Ruling on letting the beard grow and trimming it

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Q: I observe a difference of opinion regarding letting the beard hang down and allowing it to grow freely. Which way of growing the beard conforms to the Islamic Shari'ah and the path of the righteous Salaf?

A: It is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:

Trim the mustaches and let the beards grow; be unlike the polytheists.

قصوا الشوارب، وأعفوا اللحى؛ خالفوا المشركين

Imam al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih, and Imam Muslim narrated it in his Sahih, and the other Imams (may Allah have mercy on them) narrated it, so it is an authentic, established hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) according to the scholars. Its meaning is that it is obligatory for the believer to trim his mustache, let his beard grow, leave it uncut, and not take from it, neither by shaving nor by trimming. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

Trim the mustaches and let the beards grow; differ from the polytheists

قصوا الشوارب، ووفروا اللحى؛ خالفوا المشركين

Imam al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih (may Allah have mercy on him). He also said, in what Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated , from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:

Trim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers.

جزوا الشوارب، وأرخوا اللحى؛ خالفوا المجوس

Sahih Muslim 260

Imam Muslim narrated it in his Sahih.
These hadiths and what has come in their meaning all indicate that it is obligatory for Muslims to trim the mustache and not let it grow long, and they also indicate the obligation to let the beard grow, maintain it, and leave it long. It is obligatory for Muslims to obey the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :

Say, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away - then upon him is only that [duty] with which he has been charged, and upon you is that with which you have been charged. And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided. And there is not upon the Messenger except the [responsibility for] clear notification."

قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ وَإِنْ تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلا الْبَلاغُ الْمُبِينُ

[Surat al-Nur: 54]. And He (Mighty and Majestic) said:

He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away - We have not sent you over them as a guardian.

مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ تَوَلَّى فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا

[Surat al-Nisa: 80]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

All my followers will enter Paradise except those who refuse.

كل أمتي يدخلون الجنة إلا من أبى

Sahih al-Bukhari 7280

It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, and who will refuse?” He said:

Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses (to enter it).

من أطاعني دخل الجنة، ومن عصاني فقد أبى

Sahih al-Bukhari 7280

Al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih.
So what is obligatory is caring for obedience to Allah and His Messenger in everything: from prayer, zakah, fasting, Hajj, jihad, enjoining good and forbidding evil, letting the beards grow, trimming the mustaches, and not letting garments hang below the ankles, and in everything that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) brought; fulfilling the commands and leaving the prohibitions. This is the path to Paradise and the path to happiness. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says:

These are the limits [set by] Allah, and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted by Him to gardens [in Paradise] under which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein; and that is the great attainment.

تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ ۝

[An-Nisa 4:13]

And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits, He will admit him into the Fire, abiding therein forever, and for him is a humiliating punishment [Surat al-Nisa: 13 - 14]. And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) says:

Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

[Surat al-A'raf: 158].
So guidance, safety, and success lie in following him (peace and blessings be upon him), obeying his commands, and leaving his prohibitions. And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says:

Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins

قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ

[Surat Ali 'Imran: 31]. So whoever loves Allah and loves His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), it is obligatory for him to follow this great Messenger. Following him and holding fast to what he brought is the only way to the love of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as it is the way to forgiveness, entering Paradise, and salvation from the Fire.

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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