The Rulings of The Beard and Mustache
Muhammad Umar Mustafa
via www.themadinanway.com
Summary
In the Maliki school, it is a sunnah and most preferred to lengthen the beard and trim its excess when it gets too long, and recommended to keep it at least fist length (to leave difference of opinion in the school itself). It is prohibited to shave it off completely, and merely permissible to trim/shorten (not shave) the beard without a specific limit under the following preconditions:
- That the person does not resemble a woman, small child or a hermaphrodite when trimmed.
- That the person does not completely shave the beard off.
- That the goatee and sides of the face should be left alone unless they get too long then one may trim them; accordingly, other wise it must be left there.
The beard in the opinion of the Maliki school refers to that hair which is on the two jaw-bones and the chin [1]. The neck hair may be completely removed if one desires. It is haram by consensus to remove the hair on the sides of the face. However, whatever is above the jawbone - such as the upper cheek hair - may be removed.
Evidences
روى الإمام مالك – رحمه الله - في الموطأ برواتي يحي بن يحي اللّيثي و أبي مصعب الزهري وغيرهما عن أبي بكر بن نافع عن أبيه عن عبد الله بن عمر أن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أمر بإحفاء الشوارب وإعفاء اللحى
Imam Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi and Abu Musab az-Zuhri relate in their transmission of "The Muwatta" of Imam Malik ibn Anas: Abu Bakr ibn Nafi' relates from his father who relates from Abdullah ibn Umar who said,
The Prophet ﷺ commanded the trimming of the mustache and the lengthening of the beard.[The Muwatta of Imam Malik ibn Anas, Riwayat Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi - Abu Musab Az-Zuhri]
وفي موطأ مالك من رواية محمد بن الحسن الشيباني تلميذ أبي حنيفة أخبرنا مالك، حدثنا نافع: أن ابن عمر كان إذا حلق في حج أو عمرة أخذ من لحيته (أي من طولها وعرضها،) ومن شاربه
Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ash-Shaybani, who was the student of Imam Abu Hanifa, relates from Imam Malik ibn Anas who relates from Nafi' who relates from Abdullah ibn Umar that when he shaved his head after Hajj or Umrah, he also trimmed from his beard (from its length and width) and his mustache.
Note: Ash-Shaybani added:
''This is not compulsory, (trimming the beard after removing the ihram) [therefore] whoever wishes to do so may go ahead and carry out this action, and whoever wishes to he may leave it." In Imam Malik's view, it is merely mustahabb [recommended] to trims one's mustache and beard after ihram.
[The Muwatta of Imam Malik ibn Anas, Riwayat Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan Ash-Shaybani]
قال ابن عبد البر في التمهيد : أخبرنا أحمد بن عبد الله بن محمد قال حدثنا أبي قال حدثنا محمد ابن فطيس قال حدثنا يحيى بن إبراهيم قال حدثنا يحيى بن يحيى قال : رأيت الليث بن سعد يخضب بالحناء قال ورأيت مالك بن أنس لا يغير الشيب وكان نقي البشرة ناصع بياض الشيب حسن اللحية لا يأخذ منها من غير أن يدعها تطول
Ibn Abdul Barr said in his work, The Tamhid:
Ahmad ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad informed us that his father informed us who was informed by Muhammad ibn Futais who was informed by Yahya ibn Ibrahim who relates from Imam Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi, who said, "I saw Imam Al-Layth ibn Sa'd dying his hairs with henna, and he said, 'I saw Imam Malik ibn Anas not dying his white hairs, and he was an immaculate, clean person with white hairs, and an excellent beard, he did not take anything off of it except that which was excessively long.'''[At-Tamhid of Ibn Abdul Barr]
وقال في الاستذكار :وفي أخذ ابن عمر من آخر لحيته في الحج دليل على جواز الأخذ من اللحية في غير الحج؛ لأنه لو كان غير جائز ما جاز في الحج، لأنهم أمروا أن يحلقوا أو يقصروا إذا حلوا محل حجهم ما نهوا عنه في حجهم. وابن عمر روى عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم "أعفوا اللحى" وهو أعلم بمعنى ما روى، فكان المعنى عنده وعند جمهور العلماء الأخذ من اللحية ما تطاير. والله أعلم
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr said in his book, Al-Istidhkar:
And in Abdullah ibn Umar's removing of the excess of his beard is a proof of the permissiblity of trimming the beard outside of Hajj, because if it were not permissible, it would also not be permissible during Hajj. They [the Sahaba] commanded to shave or trim when they exit the ihram that which they were prohibited from shaving or trimming during the ihram, and Abdullah ibn Umar was the same person who narrated the hadith from the Prophet ﷺ, "Lengthen the beard." and he is well aware of what he himself narrated, and the meaning with him and with the majority of the ulama is to trim from the beard what grows excessively long.[Al-Istidhkar]
وروى البيهقي في "السنن الكبرى" بسنده عن "عبد العزيز بن عبد الله الأويسي قال : ذكر مالك بن أنس إحفاء بعض الناس شواربهم فقال : ينبغي أن يضرب من صنع ذلك ، فليس حديث النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في الإحفاء ، ولكن يبدي حرف الشفتين والفم .
