Why do I keep my beard?

All perfect praise be to Allah; and may Allah send blessing and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his family and Companions. To go further:

Why do I keep my beard (as it is) and shorten my garment?

I keep my beard (as it is) for this is out of the Fitrah on which Allah Almighty created men.

Fitrah, according to a definition given by Al-Baidawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, stands for the old tradition chosen by the Prophets, peace be upon them, and agreed upon by all laws. It seems to be an innate characteristic to which men are predisposed by nature. The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Ten (characteristics) belong to Fitrah: cutting short the moustache, leaving the beard (to grow but no more than a fist length), (brushing the teeth with) Siwak, snuffing the water into the nose (during ablution), clipping the nails, washing the finger joints, depilating the (hair of the) armpits, shaving the (hair of the) pubic area, and Istinja’ (washing the private parts with the water after answering the call of nature).” (Mus‘ab, a sub-narrator, said: I forgot the tenth (characteristic), except that it might be rinsing the mouth). [Muslim]
 

Furthermore, to keep the beard is to do the opposite of what the polytheists from among the people of Scripture, Magians and others do. The rationale for that opposition is still in force. A Muslim is still distinguished by keeping his beard. That some polytheists nowadays keep their beards does not nullify the rationale for opposition, for this took place even during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. But even, It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, from the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that he said: “Go against the infidels, Keep the beards (as long as they are) and trim the mustaches.” [Al-Bukhari]
 

The same is narrated by Muslim with a slight variation of wording. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Cut short your mustaches, and keep your beards (as long as they are), and do the opposite of what the people of Scripture do.” [Declared Hasan by Al-Albani in As-Silsilah As-Sahihah]
 

Ash-Shawkani, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “All the Prophetic Hadiths in this issue are centered on five narrations, and although they are different in wording, they give the same meaning, i.e. to leave the beard as long as it is.”

According to An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him: “It is to leave the beard as it is intact, and do not cut it short. But some scholars give concession to cut short what is beyond the fist length, due to the narration of Nafi‘ that he said: “Whenever Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, performed Hajj or ‘Umrah, he would hold his beard with his fist and then cut short what is more than it.” [Al-Bukhari]
 

Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, was extremely eager to seek and abide by the sunnah. This behavior was proven from more than one from among the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.

Al-Hafith Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “What seems is that Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, did not did that behavior specifically on the occasion of rites (of Hajj or ‘Umrah): the command to leave the beard (as it is) was construed by him to be applicable as long as the face would not be deformed by the excessive length or width of the beard’s hair.”

I then leave my beard (as it is) since by so doing, I comply with the command of Allah Almighty.

It is an obligation given by the Lord Almighty, and a Muslim would receive reward by doing it, and sin by leaving it. it is narrated in the long Hadith of the two envoys of Khosrau that when they entered upon the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, having shaved their beards and kept their mustaches, he disliked to look at them. Then he faced them and asked them: “Woe to you! Who has commanded you to do so?” they said: “Our Lord”, meaning Khosrau. On that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “But my Lord has commanded me to leave my beard (as it is), and cut short my mustache.” [Sahih As-Sirah]
 

Consider how he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, disliked to look at them when he saw them on that state. This clearly reflects how they opposed the sound Fitrah as we have previously mentioned, and the good appearance. After all of that, how should I accept to abide by what disagrees with the command of Allah Almighty, and to be, on the Day of Judgment, in the same position of those from whom the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, turned his sight away? Allah forbid!

Furthermore, to shave the beard is to change the creation of Allah Almighty without His permission, in so much as in response to inspiration and temptation of Satan, about whom Allah Almighty says (what means): “Whom Allah has cursed. For he had said, "I will surely take from among Your servants a specific portion. (118) And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah." And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss. (119) Satan promises them and arouses desire in them. But Satan does not promise them except delusion.” [An-Nisaa’ 4:118-120]
 

Transliteration: LaAAanahu Allahu waqala laattakhithanna min AAibadika naseeban mafroodan (118) Walaodillannahum walaomanniyannahum walaamurannahum falayubattikunna athana alanAAami walaamurannahum falayughayyirunna khalqa Allahi waman yattakhithi alshshaytana waliyyan min dooni Allahi faqad khasira khusranan mubeenan (119) YaAAiduhum wayumanneehim wama yaAAiduhumu alshshaytanu illa ghurooran

No doubt, to shave the beard is to change the creation of Allah Almighty, which Allah Almighty has forbidden, and lead to what is more sinful and more prohibited, i.e. the resemblance with women, and imitation of their features. No doubt, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cursed such as does so. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, that he said: “the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cursed such of men as imitate women and such of women as imitate men.” [Al-Bukhari]
 

Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, says: “As for the beard’s hair, it has many advantages, including the adornment, reverence and veneration it endows man with. For this reason, neither children nor women have of reverence and veneration what is visible on men with beards. Furthermore, it is by beard that men are distinguished from women.”

