The Meaning of “And I will command them to cut off the ears of livestock, and I will command them to change the creation of Allah,” and whether shaving the beard and eyebrows is included in changing the creation
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The questioner:
His third question says, in text: What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted, narrating the words of Iblis:[An-Nisa 4:119] He asks: How is it that the creation of Allah is changed? And how is it that the ears of livestock are cut off?
The Shaykh:
Cutting off the ears of livestock means severing the ear or slitting it to honor the idols; this is the *bahir*. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:103] These are types of livestock by which they honor their idols, and among that is that they slit their ears as a sign that they belong to the idols. This is part of cutting off the ears of livestock. Changing the creation of Allah includes plucking the eyebrows, shaving them, or trimming them; this is part of changing the creation of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Yes.
The questioner:
And among that is shaving the beards.
The Shaykh:
Shaving the beards is a distinct prohibition, a distinct prohibition, and it is not far-fetched that it falls under the meaning of the verse. However, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) explicitly stated the prohibition of shaving the beards and forbade it, and commanded providing the beards, letting them hang down, leaving them long, growing them, and honoring them, and not imitating the disbelievers in shaving them, plucking them, or otherwise. Yes.
His third question says, in text: What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted, narrating the words of Iblis:
And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah
وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ آذَانَ الْأَنْعَامِ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللَّهِThe Shaykh:
Cutting off the ears of livestock means severing the ear or slitting it to honor the idols; this is the *bahir*. Allah the Exalted said:
Allah has not appointed [such innovations as] bahirah or sa'ibah or wasilah
مَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ مِن بَحِيرَةٍ وَلَا سَائِبَةٍ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍThe questioner:
And among that is shaving the beards.
The Shaykh:
Shaving the beards is a distinct prohibition, a distinct prohibition, and it is not far-fetched that it falls under the meaning of the verse. However, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) explicitly stated the prohibition of shaving the beards and forbade it, and commanded providing the beards, letting them hang down, leaving them long, growing them, and honoring them, and not imitating the disbelievers in shaving them, plucking them, or otherwise. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 5536- معنى﴿ولآمرنهم فليبتكن آذان الأنعام ولآمرنهم فليغيرن خلق الله﴾وهل حلق اللحية والحاجب من التغيير — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.