The ruling on one who shaves his beard and the ruling on one who grows it out for the sake of showing off
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Our brother (A. A. A) sent a message addressed specifically to you, Your Eminence the Shaykh. Our brother raises several matters, among which he says: There are people who shave their beards, and there are those who grow them for the sake of showing off, as he says. What is the ruling in this case?
Answer: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim in the two Sahihs: And Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 4199Sahih (Al-Albani) And he said: This is how it came in the authentic hadith, and Muslim narrated it in his Sahih from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sahih Muslim 260 So he (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the letting down of the beards, commanded their growing out, commanded their fullness, and commanded the shaving of the mustaches, their cutting, and their trimming. So it is obligatory for the Muslim to obey the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because Allah says: [Al-Hashr: 7] And He the Exalted and Majestic says: [An-Nisa: 59] And He the Glorified and Exalted says: [An-Nisa: 80].
So you, O servant of Allah, must obey the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in what he commanded and refrain from what he forbade. As for the fact that he shows off, that is between him and Allah; people only see the outward appearance. He must fear Allah and be sincere to Allah in growing out his beard and keeping it full. Allah is the One who will hold him to account. It is obligatory for him to display the Shari'ah appearance and adopt the Shari'ah appearance, and to grow out his beard and keep it full. As for the fact that he intended showing off, that is not for you to know; you do not know what is in hearts, but Allah is the One who knows what is in hearts.
So it is for him to fear Allah and do it sincerely for Allah, in obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Even if we suppose that he did it for showing off, he is better than the one who shaved it. He is better. The one who shaved it displayed disobedience, sin, and opposition to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for this one, he displayed obedience and displayed good, and concealed the showing off. Allah is the One who will hold him to account for his hidden intention; it is not the created beings who hold him to account. Perhaps he shows off today and turns tomorrow to sincerity, and Allah guides him to sincerity. Because the obedience to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that he measured by his action and his display of growing out the beard may prevail over him afterwards, so that he measures it in the inner part of his affair and is sincere to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). The One who made him display the growing out and fullness is He the Exalted, and He is able to place sincerity in his heart as well, and for this deed to be for the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
In any case, displaying obedience is better than displaying disobedience, and as for sincerity, it is between the servant and his Lord.
Answer: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim in the two Sahihs:
Cut short the moustaches and let the beards grow, and differ from the polytheists.
قصوا الشوارب وأعفوا اللحى خالفوا المشركينThe Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded to clip the moustaches and grow the beard long.
أمرنا الرسول ﷺ بإحفاء الشوارب وإعفاء اللحىAnd grow out the beards and shave the mustaches, and differ from the polytheists
وفروا اللحى وقصوا الشوارب خالفوا المشركينTrim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers.
جزوا الشوارب وأرخوا اللحى خالفوا المجوسAnd whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from
وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُُ فَانْتَهُواobey Allah and obey the Messenger
أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَHe who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah
مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهََSo you, O servant of Allah, must obey the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in what he commanded and refrain from what he forbade. As for the fact that he shows off, that is between him and Allah; people only see the outward appearance. He must fear Allah and be sincere to Allah in growing out his beard and keeping it full. Allah is the One who will hold him to account. It is obligatory for him to display the Shari'ah appearance and adopt the Shari'ah appearance, and to grow out his beard and keep it full. As for the fact that he intended showing off, that is not for you to know; you do not know what is in hearts, but Allah is the One who knows what is in hearts.
So it is for him to fear Allah and do it sincerely for Allah, in obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Even if we suppose that he did it for showing off, he is better than the one who shaved it. He is better. The one who shaved it displayed disobedience, sin, and opposition to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for this one, he displayed obedience and displayed good, and concealed the showing off. Allah is the One who will hold him to account for his hidden intention; it is not the created beings who hold him to account. Perhaps he shows off today and turns tomorrow to sincerity, and Allah guides him to sincerity. Because the obedience to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that he measured by his action and his display of growing out the beard may prevail over him afterwards, so that he measures it in the inner part of his affair and is sincere to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). The One who made him display the growing out and fullness is He the Exalted, and He is able to place sincerity in his heart as well, and for this deed to be for the Face of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
In any case, displaying obedience is better than displaying disobedience, and as for sincerity, it is between the servant and his Lord.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.