Trimming the Beard
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Q3: Among some circles of committed young men, the issue of trimming the beard, cutting the excess, and shaping it here and there has become prevalent. You see the young man, from time to time, reducing it from its ends. Perhaps they are on religious paths and are thus a model for the common people to follow. Perhaps they argue based on weak narrations or what is attributed to Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and the issue of the handful.
Vol. 3 : The authentic, established hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) indicate the obligation to grow the beard and let it hang down as it was, and that it is forbidden to subject it to shaving, shortening, trimming, or grooming. Among these is what al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated in their Sahihs from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And in a narration by al-Bukhari : . And Muslim narrated in his Sahih from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sahih Muslim 260 And other authentic hadiths, and what is mentioned regarding sufficiency, if Allah wills. The great scholar Abu Muhammad ibn Hazm transmitted his statement: (The scholars agreed that cutting the moustache and growing the beard is obligatory)
The aforementioned hadiths indicate the obligation to grow the beards, let them hang down, and maintain them, just as they indicate the prohibition of shaving, shortening, or grooming them; because the default ruling for commands is obligation and the default ruling for prohibitions is prohibition, and it is not permissible to divert them from their default and apparent meaning except with valid evidence and proof that is sound to rely upon, and there is no proof or evidence that diverts them from that. Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim to obey the command of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and follow his example, for he (peace and blessings be upon him) had a thick beard, as is authentic from him, and it is not reported from any of his Companions, who are the best of generations, that he shortened his beard, except for what was done by 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar , for it is reported from him that he used to take from his beard during Hajj what exceeded a handful. So his action is not to be cited as a proof given the establishment of the authentic hadiths. And 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The proof lies in the narrator's narration, not in his action and independent legal reasoning. The scholars have stated that the narration of the narrator from the Companions and those after them, established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), is the proof, and it takes precedence over his opinion if it contradicts the Sunnah; for he is cited as a proof for the Sunnah by his narration, but not for the Sunnah by his action. As for what al-Tirmidhi narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) Mishkat al-Masabih 30:164, this hadith is weak in its chain, indeed invalid and denounced, and it is not authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And because in its chain is 'Umar ibn
Harun al-Balkhi, who is abandoned in hadith and among those accused of lying, so it is not to be cited as a proof. Accordingly, the actions of these young men are of no account, and it is obligatory for them and for every Muslim to obey the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and beware of contradicting his command or imitating the enemies of Allah and His Messenger, and to distance themselves from resembling women, and that a person should be a good example in his words and actions. It is obligatory to advise those who contradict this, and to encourage and urge them to obey Allah and His Messenger and to follow their commands and avoid their prohibitions in everything.
Vol. 3 : The authentic, established hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) indicate the obligation to grow the beard and let it hang down as it was, and that it is forbidden to subject it to shaving, shortening, trimming, or grooming. Among these is what al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated in their Sahihs from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Cut short the moustaches and let the beards grow, and differ from the polytheists.
قصوا الشوارب وأعفوا اللحى خالفوا المشركينCut your mustaches and let your beards grow, and be unlike the polytheists
قصوا الشوارب ووفروا اللحى خالفوا المشركينTrim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers.
جزوا الشوارب وأرخوا اللحى خالفوا المجوسThe aforementioned hadiths indicate the obligation to grow the beards, let them hang down, and maintain them, just as they indicate the prohibition of shaving, shortening, or grooming them; because the default ruling for commands is obligation and the default ruling for prohibitions is prohibition, and it is not permissible to divert them from their default and apparent meaning except with valid evidence and proof that is sound to rely upon, and there is no proof or evidence that diverts them from that. Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim to obey the command of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and follow his example, for he (peace and blessings be upon him) had a thick beard, as is authentic from him, and it is not reported from any of his Companions, who are the best of generations, that he shortened his beard, except for what was done by 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar , for it is reported from him that he used to take from his beard during Hajj what exceeded a handful. So his action is not to be cited as a proof given the establishment of the authentic hadiths. And 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Cut short the moustaches and let the beards grow, and differ from the polytheists.
قصوا الشوارب وأعفوا اللحى خالفوا المشركينUsama b. Zaid told that the Prophet used to take al-Hasan and him and say, "0 God, I beseech Thee to love them, for I love them." In a version he told that God's messenger used to take him and put him on his knee, then put al-Hasan on the other knee, and after embracing them say, "0 God, I beseech Thee to have compassion on them, for I have compassion on them." Bukhari transmitted it.
عن النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : أنه كان يأخذ من لحيته من طولها وعرضهاHarun al-Balkhi, who is abandoned in hadith and among those accused of lying, so it is not to be cited as a proof. Accordingly, the actions of these young men are of no account, and it is obligatory for them and for every Muslim to obey the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and beware of contradicting his command or imitating the enemies of Allah and His Messenger, and to distance themselves from resembling women, and that a person should be a good example in his words and actions. It is obligatory to advise those who contradict this, and to encourage and urge them to obey Allah and His Messenger and to follow their commands and avoid their prohibitions in everything.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.