Question:
AssalaamualaikumWaraghmatullah
Mufti
I have few queries>>>>>>>
1. Sometimes beardless or pencil line Qaaris come to our country. Can we attend the Qiraat shows which they have?
2. Can we listen to the Qiraat recitals of beardless Qaaris via the internet?
I myself have a beard, but I am a bit uncomfortable listening to the beardless Qari. I feel that the beardless Qari is being very disrespectful to Rasulullah (SallallahuAlayhiWasallam) and just because of that I feel that it is improper to listen or praise him. Listening will cause me to praise him. I heard some Aalims saying that shaving the beard is putting a blade in the heart of Rasulullah (SallallahuAlayhiWasallam). If I am wrong, please point out my errors in a nice manner to me.
Shukran
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
It is not permissible for one to trim the hair along the jawbone unless it exceeds a fistful[1]. Ulama have mentioned that it is wajib (obligatory) to grow the beard at least at fists’ length. The importance and benefits of keeping a beard have been recorded in many sayings from The Prophet (ﷺ). He repeatedly instructed the growing of a beard, and his own habitual and continuous practice was that of growing a full beard. Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abd Allah Radhiallahu Anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had a thick beard….” (Sahih Muslim)
Thus, the obligation of keeping a beard for Muslim men is clear from the many narrations. The Mujtahideen and the Fuqaha have decreed that it is wajib (compulsory) to keep a beard, as there is a common order mentioned in the Hadith proving wujoob (compulsion). Hence these narrations prove compulsion.
عن ابن عمر: عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال خالفوا المشركين وفروا اللحى وأحفوا الشوارب. وكان ابن عمر إذا حج أو اعتمر قبض على لحيته فما فضل أخذه (صحيح البخاري)
The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) has mentioned: “Oppose the Polytheists; lengthen the beards and trim the mustaches.”
Imam Naafi’ (Rahmatullah Alayh) goes on to mention: “And Ibn Umar (RadhAllahu Anhu) during Hajj or Umrah would take hold of his beard with his fist and cut off what was in excess of that.”(Al Bukhari)
عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ أَمَرَ بِإِحْفَاءِ الشَّوَارِبِ وَإِعْفَاءِ اللِّحْيَةِ
Ibn Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) said:
The Apostle of Allah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) ordered us to trim the moustache closely and spare the beard. (Sahih Muslim 259)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ جُزُّوا الشَّوَارِبَ وَأَرْخُوا اللِّحَى خَالِفُوا الْمَجُوسَ ”
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: Trim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers (Sahih Muslim 260)
It can thus be understood from the above that keeping a French beard or trimming the beard below a fist’s length or shaving it off is not permissible. The most important aspect of the beard is the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). We should strive to at least adopt the outer features of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and to make our faces resemble in some way the Mubaarak and blessed face of our beloved Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). Consider the following verse:
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ
Translation: There is definitely a beautiful (hasan) example in Allah’s Rasul (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). [33:21
Islam is a complete way of life. Just as all other aspects of Islam, social dealings also play a vital role in Islam. Guidelines regarding a person’s outer appearance, form and clothing are contained in the teachings of Islam. A true and complete Muslim is he who adheres to these Islamic teachings and practices upon them. While Allah the Almighty is aware of our inner qualities, there is a social need for our outer condition to be correct. Therefore, the claim of having complete Islam or love of the Prophet ﷺ or the Quraan without one’s outer condition being proper is false.
All the 4 Madhahib (schools of thought) agree that it is impermissible to trim or shave the beard to less than 1 fist length.
One who commits a wrong and sins openly, including the shaving of beard is a Faasiq. Such a person should not be held in esteem and honored due to the sinning[2]. However at the same time such Qaaris should not be disrespected, due to their connection with the Quraan.
There are many Qiraat recordings available of Qaaris who follow the Sunnah with beards. One may listen to such reciters instead.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)
www.fatwa-tt.com /www.jaamia.net
[1] An easy way to find out which part of the beard falls on the jawbone, is to open the mouth, then to feel along the beard. Wherever is hard, is the jawbone, while when you feel along the cheeks it is soft. This soft area may be trimmed.
[2] حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح (ص: 58)
واللحي منبت اللحية فوق عظم الأسنان لمن ليست له لحية كثيفة وفي حقه إلى ما لا قي البشرة من الوجه “وحده” أي الوجه “عرضا” بفتح العين مقابل الطول “ما بين شحمتا الأذنين”
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 193)
(قَوْلُهُ لَحْيَاهُ) تَثْنِيَةُ لَحْيٍ بِفَتْحِ اللَّامِ فِيهِمَا، وَهُوَ مَنْبَتُ اللِّحْيَةِ أَوْ الْعَظْمُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْأَسْنَانُ بَحْرٌ
[2] عن أنس قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ” إذا مدح الفاسق غضب الرب تعالى واهتز له العرش ” رواه البيهقي في ” شعب الإيمان ” (مشكاة رقم 4859)