Fatwa ID: 01767
Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Question:
I am a young man with a beard and I am trying to fear Allah and do my duty to Him as much as I can. I graduated from the college of engineering a few years ago, then I started to look for work, but job opportunities in my country are very few and even where they exist the financial income is very little. Allah helped me to find a job in a foreign petroleum company which does not require shaving the beard, and there are workers and technicians with beards there, praise be to Allah. But the nature of my job will be in the petroleum fields themselves, and it is when known that during drilling there may be an emission of a poisonous gas called H2S, which requires wearing a gas mask which will not adhere firmly to the face because of the hair of the beard. I checked that out for myself by asking other foreign companies over the internet, and they replied that there is no gas mask that will work over a beard.
What is your opinion? I repeat that the company does not forbid beards at all, and this applies only in the petroleum fields in order to protect lives.
Answer:
A detailed article can be found on the Islamic ruling on keeping a beard by clicking on the following link:
http://daruliftabirmingham.co.uk/is-the-beard-wajib-or-not
There are three options for you regarding the aforementioned situation.
- Look for a gas mask that can be worn and is safe to wear with a beard.
- If that is not possible then look for another lawful and halal job where you would not be entailed to trim the beard.
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In the meantime, while you are looking for alternative employment, you will be permitted to trim the beard. Repent to Allah
for this shortcoming and make sincere dua to Allah to assist you in finding another job.
Only Allah Knows Best
Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham.
