❀ Beard Length and the Ruling on the ‘Qabdah’ Hadith ❀
Taken from: “Ahkam wa Masail – In Light of Qur’an and Hadith”, Volume 01, Page 519
How long should the beard be?
And clarify the Hadith of Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) in which it is mentioned that he would trim the beard beyond a fistful (qabḍah). Is this Hadith authentic or not?
Alḥamdulillāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
It is established from the authentic Ahadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that keeping the beard is obligatory and necessary.
It is not permissible to shave it off or trim it.
The specification of “a fistful (قَبْضَہ)” as a limit for the beard is not found in any authentic Marfū‘ Hadith (i.e., a Hadith directly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ).
No saying or action of any follower (Ummah member), even if it belongs to a Companion, can be presented in opposition to the saying or action of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Example:
➤ ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) – the second Caliph of the Muslims, a noble Companion, and one of the most virtuous – issued a ruling that three divorces in one sitting would be counted as three.
However, this ruling is not accepted solely because in the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, such a divorce was counted as only one.
➤ ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) also prohibited the performance of Hajj Tamattu‘.
When someone asked ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) about it, he responded:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Hajj Tamattu‘.”
The person said:
“But your father forbade it.”
So Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) replied:
“Shall we follow the command of my father, or the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?”
In Musnad Imam Ahmad, it is recorded that Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ:
“Do not prevent women from going to the mosques.”
His son said:
“We will certainly prevent them.”
Upon this, Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) said:
“I narrate to you the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and you say: ‘We will certainly prevent them?’”
Then he said:
“فَمَا كَلَّمَهُ عَبْدُاللّٰہِ حَتّٰى مَاتَ”
Ibn ‘Umar did not speak to his son until the latter passed away.
A Companion’s saying or action can only be considered as the approval of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ if:
① It does not conflict with any Qur’anic verse or an authentically established Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ.
② The action occurred during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ.
In the case of the “Qabdah” (fistful) trimming practice, neither of these two conditions are fulfilled.
Therefore, it is incorrect to attribute this action as an approval or confirmation from the Prophet ﷺ.
The Companions (رضي الله عنهم أجمعين) were not infallible such that they would never make a mistake.
However, their distinction lies in the fact that whatever minor errors they committed, Allah ﷻ forgave them, as stated:
{وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنْكُمْ}
“Indeed, He has forgiven you.”
Hence, it is not permissible to abandon the commands and actions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the basis of the statement or action of any Companion or non-Companion.
If a narrator’s action or statement contradicts the Hadith he narrates, then preferring the narrator’s action or statement over his narration is the method of the blind followers, not of the people of verification.
The muhaddithīn (Hadith scholars) have rejected this approach in the principles of Hadith.
A detailed article on this topic by Ḥāfiẓ ‘Abd al-Salām Bhutvi (حفظه الله) is expected to be published soon, in shā’ Allāh.
هَذَا مَا عِنْدِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I have, and Allah knows best what is correct.
Taken from: “Ahkam wa Masail – In Light of Qur’an and Hadith”, Volume 01, Page 519
❖ Question
How long should the beard be?
And clarify the Hadith of Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) in which it is mentioned that he would trim the beard beyond a fistful (qabḍah). Is this Hadith authentic or not?
❖ Answer
Alḥamdulillāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
Ruling on Keeping the Beard
It is established from the authentic Ahadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that keeping the beard is obligatory and necessary.
It is not permissible to shave it off or trim it.
The specification of “a fistful (قَبْضَہ)” as a limit for the beard is not found in any authentic Marfū‘ Hadith (i.e., a Hadith directly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ).
❖ The Practice of the Companions and the Command of the Prophet ﷺ
No saying or action of any follower (Ummah member), even if it belongs to a Companion, can be presented in opposition to the saying or action of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Example:
➤ ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) – the second Caliph of the Muslims, a noble Companion, and one of the most virtuous – issued a ruling that three divorces in one sitting would be counted as three.
However, this ruling is not accepted solely because in the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, such a divorce was counted as only one.
➤ ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) also prohibited the performance of Hajj Tamattu‘.
When someone asked ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) about it, he responded:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Hajj Tamattu‘.”
The person said:
“But your father forbade it.”
So Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) replied:
“Shall we follow the command of my father, or the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?”
In Musnad Imam Ahmad, it is recorded that Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ:
“Do not prevent women from going to the mosques.”
His son said:
“We will certainly prevent them.”
Upon this, Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) said:
“I narrate to you the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and you say: ‘We will certainly prevent them?’”
Then he said:
“فَمَا كَلَّمَهُ عَبْدُاللّٰہِ حَتّٰى مَاتَ”
Ibn ‘Umar did not speak to his son until the latter passed away.
❖ Ruling on the Qabdah Practice
A Companion’s saying or action can only be considered as the approval of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ if:
① It does not conflict with any Qur’anic verse or an authentically established Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ.
② The action occurred during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ.
In the case of the “Qabdah” (fistful) trimming practice, neither of these two conditions are fulfilled.
Therefore, it is incorrect to attribute this action as an approval or confirmation from the Prophet ﷺ.
❖ Status of the Companions (Ṣaḥābah)
The Companions (رضي الله عنهم أجمعين) were not infallible such that they would never make a mistake.
However, their distinction lies in the fact that whatever minor errors they committed, Allah ﷻ forgave them, as stated:
{وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنْكُمْ}
“Indeed, He has forgiven you.”
Hence, it is not permissible to abandon the commands and actions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the basis of the statement or action of any Companion or non-Companion.
❖ Difference Between a Narration and the Narrator’s Personal Practice
If a narrator’s action or statement contradicts the Hadith he narrates, then preferring the narrator’s action or statement over his narration is the method of the blind followers, not of the people of verification.
The muhaddithīn (Hadith scholars) have rejected this approach in the principles of Hadith.
A detailed article on this topic by Ḥāfiẓ ‘Abd al-Salām Bhutvi (حفظه الله) is expected to be published soon, in shā’ Allāh.
هَذَا مَا عِنْدِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I have, and Allah knows best what is correct.