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah said:
He mentioned to Imam Malik ibn Anas the action of shaving the entire mustache as some people do. He said, 'It is befitting to discipline whoever does that, the hadith of the Prophet does not refer to shaving the mustache rather it refers to removing what is on the brink of the lips and mouth (meaning no hair should be beyond them).'[Sunan Al-Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi, Fath Al-Bari]
قال القاضي عياض إعفاء اللحية وقص الشارب كالسنة الواحدة؛ إذ هو كالعضو الواحد
Qadi Iyad ibn Musa al-Yahsubi said:
[Ikmal Al-Mu'lim bi Fawaid Muslim]The growing of the beard and the trimming of the mustache are like one sunnah, similar to one limb.
وقال مالك بن أنس : حلق الشارب بدعة ظهرت في الناس " انتهى باختصار .
Imam Malik ibn Anas said:
The complete shaving of the mustache is an innovation which has appeared amongst the people.[Sunan Al-Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi, Fath Al-Bari]
وقال أبو الوليد الباجي في "المنتقى شرح الموطأ": روى ابن عبد الحكم عن مالك : ليس إحفاء الشارب حلقه ، وأرى أن يؤدب من حلق شاربه . وروى أشهب عن مالك : حلقُهُ مِن البدع .
Abu Walid Al-Baji said in his book, "Al-Muntaqa Sharh Al-Muwatta",
Imam Ibn Abdul Hakm narrates from Imam Malik, who said: "The trimming of the mustache is not its complete shaving; my opinion is that whoever shaves his mustache completely should be disciplined.'' Imam Ashab narrates from Imam Malik: "Its shaving is an innovation.''[Al-Muntaqa Sharh Al-Muwatta]
قال سحنون في المدونة قلت لابن القاسم : هل كان مالك يوجب على المحرم إذا حلَّ من احرامه أن يأخذ من لحيته و شاربه و أظفاره؟ قال: "لم يكن يوجبه ولكن كان يستحب إذا حلق أن يقلِّم و أن يأخذ من شاربه و لحيته، وذكر مالك أنّ ابن عمر كان يفعله"
Imam Sahnun said:
I said to Imam Abdurahman Ibn Al-Qasim Al-Utaqi, "Did Imam Malik impose on the Muhrim when he leaves the ihram that he has to remove his beard, mustache, and nails?" He said, "He did not impose it, however, he preferred a person when he shaves (after the ihram) to cut some of his beard and mustache, and he mentioned that Abdullah ibn Umar used to do so."
[Al-Mudawwanah Al-Kubra]
قال الباجي المالكي:وقد استحبَّ ذلك مالكٌ -رحمه الله-؛ لأنَّ الأخذ منها على وجه لا يغيِّر الخِلْقَةَ من الجمال، والاستئصال لهما -أي: الرأس واللحية- مُثْلَة كحلق رأس المرأة فمنع من استئصالهما أو أن يقع فيهما ما يُغيِّر الخلقة ويُؤدِّي إلى المثلة، وأمَّا ما تزايد منها وخرج عن حدِّ الجمال إلى حدِّ التشعُّت وبقاؤه مثلة، فإنَّ أخذه مشروع المنتقى للباجي:
Imam Al-Baji Al-Maliki said:
Imam Malik preferred shaving from the excess of one's hair. However, taking from it is upon the premise of it not changing a person's physiognomy, like shaving the beard off completely for a man and shaving the hair of the head off for a woman. Doing these actions leads to resemblance of the opposite sex [so if trimming the beard makes a man resemble a woman then it is haram to trim it]. As for what increases from the beard and exits from the limitation of beauty to shagginess, then trimming it is permissible.
[Al-Sharh Al-Muntaqa Ala Muwatta]
[Note] As for when someone has only a short beard, Imam Al-Adawi relates that some commentators rule that trimming such a beard is haram (forbidden) just like shaving. Then Imam Al-‘Adawi states that the apparent context of this opinion is premised on whether or not trimming or shaving it produces disfigurement Muthlah – like if doing so makes a man look like a woman. So if disfigurement occurs, it would be haram. Otherwise, there is no objection according to him and Imam Nafarawi, and he mentions that the known opinion is that there is no limitation for trimming (besides what has been mentioned before). However, he also mentions that Imam Abu Walid Al-Baji's opinion is that one should not cut below the fist-length.
