Questions on Beard

Is it correct to assume for a beardless person that he doesn't like Prophet's face? Is its correct to think/assume that a beardless person can't be a good Muslim? Can a man be "Muttaqi" with out beard?

What is the role/effect of dressing and physical appearance on "Taqwa"?

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Answer:

Concept of Beard

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no da'i, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Growing a beard was considered normal and natural for a man at the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws), whether he was a believer or not. Even the enemies of Islam like Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab had beards! And because every man naturally grew a beard, it was not necessary for the Prophet (saws) to give an explicit command exhorting the believers to grow a beard.

The only specific saying of the Prophet (saws) regarding the keeping of beards arose when he saw that the pagans used to grow both their beards and their mustaches long; thus he (saws) said to the believers:

Ibn `Umar related that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Differ from the polytheists: let your beards (grow), and shave your moustache."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

It was only a couple of centuries ago, when the western culture and ideology became dominant over the world and Muslim lands, that it became a fashion to be clean shaven. And as with any dominant culture, people are always ready to adopt its actions, whether they are of virtue, or of vice! But Islam has its own culture, and growing a beard is part of the Islamic culture.

The question is why should a believer, who professes to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and who professes to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), want to grow a beard?

The answer is simple. Today, you might have seen many youngsters copy the fashion of sport-stars, Hollywood-stars or anybody else whom they love. If you notice today, many hot Hollywood stars and sport stars are sporting a "goatie" beard! And true to fashion, you see a lot of people around today who keep "goatie" beards!!! As Muslims, our role model should always be the Prophet (saws). We love to copy everything he did ... he had a beard, and if indeed, we want to follow the Messenger of Allah (saws), we should strive to grow a beard.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:

There is indeed the best model for you in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person who looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

In another narration, the Prophet of Allah said in narrating a prophecy of times to come:

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.651 Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri

The Prophet (saws) said: “There will emerge from the East some people, who will recite the Quran, but it will not exceed their throats, and who will go out of the deen of Islam as an arrow passes through the game. They will never come back to it unless the arrow comes back to the middle of the bow by itself (i.e. impossible!). The companions asked, "What will their signs be?" The Prophet (saws) said: "Their sign will be the habit of shaving off of their beards".

Thus the keeping of beards is a Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) and every Muslim must strive to keep a beard, if his model is indeed the Prophet of Allah (saws). He will get his due reward from Allah, Insha Allah, if he keeps the beard to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

But if a believer does not want to sport a beard for whatever reason, the other believers should not make an issue out of it. What is important in Islam and in the sight of Allah is that one truly believes and does good righteous deeds. And when that happens, it is expected that the beard will follow soon after!

The beard is nothing more than a sign that the believer truly wants to follow a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws). There are many people who have long beards, but do deeds against the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws). And there are many people who are amongst the best believers, but do not have beards! Allah will not decide the recipient of His Mercy and His Forgiveness from the appearance of the individual; but rather He will decide whether the person believed and did righteous deeds, as he was commanded by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Your Question: Is it correct to assume for a beardless person that he doesn't like Prophet's face? Is its correct to think/assume that a beardless person can't be a good Muslim?

It would be incorrect to assume that a beardless person does not like the Prophet’s noble face or to assume that a beardless person cannot be a good Muslim.

The most that can be said about a believer who chooses not to sport a beard is that he missed a great opportunity to earn huge rewards from Allah Subhanah for following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.

Your Question: Can a man be "Muttaqi" with out beard?

’Taqwa’ or God-consciousness is a state of the heart and has absolutely nothing to do with one’s actual physical appearance. It is Allah Subhanah Alone Who will determine who was indeed a ‘Muttaqee’ and who was not on the Day of Judgment.

Your Question: What is the role/effect of dressing and physical appearance on "Taqwa"?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah A'raaf verse 26:

26 O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to you, but the raiment of ‘Taqwa’ (righteousness): that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah that they may receive admonition!

The body is created pure and beautiful, as long as it is not defiled by misuse. Its clothing and ornaments may be good or meretricious, according to the motives and intentions of the one who wears them. If good, they are the symbols of purity and beauty: but the best clothing and ornament we could have comes from ‘Taqwa’ (piety, righteousness, God-consciousness, etc.) which covers the nakedness of sin, and adorns us with virtues.

If one adorns himself with the clothing and appearance of righteousness, one will be constantly reminded that he is in the uniform of Islam and it does not befit or behoove a person in uniform and on duty to transgress the laws of Allah and His Messenger (saws). For example, if a man sporting a Sunnah beard were to drink wine or approach ‘zina’, his appearance should immediately strike and make him remember that he is in the uniform of Islam and on active duty, and it does not behoove him to transgress the boundaries of Allah and His Messenger (saws).

In our humble opinion, dressing and appearance righteously should have a positive impact on the person. But having said that, there are many amongst the believers who adorn the best of righteous garments and have long flowing beards, but their deeds are not in alignment at all to the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws). And there are many who dress casually, but have sincere ‘taqwa’ and sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day. Allah will not decide the recipient of His Mercy and His Forgiveness from the appearance of the individual; but rather He will decide whether the person believed and did righteous deeds, as he was commanded by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Al-Muwatta Hadith 15.10

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Harith at-Taymi from Abu Salama ibn Abd ar Rahman that Abu Said said that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say, "A group of people will appear among you whose (outward appearance of) prayer, fasting and deeds will make you think little of your own prayer, fasting and deeds. They will recite the Qur'an, but it will not get past their throats (ie. they will not act on it), and they will pass through the religion like an arrow passes through game! You look at the arrowhead and you see nothing, and you look at the shaft and you see nothing, and you look at the flights, and you see nothing. And you are in doubt about the notch!"

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan

Source: q&a@islamhelpline.com