Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
My question relates to shaving for men and is in 3 parts.
- Is shaving your facial hair on your chin and cheeks ḥarām?
- Am I sinning by not having a beard?
- Is having a beard a fard in Islam or a sunnah?
Answer:
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for your question.
Majority Islamic scholars of all schools of jurisprudence regard keeping some length of the beard as an emphasised prophetic practice (Sunnah muakkadah).
Ibn ‘Omar (may Allāh be pleased with him) would keep his beard a fist length, trimming the excess. Thus, trimming some hair of the sunnah beard to ensure neatness is acceptable.
Completely shaving the facial hair on the chin and cheeks is considered contrary to the Prophetic practice, for men.
Ibn ‘Omar (may Allāh be pleased with him) relates from the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) that he said,
“Do otherwise than those who ascribe partners to Allāh; leave beards, and trim mustaches”. (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Whenever Ibn ‘Omar (may Allāh be pleased with him) went on Ḥajj or ‘Umrah, he would grasp his beard with his hand, and remove what was in excess of it. (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
And Allāh Knows Best
