The Shaykh Al-Albani’s opinion on the obligation of trimming the beard
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 18094 )
Q: The Shaykh, the hadith scholar, the scholar Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (may Allah preserve him), said in one of his recorded tapes, transcribed by one of the students of knowledge, 'Ukashah 'Abd al-Mannan al-Tayyib, regarding the beard: “Whoever lets his beard grow longer than a fist is an innovator.” This is because he said, may Allah preserve him: “If there is a general text established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and we know by one means or another that a part of this general text was not practiced by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) or by our righteous predecessors, then acting upon this part
despite it being included in the general text is an innovation in the religion.” Then he said, may Allah preserve him, in another place: “... Letting the beard grow is a general text... But if one is found who leaves his beard and it reaches his navel, he acted upon the general text. But did the Salaf act upon it? The answer, for one who knows, is: No. When one does not know, he remains with the general text, but the one who knows says that this specific part of the general text was not practiced by the righteous Salaf... So, in summary, we do not know of anyone from the Salaf, let alone their master and imam, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that he let his beard grow completely. This is first. Second, we know that many of them did the exact opposite, that they trimmed it. It is authentically reported from 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar ibn al-Khattab , but this is regarding the narration. The narration from Ibn 'Umar is a doubt; that is because there are two narrations: the first narration is the one mentioned in the context of Hajj or 'Umrah, while there is another narration from him generally, and some of the Tabi'un received this from him, among them Salim ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar , who used to trim from his beard. And there is a hadith from Abu Hurayrah and from a group of the Tabi'un, indeed and Ibrahim al-Nakha'i , who is from the younger Tabi'un, who narrates from the Companions that they used to trim from their beards. Therefore, the existence of trimming in the absence of complete letting grow makes letting grow what exceeds a fist among the innovations of matters...
And he said, may Allah preserve him, in another place: “... We stop at Ibn 'Umar ; because Ibn 'Umar is among the narrators of letting the beard grow, and among those who saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he explains the letting grow that he narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) by his own application of it, especially since we all know, if Allah wills, that Ibn 'Umar was among the most strict, if not the most eager and strict of the Companions, in following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even in details where he was opposed by other Companions. So it is impossible to imagine that he would see the Messenger ordering complete letting grow and then contradict him by doing what he forbade. This is impossible.” Your Excellency and all members of the Permanent Committee and the Council of Senior Scholars say that trimming the beard is forbidden and that it should not be plucked, so I ask your Eminence to clarify this issue in some detail. May Allah reward you with good.
A. It is obligatory for the Muslim to let his beard grow; in compliance with the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this matter. In (al-Bukhari and Muslim) and others, it is narrated from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 5893 This is the wording of al-Bukhari. And the wording of Muslim is: Sunan an-Nasa'i 15Sahih (Darussalam). And in (al-Bukhari and Muslim) also, from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 260. Letting grow, providing, and hanging down: means leaving the beard and not taking from it, even if it becomes long, and this is what the linguistic usage of these words indicates.
The principle referred to in the question is a false principle, and we do not know its basis, nor that any of the scholars who concern themselves with establishing principles and rules mentioned it. The proof of its falsity is that it does not hold in the majority of its branches by consensus. For example, one of its branches is that the one who gives charity must not exceed the amount that one of the Salaf spent, and no Muslim says this. The Islamic principle is the one that holds in the majority of its branches. It is thus clear that saying this principle is incorrect, and that it is obligatory for the Muslim not to take from his beard, even if it becomes long; in compliance with his command (peace and blessings be upon him) by its linguistic meaning. And what is transmitted from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) of his taking from his beard in length and width, although it is authentic from him (may Allah be pleased with him), it is not a proof here, because the proof is in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and we have known from his wording (peace and blessings be upon him) the obligation of letting the beard grow and not touching it with shaving or shortening. And the Muslims agreed that the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is not contradicted by the saying of any person or his action, and this is a noble principle that benefits its owner greatly. And Ibn 'Umar did not do this constantly, but only when he exited the state of ihram. As for arguing that it is not known that anyone from the Salaf let their beard grow completely - this is incorrect speech, and it contradicts his guidance (peace and blessings be upon him) in his action, for it has come in many authentic hadiths: that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):
