The ruling on the prayer of one who leads the people while having shaved his beard

The Shaykh : If he abandons the prayer while believing in it, he is not a disbeliever. But if he denies it, he has committed disbelief, and to Hell is the destination, and what an evil destination it is. Is the answer clear? Welcome, and may Allah’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.

The questioner : I am a young man who prays in congregation at the mosque. In the tarawih prayer in Ramadan, the imam goes back and puts me forward because I am good at recitation and have a good voice. What is the ruling on my prayer while I have shaved my beard? What is the ruling on my prayer and the prayer of those behind me?

The Shaykh : First, why have you shaved your beard when Allah created you as a man?

The questioner : By Allah, it is just trimming, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : No, this is trimming, and especially since our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, as you testify to yourself, has granted you a good voice and good recitation. And the people are not led in prayer except by the one among them who is most proficient in recitation. So, in order to be mindful of your Lord, first, it is not permissible for you to harm your beard. Second, so that those you lead are reassured in following you, because there are many authentic hadiths that the man who leads the people while they dislike him, his deeds are not raised to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, or as He said (peace and blessings be upon him). I am fulfilling my duty to remind you of the necessity of letting your beard grow. Do not be deceived by this world, nor by bad companions, nor by a bad environment, or the like.
Perhaps you have heard one day his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): and differ from the Jews and the Christians. So when you are a believer in your heart, you must be a Muslim in appearance. And among the signs of the Muslim is that he follows his Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in everything he commanded him to do. And among that is this command in the hadith: Then this makes your youth more complete and your manhood more perfect, because in this state you are imitating the girls, the young women, and the women. And this is not befitting for a Muslim, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the men who imitate women and the women who imitate men. This is advice, and I hope it will be acceptable to you, if Allah wills. As for your prayer, despite the sin you have attached to your face, it is valid. Likewise, the prayer of those following you behind you is valid. But you must follow that advice.

The questioner : Well, Shaykh, if Allah wills, I will let my beard grow, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : I hope for that for you.