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

The questioner: His EminenceThe 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 in 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: "It is mutilation"; "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 his patience be with me.
The Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is divided, as you know, into speech, action, and approval. His speech (peace and blessings be upon him) often carries multiple meanings. In this 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 words that can be interpreted in several ways, and that is what happened. For example, he said (peace and blessings be upon him): , in another wording: , in a third wording: . All these words give us the emphasis on taking from the mustache or from the mustache. So, is the intended meaning of these words 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 meanings of one of those words, and to determine one of those meanings. You heard his saying (peace be upon him): , , . That means the complete removal of the mustache, because he used the general term and said: . He did not say in this wording 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 speech (peace be upon him) and the other from his action, which is more important. As for his speech, he also clarified that trimming or taking by any of the types mentioned in those three words does not mean taking the entire mustache, but rather what extends over the lip. The intended meaning is taking from the edge. So his saying in the first wording: does not mean complete removal, but rather taking from the edge; as in the Noble Qur'an: . The edge of a thing is its end. This meaning was confirmed and preferred by one of two things I mentioned earlier. One is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . He did not say: whoever does not take from his mustache, but rather he said: . So this is a text that the taking is not of the entire mustache, but rather taking of part of it. What is this part?
Its explanation is in his action (peace be upon him). Here is the crux of the matter, as they say. Imam Abu Dawud in his "Sunan" and Imam Ahmad in his "Musnad" narrated from al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah: "That a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his mustache was full; meaning: it had grown long and extended over the lip. So he ordered (peace and blessings be upon him) that a miswak and a clipper be brought to him. He placed the miswak under what had grown long of the mustache and then clipped it." This action determines the intended meaning of all those words that it is not the complete removal of the mustache, but rather the removal of what extended over the lip. This is what is intended by his saying: . So his action (peace and blessings be upon him) in this hadith removed all the meanings we mentioned earlier and specified that the intended meaning of taking is what extended beyond the lip, not what was above it. For this reason, it was reported from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he would keep his mustache and not take it from its root, but rather he would lengthen its hanging. It was reported in the "Muwatta" of Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) with a sound chain that among the character of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was that when he was angry, he would puff out and twist his mustache. This indicates that the mustache is not taken entirely, but rather what extends over the lips is taken.
And here is a medical point, after we have established that the Prophetic ruling is to preserve the mustache but remove what extends over the lip. In that, there are two medical benefits:
The first is that if a man is lax with his mustache and it grows over his lip, there is a type of dirtiness in that, especially if he eats, if there is grease or something like that. So removing what has grown over the lips contains cleanliness that is consistent with Islam, which is in its nature, in everything that has come to us of legislation, to maintain cleanliness.
And from another aspect, keeping the mustache on the lip has another medical benefit; and that is, as some doctors say, and this is apparent, and Allah knows best, it is a witnessed matter; that it acts as a filter for the germs that pass to the person, especially in his nostrils. He finds there like a net that catches these germs, preventing them from entering the nasal passage. That is a wisdom of the Lawgiver in keeping the mustache and removing what extends over the lip. That is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as he was and some of his Companions who knew his guidance.
And we ask Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to inspire us to follow our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with everything he brought to us from his Lord. And I see that some of the attendees have started to feel drowsiness teasing their eyelids; so I see that you should depart if you wish, whoever of you wishes, and whoever has energy likeThe Shaykh : the supposed one, I am sitting with him.