Best Sahih Hadith Examples on Why You Can Trim Beards
30/05/2019 Updated 13/01/2020
The Beard is a symbol of masculinity among various communities in the world. In Islam, the beard of a man is an important aspect in Islam. Now the debate is, whether the beard is an obligation or not.
Analyzing the argument of those of forbid trimming or shaving the beard
There are many Muslims who are of the view that it is an obligation to grow the beard and that you should leave it. This view is a rigid and harsh view which does not fit the Islamic principles of flexibility,mercy and ease. Some of the Muslims who brand themselves as "Salafi" rather than Muslims are also among those who are against the shaving of beards no matter what. They generally rely solely on the authentication of one hadith scholar and leave aside the other muhaddiths. We should look in to all the arguments of the other muhaddith scholars and not rely only on one muhaddith because the muhaddiths are also human beings and they too make mistakes and the arguments should be looked from all the corners. Islam is a religion of mercy and ease and even a woman who committed zina was let go because she did it due to necessity.
A woman was brought to ‘Umar bin al Khattab (Rali) who had been extremely thirsty, and had passed by a shepherd and asked him to give her something to drink; he had refused to give her something to drink unless she let him have his way with her. (Umar) consulted with the people as to whether he should have her stoned.
‘Ali (Rali) said, ‘She was forced to do it, you should let her go.’ So he did so."
(Sunan Baihaqi-Authenticated by Albani in Irwa al Ghaleel, 7/341)
This is how flexible Islam is but unfortunately the Muslim ummah is yet to embrace this important principal when solving problems in their day to day livesand due to the lack of implimenting this principal of facilitating things, we have turned in to rigid extremists. Said that, the growing of beard has been narrated in several hadiths.
The prophet (Sal) said:
“Cut the moustache and let the beard grow; be different from the mushrikeen.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Ibn Umar (Rali) narrated:
The prophet (Sal) said:
"Do otherwise than those who ascribe partners to Allah (All-Mushrikin): leave beards be, and trim mustaches." And ibn 'Umar, when he went on hajj or 'Umra, grasped his beard with his hand, and removed what was in excess of it"
(Bukhari and Muslim)
In these hadiths the prophet (Sal) told the companions to let the beard grow so that you be different from the Mushriks. Some argue that nowadays this hadith cannot be applied because even the Mushriks like the Hindues, Buddhists and other kafirs are growing beards. It is not possible to say that most of the non Muslims grow beard and comparatively speaking there are many non Muslims who shave their beards. The argument that the ruling to grow the beards so as to be different from the disbelievers is not applicable today is a weak argument because a ruling in Islam will remain even though times change. One example for this is in the hadith where the pagans said:
"There have come to you a group of people who have been weakened by the fever of Yathrib (i.e. Medina)." So the Prophet (Sal) ordered his companions to do Ramal (i.e. fast walking) in the first three rounds of Tawaf around the Ka`ba and to walk in between the two corners (i.e. the black stone and the Yemenite corner). The only cause which prevented the Prophet (Sal) from ordering them to do Ramal in all the rounds of Tawaf, was that he pitied them".
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
From the above hadith it is clear that the tawaf was originally intended for the prophet (Sal) and his companions to show their physical strength to show the Mushrikeen who were saying that the Muslims were weakened by the fever in Madina. Now this reason of the fever of Yathrib (Madina) does not exist but the ruling of doing Tawaf still applies. No one says nowadays that the ruling of Tawaf was only for the time of the prophet (Sal) and his companions and it does not apply now because there are no polytheists in Mecca. The other example is the learning of the art of archery where the prophet (Sal) said:
"O offspring of Ishmael! Practice archery as your father was a great archer "
(Bukhari)
Even though archery has been replaced with modern weapons, still the ruling is in place and it is not correct to say that the encouragement of learning archery was only applicable for the era of the prophet (Sal) and his companions. The ruling is still in place. Similarly, the encouragement to grow the beard is still in place because rejecting a hadith is the ideology of the Ahlul Bidah (people of innovation) like the Ikhwani's, Muhtazili's, Ashari's etc. Allah says:
"The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful".
(Al Quran 24:51)
By analyzing the above hadiths it would mean that growing the beard is a sunnah because the prophet (Sal) did not say anything of it being wajib. But the below hadiths says that it is an obligation.
Narrated Abd Allah ibn. 'Umar:
"The prophet (Sal) commanded to clip the moustaches and grow the beard long".
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)Ibn Umar said:
"The Apostle of Allah (Sal) ordered us to trim the moustache closely and spare the beard".
(Sahih Muslim)
Abu Hurayrah reported that the ruler of Yemen, appointed by the
Persian emperor Kisra, sent two envoys to the Messenger (peace be upon
him). When they came into his presence, he noticed that they had
shaved their beards and let their moustaches grow big. Hating their
ugly appearance he turned his face away and said, “Woe be to you, who
told you to do so?” They replied: “Our lord (Kisra) did” The Prophet
(peace be upon him) responded: “But my Lord, Exalted and Glorified be
He, has commanded me to spare my beard and trim my moustaches.”
