What is the response to those who permit trimming the beard, citing the report of Ibn 'Umar and the Arabic language, which indicates that the beard is what grows on the cheeks?
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The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : Shaykh, how do we respond to those who permit trimming the beard, who have cited two pieces of evidence? The first piece of evidence is linguistic: that the beard is what grows on the cheeks. The second piece of evidence is the action of Ibn 'Umar, who used to take from his fistful?
The Shaykh : Do you mean beautifying the beard?
The questioner : Trimming the beard.
The Shaykh : Trimming the beard, and they cited that the beard is what grows on the cheeks. What is the merit of this evidence? The hadith of Ibn 'Umar will come later. If the beard is what grows on the cheeks, on the sides of the face, where did the beautification come from?!
This has no relevance and contains no proof. As for citing the hadith of Ibn 'Umar, that has a basis, and we do not contradict it. But the first argument has no basis whatsoever. Ibn 'Umar used to take what was below the fistful. Do the people you are quoting from stop at what Ibn 'Umar did, or do they go beyond that?!
We understand beautification as making the beard of the one being beautified follow the common practice among us in Syria: "The best of beards is a sign that is present". A sign means like the shaving that some scholars advocate regarding the mustache, so that the skin is visible. So some people, in the name of beautifying the beard, take from it until the skin almost shows. This is not supported by the hadith of Ibn 'Umar at all. The hadith of Ibn 'Umar was that he would grasp [the beard] and cut what was below the grasp, meaning this excess. So whoever did the action of Ibn 'Umar, we do not blame him at all, especially since he was not the only one to do it; rather, that came from Abu Hurayrah and Mujahid and others of the Salaf, without us knowing of any one who contradicted them. This is my answer to what you asked. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Raise your voice.
The questioner : The hadith!
The Shaykh : You are not in turn here, my brother.
The questioner : It is the same issue, Shaykh. An important question.
The Shaykh : You do not have the question, may Allah reward you. I mean, when you judge a question to be important, is it necessary for it to be important for everyone? Everyone has an important question.
The questioner : I mean, we present you with the question but you do not answer it, because this question is related to the first one. So if you want to hear the question and answer it, praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : Okay, my brother, I am telling you: Welcome, but do you want to establish this practice?!
I mean, perhaps someone next to you says: I have an important question, listen to this question; if you wish, answer it, and if you wish, remain silent. Do you want to establish this practice?
The questioner : Perhaps I will ask the brothers for permission and they will grant it to me.
The Shaykh : Okay, go ahead and ask for permission.
The questioner : Shaykh, I did not give permission.
The Shaykh : Okay, what do we do!?
The questioner : Shaykh, I did not give permission.
The questioner : Shaykh, how do we respond to those who permit trimming the beard, who have cited two pieces of evidence? The first piece of evidence is linguistic: that the beard is what grows on the cheeks. The second piece of evidence is the action of Ibn 'Umar, who used to take from his fistful?
The Shaykh : Do you mean beautifying the beard?
The questioner : Trimming the beard.
The Shaykh : Trimming the beard, and they cited that the beard is what grows on the cheeks. What is the merit of this evidence? The hadith of Ibn 'Umar will come later. If the beard is what grows on the cheeks, on the sides of the face, where did the beautification come from?!
This has no relevance and contains no proof. As for citing the hadith of Ibn 'Umar, that has a basis, and we do not contradict it. But the first argument has no basis whatsoever. Ibn 'Umar used to take what was below the fistful. Do the people you are quoting from stop at what Ibn 'Umar did, or do they go beyond that?!
We understand beautification as making the beard of the one being beautified follow the common practice among us in Syria: "The best of beards is a sign that is present". A sign means like the shaving that some scholars advocate regarding the mustache, so that the skin is visible. So some people, in the name of beautifying the beard, take from it until the skin almost shows. This is not supported by the hadith of Ibn 'Umar at all. The hadith of Ibn 'Umar was that he would grasp [the beard] and cut what was below the grasp, meaning this excess. So whoever did the action of Ibn 'Umar, we do not blame him at all, especially since he was not the only one to do it; rather, that came from Abu Hurayrah and Mujahid and others of the Salaf, without us knowing of any one who contradicted them. This is my answer to what you asked. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Raise your voice.
The questioner : The hadith!
The Shaykh : You are not in turn here, my brother.
The questioner : It is the same issue, Shaykh. An important question.
The Shaykh : You do not have the question, may Allah reward you. I mean, when you judge a question to be important, is it necessary for it to be important for everyone? Everyone has an important question.
The questioner : I mean, we present you with the question but you do not answer it, because this question is related to the first one. So if you want to hear the question and answer it, praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : Okay, my brother, I am telling you: Welcome, but do you want to establish this practice?!
I mean, perhaps someone next to you says: I have an important question, listen to this question; if you wish, answer it, and if you wish, remain silent. Do you want to establish this practice?
The questioner : Perhaps I will ask the brothers for permission and they will grant it to me.
The Shaykh : Okay, go ahead and ask for permission.
The questioner : Shaykh, I did not give permission.
The Shaykh : Okay, what do we do!?
The questioner : Shaykh, I did not give permission.