As for the goatee, the hair of this area should not be touched at all.
وكيع عن أبي هلال قال : سألت الحسن وابن سيرين فقالا : لا بأس به أن تأخذ من طول لحيتك.
"There is no problem in a person trimming the length of his beard."
[Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah]
حدثنا وكيع عن سفيان عن منصور عن إبراهيم قال : كانوا يطيبون لحاهم ويأخذون من عوارضها
Waki' related from Sufyan al-Thawri who related from Mansur who related that Ibrahim an-Nakhai' said:
"They [the sahaba] used to make their beards look appealing, and they used to trim its sides."
[Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah]
التمهيد للحافظ ابن عبد البر:" لا بأس أن يأخذ ما تطاير من اللحية وشذ، قال ابن القاسم: فقيل لمالك: فإذا طالت جدا فإن من اللحى ما تطول ؟ قال : أرى أن يؤخذ منها وتقصر
Al-Hafidh Al-Maghrib Ibn Abdul Barr said:
There is no problem in removing what is elongated or deviated/abnormal from the beard. Ibn Al-Qasim said: "It was said to Imam Malik: 'If it [the beard] has become very long, what should one do?' He said: 'My opinion is that one should take from it and shorten it.'"
[At-Tamhid of Ibn Abdul Barr]
قال ابن أبي زيد القيرواني في " الرسالة " وأمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن تعفى اللحية وتوفر ولا تقص قال مالك ولا بأس بالأخذ من طولها إذا طالت كثيرا وقاله غير واحد من الصحابة والتابعين
Imam Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani said in his Risalah:
The Prophet ﷺ commanded to lengthen the beard and that it be extended and not trimmed short. Imam Malik said: "There is no problem in taking from its excess length if it excessively grows out, and more than one from amongst the Sahaba and Tabiun have said this as well.'
[The Risalah of Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qayrawani]
وقال رحمه الله :ومن تحسين الهيئة قص الشارب واعفاء اللحية اما حلق اللحية فتشويه كتاب الاعلام لما في دين النصاري من الفساد
Imam Qurtubi said:
From the excellence of appearance is to trim one's mustache and lengthen one's beard. As for shaving it then if he does so, he has deformed himself (of his natural physiognomy).
[Kitab Al-A'lam Lima fi Din An-Nasara Min Al-Fasad]
قال عياض: يكره حلق اللحية وقصها وتحذيفها وأما الأخذ من طولها وعرضها إذا عظمت فحسن، بل تكره الشهرة في تعظيمها كما يكره في تقصيرها
Qadi Iyad ibn Musa al-Yahsubi said in his commentary on Sahih Muslim:
As for shaving the beard, it is makruh (muharrama - leaning towards haram). As for cutting from its length and width when it becomes [excessively] long, then that is good. It is makruh (muharrama) to let it be excessive just as it is makruh (muharrama) to shave it.[Ikmal Al-Mu'lim bi Fawaid Muslim]
[Note] This is not the mashur view of the Maliki school, which is that shaving the beard is haram. Many scholars have noted that Qadi Iyad intended the word يحرم when using the word كره as used in the Quran. Imam Zarkashi said in his tafsir, "Al-Bahr Al-Muhit", that the word makruh has four different usages in language - one them being haram. To prove this, he mentioned the ayah:
"All of that - its evil is ever, in the sight of your Lord, detested." (Qurʾān, 17:38)
وقال النفراوي في " الفواكه الدواني " : " وأمر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم, كما في موطأ مالك بأن تعفى اللحية, أي يوفر شعرها ويبقى من غير إزالة لشيء منها , فقوله " توفر ولا تقص " تفسير لما قبله وذكره لزيادة البيان , والمتبادر من قوله أمر الوجوب , وهو كذلك إذ يحرم حلقها إذا كانت لرجل, وأما قصها فإن لم تكن طالت فكذلك , وأما لو طالت كثيرا فأشار إلى حكمه بقوله "قال مالك ولا بأس بالأخذ من طولها إذا طالت"
Imam Ahmad An-Nafarawi said in his commentary, Al-Fawakih Al-Dawani, on the Risalah of Abdullah Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qayrawani:
The Prophet ﷺ commanded as is mentioned in the hadith of the Muwatta, to lengthen the beard, meaning to let it spread and let it stay without removing anything from it. As for Imam Abdullah's saying in the Risalah, 'To let it spread and not trim it', it is there to express what comes before it and he mentioned it for more expression in his deliverance to show it compulsion. Its cutting is haram for a man. As for its trimming, if it is not long then it is also prohibited, as for when it is very long then he points to its injunction with his saying, "Imam Malik said, 'There is no problem in taking from its excess length if it excessively grows out.'"[Al-Fawakih Al-Dawani]