, and in some of them: , and in some of them: . In this is the most eloquent refutation of this argument. Moreover, by examining the biographies of the righteous Salaf, it was found that some of them were described as letting their beards grow, including the long ones and those that exceed the navel. And this examination is not necessary except that the questioner mentioned what he mentioned; because, as mentioned before, the proof is in the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his action and what is understood from his saying. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: The Shaykh, the hadith scholar, the scholar Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (may Allah preserve him), said in one of his recorded tapes, transcribed by one of the students of knowledge, 'Ukashah 'Abd al-Mannan al-Tayyib, regarding the beard: “Whoever lets his beard grow longer than a fist is an innovator.” This is because he said, may Allah preserve him: “If there is a general text established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and we know by one means or another that a part of this general text was not practiced by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) or by our righteous predecessors, then acting upon this part
despite it being included in the general text is an innovation in the religion.” Then he said, may Allah preserve him, in another place: “... Letting the beard grow is a general text... But if one is found who leaves his beard and it reaches his navel, he acted upon the general text. But did the Salaf act upon it? The answer, for one who knows, is: No. When one does not know, he remains with the general text, but the one who knows says that this specific part of the general text was not practiced by the righteous Salaf... So, in summary, we do not know of anyone from the Salaf, let alone their master and imam, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that he let his beard grow completely. This is first. Second, we know that many of them did the exact opposite, that they trimmed it. It is authentically reported from 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar ibn al-Khattab , but this is regarding the narration. The narration from Ibn 'Umar is a doubt; that is because there are two narrations: the first narration is the one mentioned in the context of Hajj or 'Umrah, while there is another narration from him generally, and some of the Tabi'un received this from him, among them Salim ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar , who used to trim from his beard. And there is a hadith from Abu Hurayrah and from a group of the Tabi'un, indeed and Ibrahim al-Nakha'i , who is from the younger Tabi'un, who narrates from the Companions that they used to trim from their beards. Therefore, the existence of trimming in the absence of complete letting grow makes letting grow what exceeds a fist among the innovations of matters...
And he said, may Allah preserve him, in another place: “... We stop at Ibn 'Umar ; because Ibn 'Umar is among the narrators of letting the beard grow, and among those who saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he explains the letting grow that he narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) by his own application of it, especially since we all know, if Allah wills, that Ibn 'Umar was among the most strict, if not the most eager and strict of the Companions, in following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even in details where he was opposed by other Companions. So it is impossible to imagine that he would see the Messenger ordering complete letting grow and then contradict him by doing what he forbade. This is impossible.” Your Excellency and all members of the Permanent Committee and the Council of Senior Scholars say that trimming the beard is forbidden and that it should not be plucked, so I ask your Eminence to clarify this issue in some detail. May Allah reward you with good.
A. It is obligatory for the Muslim to let his beard grow; in compliance with the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this matter. In (al-Bukhari and Muslim) and others, it is narrated from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Cut the moustaches short and leave the beard (as it is).
أنهكوا الشوارب وأعفوا اللحىTrim the mustache and let the beard grow.
أحفوا الشوارب وأعفوا اللحىTrim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers.
جزوا الشوارب وأرخوا اللحى خالفوا المجوسThe principle referred to in the question is a false principle, and we do not know its basis, nor that any of the scholars who concern themselves with establishing principles and rules mentioned it. The proof of its falsity is that it does not hold in the majority of its branches by consensus. For example, one of its branches is that the one who gives charity must not exceed the amount that one of the Salaf spent, and no Muslim says this. The Islamic principle is the one that holds in the majority of its branches. It is thus clear that saying this principle is incorrect, and that it is obligatory for the Muslim not to take from his beard, even if it becomes long; in compliance with his command (peace and blessings be upon him) by its linguistic meaning. And what is transmitted from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) of his taking from his beard in length and width, although it is authentic from him (may Allah be pleased with him), it is not a proof here, because the proof is in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and we have known from his wording (peace and blessings be upon him) the obligation of letting the beard grow and not touching it with shaving or shortening. And the Muslims agreed that the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is not contradicted by the saying of any person or his action, and this is a noble principle that benefits its owner greatly. And Ibn 'Umar did not do this constantly, but only when he exited the state of ihram. As for arguing that it is not known that anyone from the Salaf let their beard grow completely - this is incorrect speech, and it contradicts his guidance (peace and blessings be upon him) in his action, for it has come in many authentic hadiths: that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):
his beard was thick
كان كث اللحيةthat his beard was large
أنه كان ضخم اللحيةthat his beard had filled his neck
أن لحيته قد ملأت نحره
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.