- Sunnahs of the Beard and Moustache

The beard is the Sunnah of all the Prophets (upon them all be peace) and also the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has emphasised on the lengthening of the beard so much, to the extent it is necessary (wajib) to keep a beard. 

Many people think that the beard is only a Sunnah, however, whatever is Fardh, Wajib, Sunnah and Mustahab are all Sunnah too, but fall into different categories depending on the emphasis in the Qur'an and hadith. Hence, the beard falls into the category of Wajib due to its emphasis laid in the hadith and the practises of the companions. 

The Prophet's beard (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
Imam Ghazali (may Allah's mercy be upon him) writes that, 'The Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) beard was thick and so was 'Abu Bakr's (may Allah be pleased with him). 'Uthman's (may Allah be pleased with him) beard was thin and long and 'Ali's (may Allah be pleased with him) beard was broad covering his chest.'

Jabir bin Samura (may Allah be pleased with him) states that, 'The Messenger of Allah's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) beard was thick.' 

Beauty of Man
Imam Ghazali (may Allah's mercy be upon him) states, 'The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, 'Without doubt, there are some angels who say, 'Pure is He who gave men beauty with beards and hair for women.''
The beard is a sign for the love of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Shaving is taking the beauty Allah (The Exalted) gave to man and falling in the trap of Shaytan.

Deforming the creation of Allah
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'Allah (The Exalted) has said, 'The devil said that he would teach them (men) other things whereby they would deform the figure made by Allah (The Exalted) (e.g. by shaving the beard, getting the body tattooed or pierced etc.).'
Some changes in the figure are defamatory and are Haraam (strictly forbidden) while others are Wajib (Necessary) like the trimming of the moustache, cutting the nails, removing the hair under the arms and below the waist. Some other changes are permissible such as for men to shave their head or trim the beard after it exceeds a fist as it is Wajib (necessary) to keep a beard. 

Cause of destruction today!
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'There were ten such habits amongst the people of Prophet Lut (upon whom be peace) which were the cause of their destruction. Amongst these habits he listed the shaving of the beard and the lengthening of the moustache.'

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'Because of ten evil actions the people of Prophet Lut, (upon whom be peace) where destroyed. One of which was sodemy, the other drinking alcohol, shaving the beards and growing the moustache.' 

Nature
'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'There are ten things that are natural. To cut the moustache and lengthening the beard (are from amongst the ten things).'

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) states that, 'The person who imitates a nation is from amongst them.' 

Go against the polytheists
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'Act against (contrary) to the polytheists, trim closely the moustache and grow the beard.' 

Raised with those who you follow
'Abd-Allah Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) states that, 'He who imitates the non-believers and dies in that state, will be raised up with them on the day of resurrection.'
Allahu Akbar! Our desire should be that we are raised with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and those who follow his Sunnah. If we are from those who shave or trim it under a fist then how can we expect to be raised with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) when we deliberately go against his Sunnah'

Lengthening the beard and shortening the moustache
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'lengthen the beard and shorten the moustache.'

'Abd-Allah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'Shorten the moustache and lengthen the beards.' 

Lengthen the beard and clip the moustache
Kisra, the King of Persia, after having read the letter sent by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) inviting him to accept Islam, ordered his sub-ordinate Bayon (Badhun), the governor of Yemen, to send two people to bring the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) before him. Bayon accordingly sent two Messengers who according to the fashion of those days were clean-shaven and had long moustaches. When they appeared on the scene in front of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) he very much disliked their unnatural appearances and said; 'Woe to you, Woe to you. Who ordered you to adopt such appearances'' They said; 'Our lord Kisra.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) then told them, 'My Rabb commanded me to lengthen my beard and clip my moustache.'

It is reported in a hadith: 'The one who sports a long moustache will be deprived of my intercession and Haudhe Kauthar . Munkar and Nakeer will be assigned to him with extreme wrath and indignation.'

Trim the moustache
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'Whoever does not trim his moustache is not from us.'
Mulla Ali Qari, (may Allah's Mercy be upon him) states that, 'We find from this hadith that the one who doesn't practise this Sunnah is to make him aware that he will not die as a Muslim.'
Allah Akbar! This is very serious and a warning for those who grow their moustaches too big and don't trim it.

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that, 'One should not delay more than forty days trimming the moustache and trimming the nails.'

Shaykh Ahmad Raza Khan (may Allah's mercy be upon him) writes: 'To grow the moustaches so long that it covers the lips is unlawful and is the practise of the polytheists, the Jews, and the fire worshippers.'

Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would trim the moustache and Prophet Ibraheem (upon whom be peace) did the same.
We should not grow our moustache, but trim them and should abstain from shaving it as Imam Malik (may Allah's mercy be upon him) would detest those who shaved their moustaches.

Not from us
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'Whoever does not practise my Sunnah is not from me.'
What state will that person die if he dose not follow the Sunnah of growing a beard' Make the intention and do not shave any more, nor trim the beard under a fist. Allah (The Exalted) will reward you and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) will be pleased.

I have nothing to do with them'
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'I have no connection with one that shaves, shouts, and tears his clothing e.g. in grief or affection.'
We can make as many excuses as we want, about work, marriage, I'm too young etc. these are all from Shaytan. One does not know when one will die, but without warning. We need to be prepared for it, Insha-Allah! When everyone including the Prophet's will be helpless, we will finally go to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and if he sees us without a beard or it being under a fist, who will we turn for assistants' We may shave to please the people of the world but think of our position in the hereafter.

Scrapping The Feeling
Once a person from Iran read the poetry of Mirza Kateel and thought he must be pious and decided to meet him. So he left Iran to visit this person. Coincidentally Mirza was at the barber's and the barber was shaving his beard. Looking at this he was feeling uncomfortable and said in anger, 'Shame, you are taking of your beard!' Mirza replied, 'Yes I am getting my beard shaven, I am not scraping anyone's feeling!' this person replied, 'Yes, you are scraping the feeling of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him) peace.' Mirza fainted after hearing this and when he became conscious he said, 'Jazakallah for bringing me on the right way, you have opened my eyes.' 

Making plans whilst apposing the Sunnah
A youngster from Bangladesh once had a beard. He was like any other youngster and was soon going to get married. His parents told him to shave the beard of, so he went to the barber's and unfortunately had it shaved off. Whilst on his way back home he was crossing a railway line and was hit by a train. All the plans for the wedding went down the drain. What use where the parents' He did not marry nor did he have a beard.
Allahu Akbar! What face will he show to Allah (The Exalted) and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)' Wake up brothers; put all the excuses to one side. No one can say that if you have a beard you will not find a partner, remember that whatever Allah (The Exalted) has written for you no-one can change and if it is written that you will not get a partner than no-one can change that. The excuse that I will keep a beard after I marry, or I am not ready, or when I get old, I need to enjoy myself etc. are all from the Shaytan so don't fall in this trap!

Those brothers who keep short beards, pencil lines or under a fist length etc. should be aware that is not permissible and there is no reward in it. However, that brother who keeps a complete beard according to the Sunnah gets reward throughout the day and knight regardless of if he is sleeping. As soon as you become an adult and the beard starts to grow it is necessary (Wajib) to keep it. Whether the beard be in patches and only grows from one area you should not shave it. The teacher of the great Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (may Allah's Mercy be upon him), his beard was short with some long strands of hair. Some brothers shave so that their hairs grow quicker, this is a trick from the Shaytan don't fall in this trap. Soon as the beard starts to grow do not shave it.

Shaytan's trap
In the hadith it states that, 'When a man reaches forty and his bad deeds surpass his good, meaning the habit of bad deeds does not leave him, the devil strokes his face and says, 'May I be sacrificed on this face as he will not come on the straight path.'
May Allah (The Exalted) save us from the devils deception, Ameen!

The beard
Shaykh Ahmad Raza Khan (may Allah's mercy be upon him) has written a book called 'Lam'atud Duha Fi I'fail Luha' on the importance of the beard. He has proved from this book that to keep a beard is necessary. He has quoted eighteen verses from the Qur'an, seventy two hadith and sixty sayings of the pious predecessors. However, in his other works he has mentioned regarding the size of the beard. Of which the conclusion is as follows; the hair that grows from near the ear, the jaw and the chin is included in the beard (to keep a goatee is not expectable). The width is from between the ear and the cheek. Any hair on the cheek area i.e. under the eyes is not counted as a part of the beard and can be removed if it disfigures the face. If the hair around the cheek areas does not grow too long then there is not a need to remove this hair. These are separate by nature and not part of the beard. 

Practise of the Companions
It was the practise of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he would hold his beard in his fist and whatever was left he would trim it.

Marwan bin Saalim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I saw ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) taking his beard in his fist and what exceeded the fist he would trim.