وقال العدوي في حاشيته على " كفاية الطالب " : " قوله لأن حلقهما بدعة , أي بدعة محرمة للحية في حق الرجل , وأما المرأة فقد تقدم أنه يجب عليها حلق لحيتها "
Imam Al-Adawi says in his footnotes on Kifayat at-Talib:
His saying [Imam Abdullah's] is due to the fact that shaving both of them is an innovation, meaning a prohibited innovation for a man to shave his beard. As for a woman, it has been mentioned before that it is compulsory for her to shave her beard (as well as the mustache according to the mashur of the Maliki school).[Hashiyat Al-Adawi Ala Kifayat At-Talib Ar-Rabbani]
وقال العلامة زروق رحمه الله في شرحه على الرسالة : " ومعنى توفر تترك على حالهادون نقص لانها وجه الانسا ن و زينته و يمنع حلقها و حلق الشيب منها "
Imam Zarruq said in his commentary on the Risalah of Ibn Abi Zayd:
The meaning of "letting it grow" is that you leave it in its natural state without lessening it because it is from the appearance of man and his trademark and beauty, and its shaving is prohibited. and likewise removing/shaving the white hairs.[Sharh Az-Zarruq Ala-Risalah Ibn Abi Zayd]
قال عليش في " منح الجليل " : " ويحرم على الرجل حلق اللحية والشارب ويؤدب فاعله ويجب حلقهما على المرأة على المعتمد ".
Imam Muhammad Al-Illyish Al-Azhari said in his book, Manh Al-Jalil:
It is prohibited for a man to to shave his beard and his mustache and those who do so are disciplined, and the removal of both of them is compulsory for a woman according to mashur of the Maliki school.[Manh Al-Jalil]
وقال الحطاب في " مواهب الجليل " : " وحلق اللحية لا يجوز وكذلك الشارب وهو مثلة وبدعة ويؤدب من حلق لحيته أو شاربه إلا أن يريد الإحرام بالحج ويخشى طول شاربه ".
Imam al-Hattab said in his book, Al-Mawahib Al-Jalil:
The shaving of the beard is not permissible and similarly the mustache, and doing so is a reprehensible innovation. And whoever shaves them is disciplined, except for the one who intends to don the ihram for Hajj or Umrah and he fears that his beard will grow excessively long.[Al-Mawahib Al-Jalil Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil]
وفي " حاشية الدسوقي على الشرح الكبير" قال : " تنبيه: يحرم على الرجل حلق لحيته أو شاربه ويؤدَّب فاعل ذلك ".
Imam ad-Dasuqi said:
It is prohibited for a person to completely shave his beard or his mustache, and the perpetrator of that is disciplined.
[Hashiyat Ad-Dasuqi Ala Sharh Al-Kabir]
قال القرافي – رحمه الله - في الذخيرة وتترك اللحية لما في بعض الأخبار: إن لله ملائكة يقولون : سبحان من زيّن بني آدم باللحى...قال ابن يونس:من أحفى شاربه يوجع ضربا لأنها بدعة
Imam Al-Qarafi said:
A person lets the beard grow for what is in some narrations: "Indeed the angels say, 'Glorified be the one who beautified the sons of Adam with beards.'" Imam Ibn Yunus said: 'Whoever shaves his mustache is disciplined because doing so is an innovation.''
[Dhakira of Imam Al-Qarafi]
قال الباجي– رحمه الله- في المنتقى وقوله – صلى الله عليه وسلم - (اعفوا اللحى) ...يحتمل عندي أن يريد أن تعفى اللحى من الإحفاء؛ لأن كثرتها أيضا ليس بمأمور بتركه
Imam Al-Baji says in commentary on the Muwatta, Al-Muntaqa, in reference to the saying of the Prophet ﷺ, "Grow the beard.":
It is my opinion that the Prophet intended for the beards to be long, but not excessively long and leaving them in that condition is not what is ordered.[Al-Sharh Al-Muntaqa Ala Muwatta]
وقال ابن الحاجب في جامع الأمهات : وترك الأخذ من اللحية إلا أن تطول جداً
Imam Ibn Al-Hajib said:
And a person does not take anything from his beard unless it has grown very long. [2]
[Jami' Al-Ummahat]
Footnotes
[Site admin note]: I have slightly changed the article from its original in order to clean up the formatting and correct several grammatical mistakes.
[1] See Mukhtasar Khalil, Hashiyat al-Dasuqi ala Sharh al-Kabir and Manh al-Jalil.
[2] As aforementioned, the excessive length of a beard is determined by the urf (custom) of one's society.
[2] As aforementioned, the excessive length of a beard is determined by the urf (custom) of one's society.
