This excerpt is taken from Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi's book Halal and Haram in Islam, translated into Urdu by Muhammad Tahir Naqqash.
Growing a Beard:
A related issue to our topic is about growing a beard. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: خالفوا المشركين ووفروا اللحى وأحفوا الشوارب
"Adopt a manner of dealing against the polytheists. Grow the beard and trim the mustache."
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Clothing: Chapter on Trimming Nails: 5892 - Muslim, Book of Purification, Chapter on Characteristics of Natural Disposition, Hadith: 259
In this narration, the form "tofeer" (to leave) is used. In another narration, the form "i'faa" (letting it grow) is used.
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Clothing: Chapter on Letting the Beard Grow, Hadith: 5893 - Muslim, same reference Hadith: 259/53
Both mean the same, that is, to leave the beard and let it remain. The reason for this has also been clarified in the hadith, which is to oppose the polytheists. Here, the polytheists refer to fire-worshipping Magians. These people used to shave their beards. However, some also used to completely shave their beards. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordered opposition to them so that Muslims could be trained in such a way that they maintain their identity and be distinguished from others in every respect—externally and internally, formally and meaningfully. Moreover, it cannot be denied that shaving the beard is an act against natural disposition and has an aspect of resembling women. In fact, the beard is the completion of manhood and it establishes the distinction of a man.
Leaving the beard does not mean that no hair at all should be cut.
داڑهي كو معاف كرنے (يعني چهوڑنے) كا مطلب يهي هے كه اس كي كانٹ چهانٹ نه كي جائے. نبي كريم صلى الله عليه وسلم كا داڑهي بڑهانے كا حكم دينا پانچ مختلف الفاظ سے كتب احاديث ميں مذكور هے. جن الفاظ كے مجموعي معاني اور مدلول كے بارے ميں امام نووي رحمه الله فرماتے هيں :
ان تمام الفاظ كا يهي مطلب هے كه داڑهي كو اس كي حالت پر چهوڑ ديا جائے.
Reference: (Sharh An-Nawawi: 1/129)
سلف كے عمل سے يه ليا جاتا هے كه ان كا عمل اگرچه هماري نسبت بهت اعليٰ درجه فهم و فراست پر مبني تها ليكن انهوں نے كسي كو داڑهي كٹوانے كا فتويٰ يا حكم تو نهيں ديا. جس سے يه ثابت هوتا هے كه وه بهي عمومي طور پر داڑهي كو بڑهانا هي بهتر سمجهتے تهے. علمائے سلف وغيره كے عمل كي طرف مصنف نے اشاره كيا هے، جبكه يه بات مسلمه حقيقت هے كه نبي كريم صلى الله عليه وسلم كي سنت اور فرمان كے مقابل كسي كا بهي عمل يا قول كچه حيثيت نهيں ركهتا.
مصنف نے اگلي سطور ميں ترمذي كي ايك روايت كي طرف اشاره كيا هے جس سے داڑهي كي كانٹ چهانٹ كو نبي كريم صلى الله عليه وسلم كے عمل سے ثابت كرنے كي كوشش كي هے. هم دو روايات قارئين كے سامنے بيان كر كے اس كي استنادي حيثيت اور اس روايت سے استدلال كرنے كے نقصانات سے آگاه كر دينا ضروري سمجهتے هيں. روايت اس طرح هے :
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يأخذ من لحيته من عرضها وطولها
”نبي كريم صلى الله عليه وسلم اپني داڑهي مبارك كي طول و عرض سے كانٹ چهانٹ كر ليا كرتے تهے.“
Reference: (Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book of Manners: Chapter on Taking from the Beard, Hadith: 2762)
اس روايت كو علامه الباني رحمه الله نے موضوع من گهڑت قرار ديا هے.
Reference: See: Al-Silsilah Al-Da'ifah: 1/456
علامه حافظ زبير على زئي رحمه الله نے بهي اس روايت كو شديد ضعيف قرار ديا هے.
Reference: See: Anwar As-Sahifah, p. 269
(ابوالحسن مبشر احمد رباني)
In such a case, the beard will become so long that it will appear untidy and cause discomfort to the one who keeps it. Therefore, it is not correct to take it to mean that no trimming is allowed; rather, some hair can be cut from its length and breadth.
The hadith of Tirmidhi is:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يأخذ من طول لحيته وعرضها
"The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) used to trim the length and breadth of his beard."
Reference: Tirmidhi, Book of Manners: Chapter on Taking from the Beard, Hadith: 2762 - Al-Albani said: Weak, Al-Ma'arim Al-Maram: 110 - Weak Sunan At-Tirmidhi: 525/2924
Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this hadith and said it is rare.
Reference: (Translator)
It is also proven from some of the Salaf to do this. Qadi Iyad Al-Maliki (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Shaving the beard, shortening it, and making it smooth is disliked, but when the beard grows long, trimming some hair from its length and breadth is good.
And Abu Shama (may Allah have mercy on him) says: People have appeared who shave their beards, whereas in the old times it was well known that they used to trim them.
Reference: Fath Al-Bari: 10-351
In this regard, I want to state that a very large majority of Muslims have started shaving their beards by imitating the enemies of their religion and imperialists like Jews and Christians. The defeated nation always imitates the victorious nation. Muslims are unaware that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordered opposition to the disbelievers and forbade resembling them. The hadith says:
من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم
"Whoever imitates a people is one of them."
