Did scholarly consensus establish the prohibition of shaving the beard and listening to songs?

The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh: Did scholarly consensus establish the prohibition of shaving beards and listening to songs?

The Shaykh : Huh?

The questioner : Did scholarly consensus establish the prohibition of shaving beards and listening to songs?

The Shaykh : No, no, there was no scholarly consensus, neither on shaving beards nor on listening to songs. But does every ruling that binds us have to be one on which there is consensus?

The questioner : No.

The Shaykh : No. If there is disagreement, our reference is only two things: the Book and the Sunnah, as Allah the Exalted said: As for those who follow their own desires, when a matter involves disagreement, they say, "There is disagreement in this matter." Even regarding riba (usury or interest) today, they deem it permissible, saying, "There is no harm in it because there is disagreement." Do you understand? Regarding songs and musical instruments, if one says it is forbidden, they say, "There is disagreement on this." Regarding shaving the beard, they say, "There is disagreement on this." This is not correct, and this excuse will not benefit a person on the Day of Resurrection before Allah, because Allah specified what a person will be questioned about: If we were to permit every matter in which there is disagreement according to our desires, we would slip out of the religion.