It was the practise of 'Abd-Allah Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he would hold his beard in his fist and whatever was left he would trim it

Ahnaf bin Qays was a wise, he was disabled in one leg, blind in one eye and his beard did not grow at all. His companions were not disappointed with him being diabled or one eyed but very depressed because his beard did not grow, to the extent they would say that we desire that only if a beard was available for 20,000 then we would buy it for Hadhrat Ahnaf (may Allah be pleased with him).

The pious had so much love for the beard, what a time it is that keeping a beard is seen to be a shortcoming. If someone wants to grow a beard then it is as if the Day of Judgment has come. The parents go against, brothers and sisters do not co-operate, the wives and friends tease. Just think for a moment, the beard is a Sunnah of whom we pray the Kalima of, who we believe in, when Allah (The Exalted) has given someone the ability, who are we to discourage them. Those who joke or tease others about their beards, remember! No-one has lived here forever nor will they do so. We will have to face Allah (The Exalted) and His beloved (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), what face will we show'

Rules and regulations of the beard
'Abd-Allah Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would cut that portion (which exceeds the grip of the hand) of beard. Imam Muhammad (may Allah's mercy be upon him) states that, 'Our practise is on this hadith and Imam Azam (may Allah's mercy be upon him) has said this too.'

The Hanifies say, 'To shorten the beard less than a fists length is haraam, strictly forbidden and on this is a consensus of opinion.' Also the 'Beard length is one fist.'

Ibn Jazm Zahari (may Allah be pleased with him) writes, 'To clip the moustache and to let the beard flow (grow) is Fardh (obligatory).'

Shaykh 'Abd al-Haqq Muhaddith Dehelwi (may Allah's Mercy be upon him) says that; 'It is necessary (wajib) to wear a beard to a fist's length, it is Sunnah that is the practice of all Prophets and is proven from the Messenger of Allah's (The Exalted) practice.'

Forbidden to trim under a fist
Ibn 'Abideen Hanafi (may Allah be pleased with him) said that, 'It is forbidden for a man to cut (i.e. trim) his beard.' (Less then a fist)

'No one has called it permissible to trim it (the beard) less than fist-length as is being done by some westernised Muslims and hermaphrodites.'

'It is forbidden (haraam) for a man to cut off another's beard.' Those who are barbers', need to take this seriously, as those who cut the beards of others' are part in committing this major sin and that earning is also unlawful.

In Hidaya 'Kitabur Riyaat' it state that, 'If someone shaves of someone else's beard it falls in the same category as cutting of someone's ears or nose and the compensation for this is the same as cutting someone's ears or nose. Such people are completely empty from the Mercy of Allah (The Exalted).'
Hence, a barber (who would shave beards) was encouraged to recite the Shahadah at the time of death, Allah forbid swore at the Shahadah and died. When the grave was dug for him it was filled with scorpions, another grave was dug and that was also filled with scorpions, he was buried in a grave full of scorpions. Allahu Akbar!

Hair below the lip
Shaykh Ahmad Raza Khan (may Allah's mercy be upon him) further writes of which the conclusion is; the hair underneath the lower lip is also part of the beard. The hair below the bottom lip is included in the beard, it is not permissible to shave or trim it. Shah 'Abdul Aziz Muhaddis Dehelwi (may Allah's mercy be upon him) states in Sirate Mustaqeem and Shaykh 'Abdul Haq in 'Madarijun Nabuwa' that ' 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, decreed that all persons who remove the hair below the bottom lip as 'Mardoodush Shahaadah,' meaning those whose testimony is rejected.' It is not permissible to shave even the sides of the mouth. The scholars have explained that to shave these hairs is a bidat. Someone gave evidence to 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-Aziz (may Allah be pleased with him) who would remove the hair from the sides, and he rejected his evidence. However, it is permissible to cut the hair from these hairs if it is a problem whilst eating, drinking or gargling.

Keeping the Beard according to the Hanafi Madhab
Imam ibn Humaam (may Allah's mercy be upon him) has mentioned that nobody has permitted the trimming of the beard lesser than a fist length.

The Shafi'i Madhab
Imam Nawawi Shafi'i (may Allah's mercy be upon him) states that, 'The correct view (according to the Shafi'i Madhab) is to let the beard to grow and it is Makrooh to trim the beard whatsoever.'

In another place Imam Nawawi Shafi'i (may Allah's mercy be upon him) states that, 'The most eminent view is to leave the beard and do not trim the beard whatsoever nor shave it.'

