Ruling on Shaving the Beard for Soldiers, and Ruling on Smoking
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From Abdulaziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz to the honorable brother (...), may Allah guide him, amen. Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings. After that: Your letter dated 4/8/1395 AH has arrived—may Allah guide you—and the questions it contained were known. Here is their text and answer: First: What is the ruling on shaving the beard for a soldier who is ordered to do so, and what is the ruling of one who says about the one who shaves: that he is a mukhannath?
Second: What is the ruling on smoking, and is it of the same kind as shaving the beard?
A1: Shaving the beard: It is not permissible, and so is cutting it; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 260 and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 260 It is obligatory for the Muslim: obedience to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in everything; because of the saying of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He: [An-Nisa 4:59] the verse [An-Nisa: 59], and the authorities: they are the rulers and the scholars, and it is obligatory to obey them in what they order, as long as it does not contradict the Shari'ah. If what they order contradicts the Shari'ah, their obedience is not obligatory in that matter; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Abi Dawud 2625Sahih (Al-Albani) and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Mishkat al-Masabih 3696 And our government—praise be to Allah—does not order the soldier or anyone else to shave the beard; rather, that happens from some officials and others, so it is not permissible to obey them in that, and it is obligatory to address them in the best manner, and to clarify to them that obedience to Allah and His Messenger takes precedence over obedience to anyone else.
As for the saying of some preachers: that the one who shaves his beard is a mukhannath, this is a statement made by some of the early scholars, and its meaning is one who imitates women; because mukhannath is: imitating women, and it does not mean that he is a sodomite, as some of the common people today think. And what a preacher or anyone else should do is avoid this expression; because it is misleading. If he mentions it, it is obligatory to clarify its meaning so that the listeners understand his intent, and so that nothing with bad consequences occurs between him and them. And because the purpose of preaching and reminding is: guiding the listeners and directing them to good, and the purpose is not to repel them from the truth and provoke their anger.
A2: Smoking is among the forbidden things; because it is among the impurities that Allah has forbidden, and because it includes many harms. The evidence for its prohibition is the saying of Allah, the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:4] the verse [Al-Ma'idah: 4], and His saying, Mighty and Majestic, in describing His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him): [Al-A'raf 7:157] the verse [Al-A'raf: 157].
And the scholars have explained the good things as: the foods and drinks that are nourishing and beneficial and have no harm in them. It is known that smoking is not of this description, but rather it is among the harmful, forbidden impurities. And it is greater than shaving the beards in some aspects, and shaving the beards is greater than it in other aspects; because shaving the beard is an apparent sin that people see on the face of its owner, and because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered to let the beards grow and hang down and preserve them, and to cut the mustaches and shave them.
As for smoking, its owner may conceal it and people may not know about it, so it is not like shaving the beard. But it is more harmful to the body, mind, and wealth than shaving the beard. And because it harms those who are not accustomed to it, it is a wrong that harms its owner and harms others with its bad smell.
In summary: smoking and shaving the beards, both are wrong, and harmful to society, and a cause of great corruption, along with the apparent contradiction of the Islamic Shari'ah in that, and along with the economic harms in that as well. And because that may also lead to the children of the one who does it, his family, and his friends imitating him in this sin.
Second: What is the ruling on smoking, and is it of the same kind as shaving the beard?
A1: Shaving the beard: It is not permissible, and so is cutting it; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Trim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers.
قصوا الشوارب، وأرخوا اللحى؛ خالفوا المشركينTrim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers.
جزوا الشوارب، وأرخوا اللحى؛ خالفوا المجوسO you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْObedience is in matters which are good and universally recognized.
إنما الطاعة في المعروفA creature is not to be obeyed when it involves disobedience to the "Creator.”
لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الخالقAs for the saying of some preachers: that the one who shaves his beard is a mukhannath, this is a statement made by some of the early scholars, and its meaning is one who imitates women; because mukhannath is: imitating women, and it does not mean that he is a sodomite, as some of the common people today think. And what a preacher or anyone else should do is avoid this expression; because it is misleading. If he mentions it, it is obligatory to clarify its meaning so that the listeners understand his intent, and so that nothing with bad consequences occurs between him and them. And because the purpose of preaching and reminding is: guiding the listeners and directing them to good, and the purpose is not to repel them from the truth and provoke their anger.
A2: Smoking is among the forbidden things; because it is among the impurities that Allah has forbidden, and because it includes many harms. The evidence for its prohibition is the saying of Allah, the Exalted:
They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Lawful for you are [all] good foods
يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُmakes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil
وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَAnd the scholars have explained the good things as: the foods and drinks that are nourishing and beneficial and have no harm in them. It is known that smoking is not of this description, but rather it is among the harmful, forbidden impurities. And it is greater than shaving the beards in some aspects, and shaving the beards is greater than it in other aspects; because shaving the beard is an apparent sin that people see on the face of its owner, and because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered to let the beards grow and hang down and preserve them, and to cut the mustaches and shave them.
As for smoking, its owner may conceal it and people may not know about it, so it is not like shaving the beard. But it is more harmful to the body, mind, and wealth than shaving the beard. And because it harms those who are not accustomed to it, it is a wrong that harms its owner and harms others with its bad smell.
In summary: smoking and shaving the beards, both are wrong, and harmful to society, and a cause of great corruption, along with the apparent contradiction of the Islamic Shari'ah in that, and along with the economic harms in that as well. And because that may also lead to the children of the one who does it, his family, and his friends imitating him in this sin.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.