❖ Question:
A ḥāfiẓ claims that “making beard a condition for imamat is a backward restriction imposed by ignorant societies.”
What is the proper Islamic response to such a claim?
❖ Answer by:
Shaykh Saeed Mujtaba Saeedi (ḥafiẓahullāh)
Shaykh Abdul Wakeel Nasir (ḥafiẓahullāh)
Research Scholar Wājid Iqbal (ḥafiẓahullāh)
✿ Scholarly Clarification on Beard and Imamat:
➊ Calling the Sunnah ‘Jāhilīyyah’ Is Itself an Act of Jāhilīyyah
To call the beard—a stressed Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ— a “Jāhilī restriction”, is in fact a reflection of one’s own ignorance and arrogance.
✔ Such a person is not merely opposing scholarly consensus but also insulting a clearly established Sunnah.
✔ Scholars affirm that one who holds this view is harmful to the dīn and should be removed from the position of imāmat.
➋ Imam Must Be Among the Best in the Community
As the Prophet ﷺ said:
"ائمتكم خياركم"
“Your imams should be the best among you.”
The Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn (pious predecessors) were consistent in upholding that imams must outwardly and inwardly reflect Islamic values.
✔ A person who shaves the beard intentionally commits a continuous sin.
✔ Such a person should not be appointed as a permanent imam, especially when Fusūq (open sin) is involved.
➌ Denial of the Beard as a Sunnah — A Dangerous Statement
The claim that beard is a backward cultural condition and not a religious requirement is a very dangerous stance.
✔ This contradicts the ijmāʿ (consensus) of scholars and goes against established religious knowledge.
✖ The Prophet ﷺ once removed a man from leading the prayer because he spat inside the mosque.
If spitting once in the mosque can disqualify someone from imāmat,
then persistently shaving the beard, a clear violation of Sunnah, is far more serious.
❖ Summary of the Three Scholarly Points:
| Scholar | Position |
|---|---|
| Shaykh Saeed Mujtaba Saeedi | Calling beard a jāhilī condition = disrespect to Sunnah = disqualification for imāmat |
| Shaykh Abdul Wakeel Nasir | Beard is essential for outward religious identity of an imam |
| Wājid Iqbal (Research Scholar) | Statement against beard = against scholarly consensus = dangerous belief |
❖ Final Conclusion:
✔ Beard is a necessary external sign of adherence to Sunnah.
✔ A person who openly opposes or belittles it is unfit for leading prayers.
✔ Imamat is not just a role—it’s a representation of Islam, both in belief and practice.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
