Beard is sunnah i.e. beard was kept by our prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w and so for every true muslim beard should be a must. Though there are difference of opinion on this matter as if beard is fard, wajid, mustahab or simply it will not earn any sin of a person does not want to keep it.
Before going in details, first look at the time of jahiliya. There were three religions in Arabia paganism, christanity and Judaism. Pagans were totally different from pagan arabs in life style and also in their appearance and looks. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w was given the divine guidance which was also given to the prophets of people of books before Him. So Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w used to feel himself closer to the people of book than the pagans.
Muhammad s.a.w.w kept beard and it is also said that every prophet kept beard because with beard, the outlook of person changes altogether. beard bring a decency on face which cannot be achieved on the face without beard. Above all, to follow sunnah is what we should do as ALLAH swt said in several places in Quran to “obey ALLAH and obey Messenger”.
Most people argue that since beard is a personal matter to them they should be the people to choose whether to keep it or not. Being muslims we should know that everything done by our beloved prophet was never out of purpose. Beard is the unique identity of muslims. Someone might come up with the argument that non muslims also keep beard but, they actually do not keep the beard prescribed in islam. Islam says to keep a specific length beard without mustache. Mustache is not very mush likd but it is also not disliked if kept very small. Long hair of mustache makes the food and drink makrooh.
There are several ahadith regarding keeping beard. Below are given few of them to give weight to the article so that people do not reject the idea of keeping beard as useless and as “personal choice”.
Bukhair Volume 7, Book 72, Number 780:
Narrated Nafi':
“Ibn Umar said, The Prophet said, 'Do the opposite of what the pagans do. Keep the beards and cut the moustaches short.' Whenever Ibn 'Umar performed the Hajj or 'Umra, he used to hold his beard with his hand and cut whatever moustaches. Ibn Umar used to cut his moustache so short that the whiteness of his skin (above the upper lip) was visible, and he used to cut (the hair) between his moustaches and his beard.”
Thus, beloved prophet s.a.w.w told us to do opposite to what pagans used to do. Today beard is a symbol of fear and hate against muslims only because it is identity of muslims and not just fashion.
If women are told to wear veil or atleast be like muslim women why cannot men be told to keep beard so that at least they look like muslims. People with beard are mocked a lot as mullahs, movlis and blah blah, just because they keep beard. He modern trend has encouraged people to call the beard people terrorists as well. Muslims also happily mock their fellow muslims who keep beard.
If one keeps beard by his own will, he will never cut it or never feel achamed of it, but if one keeps beard because he is obligated or his outlook must be like it, he will certainly get nothing because his intention was never to follow sunnah but only to show the world.
The modern day example of the person who kept beard as following sunnah and as per his own will is dr. dr. zakir naik kept hs beard despite of the thin hair on his face. He says that he does not feel shy or bad about his outlook because his outlooks give him title of muslim.
What is bad in having a muslim outlook? Will these fashions and all save us from hell fire or following islam will do that? The decision in still in our hands if we really want to be good muslims. For good muslims their personal whims and desires get the second priority and divine order gets the first.
Before going in details, first look at the time of jahiliya. There were three religions in Arabia paganism, christanity and Judaism. Pagans were totally different from pagan arabs in life style and also in their appearance and looks. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w was given the divine guidance which was also given to the prophets of people of books before Him. So Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w used to feel himself closer to the people of book than the pagans.
Muhammad s.a.w.w kept beard and it is also said that every prophet kept beard because with beard, the outlook of person changes altogether. beard bring a decency on face which cannot be achieved on the face without beard. Above all, to follow sunnah is what we should do as ALLAH swt said in several places in Quran to “obey ALLAH and obey Messenger”.
Most people argue that since beard is a personal matter to them they should be the people to choose whether to keep it or not. Being muslims we should know that everything done by our beloved prophet was never out of purpose. Beard is the unique identity of muslims. Someone might come up with the argument that non muslims also keep beard but, they actually do not keep the beard prescribed in islam. Islam says to keep a specific length beard without mustache. Mustache is not very mush likd but it is also not disliked if kept very small. Long hair of mustache makes the food and drink makrooh.
There are several ahadith regarding keeping beard. Below are given few of them to give weight to the article so that people do not reject the idea of keeping beard as useless and as “personal choice”.
Bukhair Volume 7, Book 72, Number 780:
Narrated Nafi':
“Ibn Umar said, The Prophet said, 'Do the opposite of what the pagans do. Keep the beards and cut the moustaches short.' Whenever Ibn 'Umar performed the Hajj or 'Umra, he used to hold his beard with his hand and cut whatever moustaches. Ibn Umar used to cut his moustache so short that the whiteness of his skin (above the upper lip) was visible, and he used to cut (the hair) between his moustaches and his beard.”
Thus, beloved prophet s.a.w.w told us to do opposite to what pagans used to do. Today beard is a symbol of fear and hate against muslims only because it is identity of muslims and not just fashion.
If women are told to wear veil or atleast be like muslim women why cannot men be told to keep beard so that at least they look like muslims. People with beard are mocked a lot as mullahs, movlis and blah blah, just because they keep beard. He modern trend has encouraged people to call the beard people terrorists as well. Muslims also happily mock their fellow muslims who keep beard.
If one keeps beard by his own will, he will never cut it or never feel achamed of it, but if one keeps beard because he is obligated or his outlook must be like it, he will certainly get nothing because his intention was never to follow sunnah but only to show the world.
The modern day example of the person who kept beard as following sunnah and as per his own will is dr. dr. zakir naik kept hs beard despite of the thin hair on his face. He says that he does not feel shy or bad about his outlook because his outlooks give him title of muslim.
What is bad in having a muslim outlook? Will these fashions and all save us from hell fire or following islam will do that? The decision in still in our hands if we really want to be good muslims. For good muslims their personal whims and desires get the second priority and divine order gets the first.