Is there anything more apparent than the face in both sexes? If, by shaving the beard, men do not clearly imitate women, intentionally or unintentionally, then, what does imitation mean?

I also leave my beard (as it is), for to do so is to agree with the correct way and right guidance of the Prophets and righteous.

Read, if you like, the statement of Allah Almighty, telling about what Aron said to his brother Moses, peace be upon them: [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, do not seize [me] by my beard or by my head. Indeed, I feared that you would say, 'You caused division among the Children of Israel, and you did not observe [or await] my word.' "” [Taa-Haa 20:94]
 

Transliteration: Qala ya bna omma la takhuth bilihyatee wala birasee innee khasheetu an taqoola farraqta bayna banee israeela walam tarqub qawlee

This indicates that Aron, peace be upon him, was of long beard. A similar evidence is also taken from the narration of Muslim on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was of thick beard. So did the rightly-guided caliphs, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, as shown in the books of biographies. The men who took over the treasures of Khosrau and Caesar, to whom the peoples of the East and West submitted, included none of shaven beard, as stated by Ash-Shanqiti, may Allah have mercy upon him.

Consider also a lot of rabbis and monks: how they inherited that behavior from those to whom they attribute themselves. This was one of the undistorted truths they inherited. Are we not worthier of doing so than the polytheists instead of imitating those who have no share (of good) nor faith?

As for shortening my garment, that is the characteristic of the faithful believer, as told by the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in his statement:
“The believer’s waist garment should reach half the leg, and there is no sin on one to let it down to the ankles and no more.” [Ahmad and Abu Dawud and authenticated by Al-Albani]
 

To shorten the garment then is to safeguard oneself from the punishment of Allah Almighty, and keep away from the means of arrogance which may provoke the wrath and anger of Allah. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, that he said: the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Allah will not look on the Day of Judgment at him who lets his garment drag (on the ground behind him) out of pride." Abu Bakr said: "One side of my garment slacks down unless I get very cautious about it." The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “But you do not do that out of pride." [Al-Bukhari]
 

The witness here is that Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, used to be very cautious about his waist garment lest it would slack down on the ground, and by so doing, he was the farthest from arrogance and haughtiness, otherwise, why was he cautious about it as such? As such were the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, none of them let his garment slack down on the ground intentionally, pretending that he did not prolong it out of arrogance. On the contrary, to insist to prolong the garment is indicative of arrogance, as stated by Ibn Al-‘Arabi, may Allah have mercy upon him, otherwise, why it should not be raised a bit up the ankles? For this reason, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, clarified that letting the waist garment hang down (on the ground) is out of arrogance, as shown in the long narration on the authority of Jabir Ibn Sulaim, in which the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “You should further make your waist garment down to half the legs, and if you do not like that, then, let it be down to the ankles, and beware of letting your lower garment drag on the ground, for indeed, letting one’s lower garment drag on the ground is out of arrogance, and Allah, Blessed and Exalted, never likes arrogance.” [Narrated by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmizi and authenticated by Al-Albani]
 

Shaykh ‘Abd-Al-‘Aziz Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy upon him, says: “Letting the waist garment drag on the ground was pointed out to indicate arrogance, for it is often so. If one lets his waist garment drag on the ground but not out of arrogance, his deed is a means to that, and the means are subject to the same ruling of ends. How should the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, shorten their garments and be very cautious about them lest they would slack down; and I, on the other hand, prolong my garment, pretending to safeguard it from dragging on the ground? Allah forbid that I should do so, otherwise I would not be saved, given that I have a good pattern in the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.”

To shorten the garment is also to maintain it from dirt and filth.

May Allah have mercy upon ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him: he was in his last breaths when he saw a young man of those who came to visit him, whose garment was touching the ground. He said to him: “Raise your garment, since it is to make your garment cleaner and you more fearful of your Lord.” [Al-Bukhari]
 

This indicates to the great importance of this thing in the sight of the pious.

Whoever hears this from ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and reads the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “What is below the ankles of the waist garment will be in the fire (of Hell)” [Al-Bukhari]
 

And the narration on the authority of Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, in which the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said thrice: “There are three with whom Allah would neither speak on the day of judgment, nor would He look at them nor would He purify them (of their sins), and for them is a painful penalty.” Then I (Abu Dharr) said: “Disgraced and lost be they! What are those, O Messenger of Allah?” he said: “They are: The one who lets his waist garment hang down (on the ground out of haughtiness), the one who reminds others of his gifts he bestows upon them, and the one who sells his goods by false oaths.” [Muslim]
 

I say whoever reads those narrations should fear Allah Almighty, and not prolong his rope to be below the ankles: if it is not intended out of arrogance, it may be a means to arrogance.

For this reason, I leave my beard (as it is), and shorten my garment.

I ask Allah Almighty to keep me, as well as all the Muslims, firm on obeying Him, and abiding by His command.

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds


Translated by Wathakker.info website