Imam al-Iraaqi Shafi'i (may Allah's mercy be upon him) states that, '' the best is to leave the beard totally and not to cut anything from it at all, and this is the view of Imaam al-Shafi'i and his students.'

These are quotations from two great scholars of the Shafi'i Madhab that do not permit the trimming of the beard at all, not even upto one fist. 

The Maaliki Madhab
Imam Muhammad 'Ayshi Maaliki (may Allah's mercy be upon him) states that, 'To keep a beard is natural and we have been ordered to let it grow. However, if it exceeds a fist then there is no problem in trimming it.'

Imaam Abul-Waleed al-Baaji al-Maaliki (may Allah's mercy be upon him) has stated that: 'It has been narrated from Imaam Maalik (may Allah's mercy be upon him) that he permitted the slight trimming of those hairs that are overgrown and are outside the general growth of the rest of the hair, and that Imaam Maalik (may Allah's mercy be upon him) was asked about a beard that had grown extremely long, he replied that it be trimmed a bit.'
Imaam Abul-Waalid Maaliki (may Allah's mercy be upon him) explains the following, 'And it has been narrated from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with them) that they trimmed upto one fist.' Hence, this is what was meant by Imaam Maalik (may Allah's mercy be upon him).'

Imaam al-Qurtubi al-Maaliki (may Allah's mercy be upon him) has also mentioned something similar to this in his commentary of Sahih Muslim. 

The Hanbali Madhab
'The Sunnah is to leave the beard, to the extent do not trim even a little until it gets too long and out of nature. To shave it is completely forbidden. Hence it is not disliked to trim after a fist.'

Imaam Saamiri Hanbali (may Allah's mercy be upon him) ' who is an expert Hanbali Faqeeh (jurists) - states: 'And he should not trim any bit from the beard except if he wishes to do so upto the extent of one fist. However, it will be best if he doesn't do so.'

Another Hanbali scholar, Imaam Shamsuddeen al-Maqdisi (may Allah be pleased with him) states that, 'It is forbidden to shave the beard and it is not Makrooh to trim what is in excess of a fist's length' because this is supported by the practice of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).'

Similar verdicts are found in other sources of Hanbali Fiqh such as al-Mubdi of ibn Muflih, al-Insaaf of al-Maawardi; Kashful Qinaa, etc.

It is clear from all these quotations that it is permissible to trim the beard only up to a fist length. No one has explicitly mentioned that it is permissible to trim the beard lesser than a fist length. In fact, according to some of these quotations, it will be better not to trim the beard at all.

Hafiz ibn Jareer al-Tabari (may Allah's mercy be upon him) has stated that some Ulama have totally disliked that one trims his beard at all, while others have permitted trimming upto a fist length. 

To shave is haraam
To shave off the beard is forbidden (haraam) and one who shaves his beard is legally speaking an unrighteous fellow (fasiq-open sinner); hence, it is not permissible to appoint such a man as an Imam. To pray Taraweeh or any Salaah behind such an Imam is Makrooh-e-Tehrimi (near prohibition). If prayed it is necessary to repeat the prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) states that, 'Anyone who shaves has no claim to the Mercy of Allah (The Exalted).'

'The beard in its time (i.e. when it begins to grow) is the cause of handsomeness and adornment, which is completely lost upon shaving it.' 

How to measure
Take the beard in your fist that is below the chin and take it towards the throat. Grip all the hair into your fist and in your hand you should only have a fist full of hair. Make sure no part of your hand is touching the chin. The hair that is below the fist can be trimmed. 

Manner of the Beard
1. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) blessed beard was so thick and long that it filled his blessed chest.
2. To trim off the beard in excess of one fist length so that it becomes neat and tidy.
3. To trim the moustache. (The hair of the moustache should not be allowed to reach the lip.) Imam Malik and Imam Shafi'i detested those who shaved their moustache.
4. The moustache be trimmed in such a manner that it looks similar to the eyebrows.
5. To dye the hair with 'henna' leaves (red colour) or to simply leave it white.
6. To keep the moustache hair long from the sides is no problem. Some pious people would keep their moustache in this manner.
7. The hair and nails should be buried and to flush them is disliked (Makrooh) as there is a chance of illness spreading.
8. To use black dye is forbidden and to use henna is permissible.
9. Four things should be buried, blood, hair, nails and the cloth that has been used for the menstrual period (Haiz).

May Allah (The Exalted) give us to true love of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and to keep a beard a fist in length, Ameen.