(At-Tabari, declared Hasan by Al-Albani, Fiqh-us-Sirah by Al-Ghazali,
p. 359)
The above hadiths prove that the prophet (Sal) ordered the companions to grow the beard with out cutting or shaving it which means that it is an obligation. The prophet (Sal) commanded and there is no authentic evidence stating otherwise. By looking at these hadiths it would be clear that in general growing the beard is an obligation. A command is an obligation unless stated otherwise. Allah says:
“And let those who oppose the Messenger’s commandment beware, lest some Fitnah (trials, afflictions etc) should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them”
(Al-Quran 24:63)
There are many exemptions to for shaving or trimming the beard and even hadiths proving that you can trim your beard. below are the best authentic hadith examples to prove this.
Shaving or trimming the beard due to a necessity
In general, growing the beard can be regarded as an obligation but shaving the beard is allowed if there is a necessity. There are clear evidence to prove this. Allah (swt) says:
"And why should you not eat of that (meat) on which Allaah’s Name has been pronounced (at the time of slaughtering the animal), while He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity?”
(6:119)
And
"He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, and swine, and that which has been consecrated to any other than Allah. But who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. For Allah is Forgiving, Compassionate."
(2:173)
And again
“Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their breasts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment”
(16:106)
The above verses clearly explains that things which are haram becomes halal for a necessity If there is no transgression. There are many hadiths which proves that even major sins are halal when there is a necessity and this is the basic Asl (Principle). This was also the understanding of the Salaf.
"Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In the above hadith the prophet (Sal) allowed Abdur Rahman Bin Auf and Az Zubair Bin Al Awwam to wear silk eventhough generally it was haram for men to wear silk. All of these hadiths prove beyond doubt that the haram becomes halal if there is a necessity or if you are forced.
The Prophet (sal) said in a hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (rali):
"Allah has forgiven my nation for mistakes and forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do."
(Ibn Majah- Graded Sahih by Albani in Sahih Sunan Ibn Majah and narrated by Baihaqi and others and graded Hasan Sahih)
For more details,read this detailed article about the principle of necessity in Islam, click here https://cjislam.weebly.com/why-watching-cartoonanime-porn-is-not-haram-in-islam.html .
There are many situations a Muslim might face when he is growing a beard. Some Muslims are not allowed to work while growing a beard and even Muslim companies are putting up rules to shave or cut the beard. These Muslim employers should fear Allah for being so disobedient. We must facilitate and make things easy for Muslims with out saying that no matter what, you cannot cut the beard. Allah (swt) is merciful and kind to his slaves and the issue of growing the beard is like wearing silk. The prophet (Sal) said;
"Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings and do not make them run away (from Islam)"
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The Length of Beard .
There are many opinions on how long the beard should be and we should rely on the authentic sources in Islam to find a solution.
Ibn 'Umar relates from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) that he said: "Do otherwise than those who ascribe partners to Allah (al-mushrikin): leave beards be, and trim mustaches." And ibn 'Umar, when he went on hajj or 'umra, grasped his beard with his hand, and removed what was in excess of it (Sahih al-Bukhari)
“When Ibn ‘Umar would perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, he would take hold of his beard and cut whatever remained beyond a fistful.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
From these hadiths it can be understood that the companion who narrated the hadith of growing the beard cut his beard by grasping with his hand. This was the sunnah of Ibn Umar (Rali) but there is a hadith narrated 'by Umar ibn Harun, from Usama ibn Zayd, from 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (Sal) "used to trim from his beard, from its sides and its length"
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi-Tirmidhi graded it as Ghareed (strange) and Ibn Hibban graded it as sahih. There is a difference of opinion of the authenticity of this hadith but scholars like Imam Bukhari graded the controversial narrator of this hadith,Umar ibn Harun as trustworthy)
This hadith proves that the prophet (Sal) himself trimmed his beard from the sides and it's length meaning you can trim your beard. Some scholars reject this hadith citing weaknesses but the isnad or chain of narrators are reliable.
From this we can understand that,
1. Growing the beard is Fard but,
2. If there is no choice or necessity or if you are forced to due to some circumstance, then you can trim or shave the beard as the prophet (Sal) said" actions are judged by your intentions (Bukhari and Muslim)
3.You can trim your beard .
Conclusion
In conclusion what should be understood is that growing the beard in a general sense is wajib (obligatory) but given the situation and context of the problem, shaving or trimming is allowed because necessity dictates exception. As for trimming the beard, it is authentically proven that the prophet(Sal) trimmed his beard and even leading companions of the prophet(Sal) like Abdullah Ibn Umar (Rali) also did trim his beard. We should facilitate things to ourselves and others making it easy and flexible rather than making it rigid and extreme.
C.J Ahmed