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Clothing: Chapter on Wearing Distinctive Clothes, Hadith: 4031
According to many jurists, in view of the hadith commanding to let the beard grow (i'faa al-lihya), shaving the beard is forbidden because the command essentially indicates obligation, especially since this command is given with the reason of opposing the disbelievers, and opposing them is obligatory. Also, it is not proven from any of the Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) that they abandoned this obligation. However, some contemporary scholars, influenced by circumstances and overlooking the general widespread condition (public affliction), consider shaving the beard permissible. They say that keeping the beard is among the habitual actions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and is not related to legal rulings such that it should be considered an act of worship.
But in reality, letting the beard grow (i'faa al-lihya) is not only proven from the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him) but he also explicitly commanded it and explained its reason, which is to oppose the disbelievers.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) rightly said that opposing them is the objective according to the Lawgiver because resembling them in outward matters leads to internal love, affection, and alliance, just as internal love manifests in outward resemblance. Sensory experiences and observations bear witness to this.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) further said:
It is proven from the Book, Sunnah, and consensus that the command to oppose the disbelievers has been given and their general resemblance is forbidden. Anything that has the potential to cause harm is subject to prohibition. Resembling the outward actions of disbelievers will lead to resembling their blameworthy morals and actions, and there is concern that this resemblance may extend to beliefs. Its effects cannot be controlled because the original harm caused is not apparent but its removal is very difficult. Therefore, whatever causes harm, the Lawgiver has declared it forbidden.
Reference: Iqtidha As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim, pp. 27-28
Thus, regarding shaving the beard, there are three opinions in our view:
◈ The first opinion is that shaving the beard is forbidden. This is the view of Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and others.
◈ The second opinion is that shaving the beard is disliked. This opinion is mentioned by Qadi Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) in Fath Al-Bari.
◈ The third opinion is permissibility, and some contemporary scholars hold this view.
مصنف رحمه الله نے كها هے كه بعض علماء داڑهي منڈوانے كو جائز قرار ديتے هيں. جبكه ايسا بالكل نهيں هے. مصنف رحمه الله نے يه بات كهه كر علمي خيانت كا ارتكاب كيا هے. اسلامي تعليمات سے واقف هونے كے بعد كوئي بهي مسلم سكالر داڑهي منڈوانے كو جائز نهيں كهه سكتا. بلكه احاديث رسول، آثار صحابه رضي الله عنهم اور اقوال و اعمال سلف رحمه الله كا مجموعي جائزه ليا جائے تو يه بات روز روشن كي طرح واضح هوتي هے كه داڑهي منڈوانا حرام هے. كسي بهي عالم دين نے اس كو جائز قرار نهيں ديا. داڑهي منڈوانا تو اس قدر قبيح عمل هے كه نبي كريم صلى الله عليه وسلم نے اس كے مرتكب دو آدميوں سے (جو آپ صلى الله عليه وسلم كو ايران سے ملنے آئے تهے) منه پهير ليا تها. داڑهي منڈوانا عورتوں سے مشابهت هے جبكه عورتوں سے مشابهت كرنا مردوں كے ليے حرام هے. نبي كريم صلى الله عليه وسلم نے عورتوں كي مشابهت اختيار كرنے والے مردوں پر لعنت فرمائي هے.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Clothing: Chapter on Those Who Resemble Women, Hadith: 5885 - Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Clothing: Chapter on Women's Clothing, Hadith: 4097
داڑهي مرد كي شان اور فطري امور ميں سے هے. اس ليے اسے منڈوانا غير فطري عمل اور حرام هے. (ابوالحسن مبشر احمد رباني)
But probably the most moderate, reasonable, and sound opinion is that shaving the beard is disliked because the command to keep the beard does not definitively indicate obligation, although its reason is stated as opposing the disbelievers. Similarly, the command to apply henna is given, whose reason is also to oppose Jews and Christians, but some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not apply black henna, which shows that applying henna is only recommended (mustahabb), not obligatory.
داڑهي ركهنے كو خضاب لگانے پر قياس كرنا بعيد از عقل بات هے. مصنف رحمه الله نے ايسا هي كيا هے اور اس قياس كے ذريعے داڑهي ركهنے كو وجوب سے گرا كر استحباب كے درجے ميں لانے كي كوشش كي هے. داڑهي كي مقدار ميں اگرچه كسي حد تك اختلاف پايا جاتا هے ليكن اس موقف پر تمام علماء و فقهاء متفق هيں كه داڑهي ركهنا واجب هے. نبي كريم صلى الله عليه وسلم نے داڑهي ركهنے اور مونچهيں كٹوانے كا حكم ديا هے. اور داڑهي صرف كفار كي مخالفت كے نقطه نظر سے نهيں ركهي جاتي بلكه داڑهي بڑهانا امور فطرت ميں شامل هے. جو انسان داڑهي كے وجوب كا منكر هے وه درحقيقت امور فطرت ميں سے ايك فطري امر كا انكار كرتا هے. لهذا درست اور راجح بات يهي هے كه داڑهي ركهنا فرض هے اور اس سے كسي طور انكار نهيں كيا جا سكتا. مصنف رحمه الله نه جانے ايسي بے بنياد باتيں كر كے كيا مقصد حاصل كرنا چاهتا هے. ان باتوں كي كوئي دليل مصنف رحمه الله كے پاس نهيں هے. (ابوالحسن مبشر احمد رباني)
It is true that it is not proven from any of the Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) that they shaved their beards, but the reason may be that they did not feel the need to shave because they were accustomed to keeping beards.
