Follow Up to Growing a Beard

Question

Broad minded people like you say it is not obligatory but highly recommended. When I see Muslim man with a nice looking beard I want to grow, but when I see someone who has a leprechaun looking beard I say no way. Most scholars I know say beard can be trimmed less than fist length but not too short like a five o clock shadow when you have not shaven for a few days and also that it can also be longer than fist length. Some people say you can't touch the beard at all, meaning you can't trim it and it becomes a major sin like missing prayers. Why can't we emphasize the real obligations more like prayers - I think when people should keep up with their prayers?

Response

I am glad you found my response useful. My intention is not to be broad-minded or narrow-minded. I present this opinion because I believe this is what God wants from us, based on Quran and the Sunnah. Please do not take me wrong: While I do say that I do not find myself in a position to suggest that not growing a beard causes sin, I do believe that a Muslim should try to keep the beard because of the reasons alluded to in my previous response, especially if one finds them convincing.

The length of the beard being equal to at least a fist length or that it cannot be touched at all does not have any basis in any of the primary sources of Islam. Neither it is prescribed by God Almighty, nor it is proven as an authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). I have not been able to find it in any authentic Hadith narrated back to the Prophet (pbuh) either, although my study of Hadith does not span over the entire Hadith collection. In my opinion, it cannot be claimed as a part of Islam and those who claim it to be so should bring forth evidence proving it as a part of Islam.

In my opinion, a beard should at least look like a beard and be highly presentable, so that others are encouraged to keep it as well, and are not put off by it. As a result, I do agree that it should eventually be more than the look of not having shaved for a day or two.

I do agree with you that issues like beard have gained far more importance than many other issues which deserve much more attention and have been directly addressed by God in Quran. But I think this is a result of our getting away from Quran. I do not intend to say that this issue is not important either.