If a student of knowledge is in a village and the ruler of this state is a tyrant who orders the shaving of the beard, and this student of knowledge is attached to this village, he looks at
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. If a student of knowledge is in a village and the ruler of this state is a tyrant who orders the shaving of the beard, and this student of knowledge is attached to this village, he looks at the public benefit and the harm, and shaves his beard, because if they take him, the state will imprison him and torment him, and the people of the village will remain in ignorance. But when he looks at the public benefit and the harm, does he shave his beard for the sake of the people's benefit?
The Shaykh : What is the benefit?
The questioner : The benefit is that the people learn...
The Shaykh : It is never permissible. Forbidden means are forbidden, and this is a forbidden means, because he wants to reconcile people with it. Yes, reconciling people by leaving a recommended practice is fine, or by doing a disliked act. But doing a forbidden act? That is not possible. Why do we call people? Not to make them perform what is obligatory? How do we call them and draw near to Allah through disobedience?
The questioner : This village has shirk (associating partners with Allah) in it.
The Shaykh : It does not contradict. Even if there is shirk in it, what harm does it do them that you commanded them to have tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and he has a beard? What harm does it do them?
The questioner : The beard? He will be imprisoned. I say the ruler will imprison this student of knowledge.
The Shaykh : He will be imprisoned. Do not think that a person is imprisoned for his obedience, except that Allah grants him a good remembrance and hearts become more united around him. We never grant a dispensation to anyone to call people through disobedience, absolutely not.
The questioner : The beard is a sunnah (recommended practice), O Shaykh. And this is obligatory. The beard is a cosmetic sunnah, and this is obligatory.
The Shaykh : If he believes that growing the beard is a sunnah, this is like one of the newspapers these days said that the beard is the new fashion, a civilized appearance. I seek refuge in Allah.
The Shaykh : What is the benefit?
The questioner : The benefit is that the people learn...
The Shaykh : It is never permissible. Forbidden means are forbidden, and this is a forbidden means, because he wants to reconcile people with it. Yes, reconciling people by leaving a recommended practice is fine, or by doing a disliked act. But doing a forbidden act? That is not possible. Why do we call people? Not to make them perform what is obligatory? How do we call them and draw near to Allah through disobedience?
The questioner : This village has shirk (associating partners with Allah) in it.
The Shaykh : It does not contradict. Even if there is shirk in it, what harm does it do them that you commanded them to have tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and he has a beard? What harm does it do them?
The questioner : The beard? He will be imprisoned. I say the ruler will imprison this student of knowledge.
The Shaykh : He will be imprisoned. Do not think that a person is imprisoned for his obedience, except that Allah grants him a good remembrance and hearts become more united around him. We never grant a dispensation to anyone to call people through disobedience, absolutely not.
The questioner : The beard is a sunnah (recommended practice), O Shaykh. And this is obligatory. The beard is a cosmetic sunnah, and this is obligatory.
The Shaykh : If he believes that growing the beard is a sunnah, this is like one of the newspapers these days said that the beard is the new fashion, a civilized appearance. I seek refuge in Allah.