The Obligation of Letting the Beard Grow

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Q: A questioner from the Kingdom of Morocco sent one question, asking: Is letting the beard grow among the things that must be present in a Muslim?
A: It is obligatory for the Muslim to grow his beard, let it grow, and let it hang down, in obedience to the command of the Master of the First and the Last, and the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds, Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah, upon whom be the best of prayers and peace. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

Cut your mustaches short and let your beards grow, and be distinct from the polytheists.

قصوا الشوارب وأعفوا اللحى، خالفوا المشركين

It is agreed upon as authentic from the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both). He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said:

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

جزوا الشوارب وأرخوا اللحى، خالفوا المجوس

Sahih Muslim 260

Muslim narrated it in his Sahih from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is well known that all good in this world and the Hereafter is only realized through obedience to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and following him, and that all evil lies in disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, and in following desires and Shaytan. Allah the Exalted said:

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

[Al-Imran: 31], and He said:

⁽³⁷⁾ So as for he who transgressed ⁽³⁸⁾ And preferred the life of the world, ⁽³⁹⁾ Then indeed, Hellfire will be [his] refuge. ⁽⁴⁰⁾ But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, ⁽⁴¹⁾ Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.

فَأَمَّا مَنْ طَغَى ** وَآثَرَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا * فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى * وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى * فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى

[Al-Naziat: 37-41]. He also censured the polytheists for following their assumptions and desires, saying in Surat al-Najm:

They follow not except assumption and what [their] souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance.

إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنْفُسُ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى

[Al-Najm: 23]. 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

Narrated by al-Bukhari in his Sahih.
The verses and hadiths regarding the command to obey Allah and His Messenger, and the prohibition of disobeying Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), are very numerous.
And we ask Allah to guide all Muslims to obey their Lord, to have tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and sincerity to Him, and to follow His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and hold fast to what he brought. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the Near.

Source binbaz.org.sa

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

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