Is it authentic from any of the scholars that he said that shaving the mustache is a religious innovation?

The questioner : Noble Shaykh, is it authentic from any of the scholars that he said that shaving the mustache is a religious innovation?

The Shaykh : Yes, that is the statement of the Imam of the City of Migration, the Imam Malik ibn Anas (may Allah have mercy on him). In fact, I recall from him that he said: "Shaving the mustache is mutilation". The truth is that shaving the mustache, meaning its complete removal with a razor or a fine electric shaver, is contrary to the Sunnah.
Here is a point that I must explain, even though the time has run a bit late. But whoever loves to listen to knowledge, let him be patient with me:
The Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is divided, as you know, into speech, action, and approval. His words (peace and blessings be upon him) often carry multiple meanings. In such a case, the student of knowledge must follow the practical Sunnah to determine the intended meaning of the verbal Sunnah, which may carry more than one meaning. It was reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding trimming the mustache some phrases that can be interpreted in several ways, and that is what happened. For example, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: In another wording: In a third wording: All these phrases indicate exaggeration in taking from the mustache or of the mustache. So, is the intended meaning of these phrases the entire mustache or part of it?
Here the scholars disagreed, and here the practical, applied Sunnah intervenes to prefer one opinion over another, to rule out the possible interpretations of one of those phrases, and to determine one of those meanings.
You heard his saying (peace be upon him): This means the complete removal of the entire mustache, because he used the general term and said: He did not say in this phrase or others: part of the mustache. Therefore, there have been scholars, both ancient and modern, who hold the view of shaving the mustache completely and letting the beard grow. But if we look at two things, one from his saying (peace be upon him) and the other from his action, which is more important:
As for his saying, he also clarified that trimming or taking by any of the types mentioned in those three phrases does not mean taking the mustache entirely, but rather what extends over the lip. The intention is taking from the edge. His saying in the first phrase: does not mean complete removal, but rather taking from the edge, as in the Noble Qur'an: So the edge of a thing is its end. This meaning is confirmed and preferred by one of two things I mentioned earlier. One is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): So this is a text that the taking is not of the entire mustache, but rather taking of part of it.