Salamun alaykum,
BBC NEWS : Are beards obligatory for devout Muslim men?
The BBC webpage on Sunday 27th June, 2010, whilst reporting that the militants in Somalia had ordered men in Mogadishu to grow their beards and trim their moustaches threatening violators of this ruling with consequences, posed the question: Is growing a beard obligatory in Islam?
Professor Muhammad Abdel Haleem, of the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, responded that "...many Muslim scholars now do not see the beard as an obligation and do shave their beards.”
Imam Abduljalil Sajid based at the Brighton Islamic Mission in U.K. concurred with Professor Muhammad Abdel Haleem and explained that, "Going without a beard became a sign of modernity. In the 1960s and 1970s, you saw more Muslims shaving off their beards."
What is the ruling from the scholars of Ahlul Bayt ?
Our Marja Taqleed Ayatullah Al Udhama Seyyid Ali Seestani has provided the following ruling:
- Shaving the beard is haram based on obligatory precaution, and this includes the hair that grows on the sides of the face. However, there is no problem in shaving the hair that grows on the cheeks.
- A Muslim is allowed to shave his beard, if he is compelled to do so or if he is forced to shave it for medical reasons, etc. It is also allowed if he fears harm to his life by not shaving or if growing the beard would put him in difficulty (for example, if it becomes a cause of ridicule and humiliation that is not normally tolerable by a Muslim).
- Some men shave their beard and leave some hair on the chin alone. Is this sufficient by the shariah? Reply : It is not sufficient.
According to the verdict of Marhum Ayatullah Seyyid Abulqasim Al-Khoei it is haram to shave one’s beard based on obligatory precaution. However, he considers keeping the beard on the chin only is sufficient. It is allowed to shave the hair that grows on the sides of the face.
Which style : Full beard or French cut?
A prominent member of a Jamaat who had the privilege to get an audience with Ayatullah Seyyid Seestani relates:
“Pointing to the beard on my face (My beard at that particular moment was what you would normally would call ‘french-cut’), I asked if it was within the requirement of Sharia?
The reply from Seyyid Seestani came as a question: When did you start wearing beard in this style?
My response: During the times of Ayatullah Al Khui.
Then Seyyid Seestani response was:”My ruling on this is that the beard should be full, not the style I was wearing. However, because Ayatullah Al Khui allowed the type of beard I was wearing and I had started growing beard in that style as his Muqallid, I could continue doing so.”
Therefore full beard is obligatory for the muqallidin of Seyyid Al-Seestani.
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah
With salaams and duas
Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat
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Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat. Al Mahdi, Wickham Road, Fareham, Hampshire . PO17 5BU. Reg. Charity Number: 1010076. Tel: 01329 832537. Fax: 02392-529766
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: Jamaat Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk:
Project Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk/almahdiproject
Member of the Council of European Jamaats
Member of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat. Al Mahdi, Wickham Road, Fareham, Hampshire . PO17 5BU. Reg. Charity Number: 1010076. Tel: 01329 832537. Fax: 02392-529766
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: Jamaat Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk: Project Web Site: www.almahdi.org.uk/almahdiproject
Member of the Council of European Jamaats
Member of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board
