Fatwa ID: 07524

Answered by Maulana Yusuf Khan

Question:

What is the the most followed opinion regarding the beard in the Hanafi Madhab?

Can one shave if it’s not growing well or not connected?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Ibn Umar reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Be different from the idolaters. Let the beard grow and trim the moustache.” Whenever Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, performed the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimage, he would grab hold of his beard and cut what was beyond his grasp. [1]

According to Hanafi Fiqh, even if the beard does not grow well or is not connected, it is still required to grow it rather than shave it off. The scholars emphasise that the beard should be left as a sign of adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ). The imperfections in growth do not provide a valid excuse for shaving. This is the relied-upon opinion in the Hanafi madh’hab. [2]

Only Allah knows best

Answered by Maulana Yusuf Khan

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Sahih al Bukhari – Hadeeth Number: 5553

عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ خَالِفُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَفِّرُوا اللِّحَى وَأَحْفُوا الشَّوَارِبَ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنه إِذَا حَجَّ أَوْ اعْتَمَرَ قَبَضَ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ فَمَا فَضَلَ أَخَذَهُ

[2] Raddul Muhtaar – V.2 P.418

(قَوْلُهُ: وَأَمَّا الْأَخْذُ مِنْهَا إلَخْ) بِهَذَا وَفَّقَ فِي الْفَتْحِ بَيْنَ مَا مَرَّ وَبَيْنَ مَا فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْهُ ﷺ «أَحْفُوا الشَّوَارِبَ وَاعْفُوا اللِّحْيَةَ» قَالَ: لِأَنَّهُ صَحَّ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَاوِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَأْخُذُ الْفَاضِلَ عَنْ الْقَبْضَةِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يُحْمَلْ

عَلَى النَّسْخِ كَمَا هُوَ أَصْلُنَا فِي عَمَلِ الرَّاوِي عَلَى خِلَافِ مَرْوِيِّهِ مَعَ أَنَّهُ رُوِيَ عَنْ غَيْرِ الرَّاوِي وَعَنْ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يُحْمَلُ الْإِعْفَاءُ عَلَى إعْفَائِهَا عَنْ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ غَالِبَهَا أَوْ كُلَّهَا كَمَا هُوَ فِعْلُ مَجُوسِ الْأَعَاجِمِ مِنْ حَلْقِ لِحَاهُمْ، وَيُؤَيِّدُهُ مَا فِي مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْهُ ﷺ «جُزُّوا الشَّوَارِبَ وَاعْفُوا اللِّحَى خَالِفُوا الْمَجُوسَ» فَهَذِهِ الْجُمْلَةُ وَاقِعَةٌ مَوْقِعَ التَّعْلِيلِ، وَأَمَّا الْأَخْذُ مِنْهَا وَهِيَ دُونَ ذَلِكَ كَمَا يَفْعَلُهُ بَعْضُ الْمَغَارِبَةِ، وَمُخَنَّثَةُ الرِّجَالِ فَلَمْ يُبِحْهُ أَحَدٌ اهـ مُلَخَّصًا. .