shaving of the head was from the changing of creation and against our deen then our Rasul (saw) would have known of this and so in turn would we.

[Abu Hurairah]

Two nice narrations regarding the beard (http://iskandrani.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/two-nice-narrations-regarding-the-beard/)
by Abu Sabaayaa

Ibn Hajar reported that az-Zubayr said:
“Qays bin Sa’d did not have any hair that grew on his face, and the Ansar used to say: “We wish that we could use our money to purchase a beard for Qays bin Sa’d!”"
[‘al-Isabah fi Ma’rifat as-Sahabah’; 5/360]

In the biography of Dia’ bin Sa’d bin Muhammad bin ‘Uthman al-Qazwini al-’Afifi, it is narrated that:
“…his beard was so long that it reached his feet, and he would not sleep except that it was wrapped in a bag, and it would divide into two parts whenever he rode a horse.”
[as-Suyuti’s ‘Baghyat al-Wu’ah’ (2/14) and ‘Durrat al-Hijal fi Asma’ ar-Rijal’ (3/37)]

Source: http://iskandrani.wordpress.com/

[MNK]

Shaving the Beard: A Modern Effeminacy

Whoever disobeys the Messenger after guidance has been clarified to him, and follows other than the path of the believers, We shall give to him what he deserves and broil him in hell, which is the worst abode. [An-Nisaa 4:115]

e. An Imitation of the Disbelievers



is not the above surah meant for people who disbelieve in Allah and his Messenger (SAW) , after revelation of the message, rather than Muslims who don't follow Islam perfectly? (i.e who don't grow their beard, wear trousers above ankles etc etc yet still say salat and generally follow the 5 pillars...)

If we could all follow Allah and His Messenger perfectly then we wouldn't have this topic being discussed on the forum? :rubeyes:

[Abu Hurairah]

is not the above surah meant for people who disbelieve in Allah and his Messenger (SAW) , after revelation of the message,
Read what the ayah states again:

Whoever disobeys the Messenger after guidance has been clarified to him, and follows other than the path of the believers, We shall give to him what he deserves and broil him in hell, which is the worst abode. [An-Nisaa 4:115]

From what I have understood this particular verse is primarily towards the believers for Allah states: Whoever disobeys the Messenger after guidance has been clarified to him hence a Muslim for guidance it has been clarified to him already (where as the kuffar have not been guided) yet thereafter he, the one who believes continues in disobedience despite having taken the shahadah and given lip service to obeying Allah (swt) and his Rasul (saw).

rather than Muslims who don't follow Islam perfectly? (i.e who don't grow their beard, wear trousers above ankles etc etc yet still say salat and generally follow the 5 pillars...)
Did not Allah (swt) commands us in the Qur'an:

[O you who believe, enter into Islaam wholeheartedly and follow not the footsteps of the evil one [Satan], for he is to you an avowed enemy.] (Al-Baqarah 2:208)

Thereby what is required for every single Muslim is that he is serious and accepts this deen fully- no half heartedness, no reservations, no half time/ part time/ seasonal observance of Islam but that we accept each and every aspect always insha'allah. It was Shaytan that was half hearted questioning Allah (swt) when he was commanded to do sujood to Adam (as)- and all those who do likewise always looking for alternatives and pardoning may be led astray.

I do not understand the concept of 'Muslims who dont follow Islam perfectly ie. brothers without beards, etc' for this is unacceptable by every standard. Its like the sinful brother who openly drinks alcohol and gets called a 'Muslim alcoholic' (a contradiction in terms) with the excuse "What can I do Habibi? I say La Illaha Illallah and eat halaal cheese burgers but I am weak- not perfect like you brothers masha'allah" if as if thats somehow legitimate and acceptable say even if he does salaat and performs the remainder obligations.
In the same way if this concept was applied to any other setting say a Policeman who doesn't uphold the the law of the land perfectly ie. he is occasionally racist, breeches and violates his powers, doesn't arrest criminals, etc. it would not only be unacceptable either.

Some like to have an option and be able to have the 'freedom' to pick and choose everything not to their own liking and bring such notions to Islam wanting to take this commandment and leave another- they like the concept of marrying upto four wives as a Muslim brother/husband (if you can be just to your wives then masha'allah do practice this Sunnah by all means insha'allah) yet when it comes to those elements in Islam that are not to their own personal taste such as keeping a beard, giving sadaqah, jihaad, etc. they come up with excuses of 'I am not a perfect Muslim like you people'.

We must strive for perfection always and offer in our practice and presentation us all clinging to the Prophets path and only that will be accepted of us, Allah (swt) sees our condition and can see through our pretend excuses. Allah (swt) is deserving of worship and obedience that is to our utmost ability as we find in a hadith from the collection of Imam Nawawi (rahimullah):

Abu Hurairah (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (saw) said:
“Verily Allah the Exalted is pure. He does not accept but that which is pure......"[Muslim]


If truly we take the shahadah and believe that Allah (swt) and his Rasul (saw) must be followed as Muslims then this must manifest itself in our ada'ab and amaal. This is displayed in all matters be it the major factors such as the five pillars we affirm, the personal and the private, inwardly and externally.
And what is being required of us brothers- is it really too much? Put every single command and obligation in perspective and ask yourself is what is being ordered unjust? Has not Allah (swt) and his Nabi (saw) the right to call you to do such matters or anything else?

In this instance is growing facial hair in a presentable manner such a matter that is just too burdensome and difficult that we must hide behind excuses and look for means to disobey Allah (swt) and his Rasul (saw)?

Do we brothers not have enough enough muhabah for our Rasul (saw) to follow him in his statements to keep a beard knowing he and the Sahabah (ra) kept beards also?
If we could all follow Allah and His Messenger perfectly then we wouldn't have this topic being discussed on the forum? :rubeyes:
Make no mistake no Muslim is perfect, the only personification of perfection that was can be found in the example of our Rasul (saw). Reaching the state of perfection is a lifetimes work of implementing and spreading the Sunnah until death reaches us and even then one cannot be said to have reached that level.

If we could all so easily and readily follow the commands of Allah (swt) and his Rasul (saw) then where would be the test?
Would we truly be deserving of jannah if there was no struggle and sacrifice in our own lives let alone of others be it in brothers keeping a beard/ sisters wearing hijaab and niqaab, etc doing hijraah, waging jihaad, etc?

None are mocking those who do not keep beards for that would be unacceptable, equally unacceptable is the case of those shave making excuses they are not 'perfect Muslims' either pleading ignorance or belittling this Sunnah for their disobedience when in fact they are are fully able to keep a beard.

Of course it is true that not all our cases are the same- some brothers despite wanting to keep a beard due to health or genealogy, etc. a beard does not grow and for others they may be oppressed and so forth thereby they have legitimate reasons for being without a beard and Allah (swt) knows our conditions better then our own selves.

This thread is simply to cite evidences for our brothers to keep beards and avoid shaving, to be a reminder even if we already know this or are observant of the Sunnah- for reminders serve to benefit the believers.

Allahu Alam.