Question
It is not permissible to trim the hair growing beneath the lower lip, so is it permissible to trim the edges of the beard, the edges of the moustache, and the other hair on the face or to pluck it?
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
The hair beneath the lower lip (Anfaqah)
Anfaqah refers to the hair that grows beneath the lower lip.
It is part of the beard, therefore it is not permissible to remove it.
It is also not permissible to remove the hair around it and the hair on the cheek that is in line with the ear.
The protruding bone of the cheek and the hair around it are also part of the beard, and it is impermissible to pluck or cut them.
The scholars of lexicography included these hairs in the definition of the beard, and the Prophet ﷺ commanded that the beard be left (allowed to grow).
The command of the Prophet ﷺ
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Leave the beard (let it grow).”
Acting contrary to this is opposition to the command of the Prophet ﷺ.
Statements of the jurists and hadith scholars
➊
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about shaving the facial hair, and he said:
“There is no harm for women, but it is disliked for men.”
➋
Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
Reducing or increasing the beard is disliked.
Shaving some of the beard along with shaving the head hair is disliked.
Plucking the hair on either side of the tuft beneath the lower lip is also disliked.
One should not make any change in them.
➌ Statement of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him):
There is no harm in shaving the hair below the throat and trimming the beard beyond a fistful.
Disliked traits concerning the beard
◈ Applying black dye.
◈ Quickly whitening the beard with sulphur or similar substances so that one appears older and to achieve showing off.
◈ Plucking or reducing the newly grown beard in order to appear young or handsome – this is the most ugly trait.
◈ Plucking white hairs.
◈ Excessive styling for adornment so that women find it appealing.
◈ Reducing or adding to it.
◈ Leaving the beard disheveled so as to appear pious or careless.
◈ Hanging the beard affectedly.
◈ Constantly looking at the beard with self-admiration – taking pride in youth or arrogance in old age.
◈ Tying the beard in a knot
Hadith
Ruwayfi’ ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever ties his beard in a knot, wears a bowstring necklace, or performs istinja with animal dung or bone, then Muhammad ﷺ is free of him.”
Shaving the beard
However, if a woman’s beard grows, she may remove it.
Dyeing yellow is only for outward resemblance, not with the intention of Sunnah.
Combing constantly
Hadith:
“نُهينا عن كثيرٍ من الرفاهية”
We have been forbidden from excessive softness and love of ease.
Combing after every ablution, as some Sufis used to do.
The legal and linguistic limits of the beard
According to Shah Waliullah Dehlawi (may Allah have mercy on him):
◈ In length: the limit of the beard is from the lower lip (the tuft beneath the lower lip) to beneath the chin.
◈ In breadth: the hair of the cheeks and temples that extends below the lower jaw is also included in the beard.
Linguistic evidence
➊
Ibn Sidah: the beard refers to the hair growing on the cheeks and chin.
➋
The beard refers to the hair that grows on both sides of the face and on the chin.
Conclusion
The limits of the beard are the same in both language and Shariah.
By commanding
“وَفِّرُوا اللِّحَى”
(let the beard grow), the Qur’an and Hadith have enjoined that it be preserved in its natural state.
Any change to its form is haram.
Refutation of incorrect opinions
Those who permit removing the hair of the cheeks, their view is baseless.
As found in “Tatarkhaniyya”.
Those who consider cutting the beard hair permissible, their opinion is also baseless.
Sabalain (the two edges of the moustache)
There is no harm in leaving them, as was the practice of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
There is also no harm in trimming them.
Imam al-Bayhaqi narrated this from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him),
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
