Continuing the discussion on the issue of shaving the beard.

The Shaykh : It is also established that he commanded, in absolute terms, to let the beard grow. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . The scholars differed regarding the beard: whether it should be left to grow naturally and in its own state, or whether it is permissible to trim some of it?
What we know from the statements of the scholars is that many of them—if not the majority—hold that it is permissible to trim what is below the fist’s grasp. Others among the people of hadith adhere to the generality of his (peace be upon him) statement in the aforementioned hadith: . The command to let it grow here is absolute. As for me personally, I hold a view contrary to this opinion. I am with the many scholars who held that it is permissible to trim what of the beard extends beyond the fist’s grasp. My evidence for this is...

The questioner : Where did the fist’s grasp come from?

The Shaykh : My evidence for this is, as they say in our region, "one does not advise a person who is eager." My evidence for this is that Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the narrators of the aforementioned hadith commanding the growing of the beard. Yet it is established from him in more than one narration that he used to trim what was below the fist’s grasp, whether during Hajj or otherwise. It is also established in "Tafsir Ibn Jarir al-Tabari" from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Abbas, and others of the Salaf that they used to trim what was below the fist’s grasp. This is our basis. We must draw attention to a comprehensive jurisprudential principle, which states: "The narrator is more aware of his narration than others." "The narrator is more aware of his narration than others." This means that if the narrator of the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a Companion, one who heard the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) or saw him, there is no doubt that this narrator is more aware of the hadith than those who came after him, those who did not hear his (peace and blessings be upon him) words directly, or did not see his actions. Hence the aforementioned principle: "The narrator is more aware of his narration than others." This is the proof of "The witness sees what the absent one does not see." "The witness sees what the absent one does not see."