Law of Maintaining Beards According to Islam

What do you think if you hear “beards”? Islam? Saleh? Or terrorist? Yes, today a man who has beard is often called as a terrorist, especially Muslim. Indeed, as we know many terrorist is Muslim men who maintain beards. But, not all of Muslim who maintain beards are terrorists. See also misconceptions about Islam.

Someday, I have asked to my teacher, “Ustad, how is the law of maintaining beards? If I am untalented to have beard,” I added. That question will be a point in this article.

Beards is hair that grow on the chin. Beards usually grow on the age after baligh or puberty. Where the production of testosterone increase, so soft hair start to grow on the special parts, such as chin.

Dalil About Beards

There are some dalil about beards that have been proven its validation and recognized its truth, such as :

• From Ibn Umar Ra. said that Rasulullah saw said, “Be different with polytheist. Extend beards and cut moustache.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
• From Abu Hurairah Ra. that Rasulullah saw said, “Shorten moustache and extend beards, be different with wise men.” (Narrated by Muslim)
• From Aisha Ra. from the Prophet Muhammad saw, said, “There are ten fitra matters, they are shorten moustache, maintain beards, gargle, istinyaq (lapping up water into nose), cut nails, wash fingers, pull out hair armpits, cut pubic hair, insinja (wipe) with water, and diligent gargle.” (Narrated by Muslim)
• From Ibn Umar Ra. said that Rasulullah saw said, “Cut off moustache and let (maintain) beards.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
• From Ibn Umar Ra. said that Rasulullah saw said, “Short cut moustache and let (maintain) beards.” (Narrated by Muslim)

From Abi Imamah, Rasulullah saw said, “Cut your moustache and maintain your beards, leave (do not immitate) ahl al-kitab.” (Narrated by Ahmad and Tabrani)

See also :

• Law of men make women crying in Islam
• Law of men use marriage ring in Islam

The Law About Beards

There are some opinions from Ulama about the law of maintaining beards. Some opinions said that the law of maintaining beards is obligatory, some opinions said it is sunnah, and there are also said that it is mubah or allowed.

1. The Obligation of Maintaining Beards

There are some Ulama argued and said that the law of maintaining beards is obligatory. It is based on some valid hadith, such as that has mentioned above. That hadith states a command, it is maintaining beards and cutting moustache. Every command must be done.

Besides that, that hadith also said that “Be different with wise men and polytheist.” In ancient times, the habit of wise men are maintaining their beards and cutting their moustache. Because of that, Rasulullah saw issued a statement to maintain beards and cut moustache, so his people do not imitate wise men.

The Prophet Muhammad saw said :

“Whoever imitate a people, then they are from their group.” (Narrated by Abu Daud)

That hadith strengthens the argument of Ulama who said that the law of maintaining beards and cutting moustache are obligatory. [AdSense-B]

2. The Law of Maintaining of Beards is Sunnah

In the early of this article, I offend a question for my teacher. Then, my teacher said, “The law of maintaining beards is sunnah,” and he also strengthened his words by using one of dalil that has been mentioned above.

From Ibn Umar Ra said that Rasulullah saw. Said,

“Short cut mustache and let (maintain) beards.” (Narrated by Muslim)

Then he told. In ancient time, there is a companion of the Prophet Muhammad saw who only has a strand of beard. When the Prophet Muhammad saw saw him, he smiled to him. In the different chance, when the Prophet Muhammad saw saw him again, he smiled again to him.

Then he asked in his heart, “Why the Prophet Muhammad saw always smiles to me? Is it caused by my beard that is only one.” Then he cut his beards and when the Prophet Muhammad saw saw him, he did not smile again to him. He saw that there is different something, then he met the Prophet Muhammad saw and asked, “O Messenger Allah, why are you not smiled to me after I cut my beards?

Then the Prophet Muhammad saw answered,

“Indeed there is an angel who hang on your beards and pray, then I smiled to see him.”

I thought that you laughed my beards that is only one.

That story also answers my joke. My teacher added that, not all people are destined or they can have beards. If there is someone who has beards that he maintains it, it means that he has done the command of the Prophet Muhammad saw. So, he will get rewards. But if someone has not beards, then he will not get a sin, too.

Same with my teacher, some Ulama argued that the law of maintaining beards is sunnah. There are two bases of that argument. The first, those Ulama interpreted that not every commands of the Prophet Muhammad saw is an obligation, such as types of sunnah prayer or sunnah fasting. The second, a hadith stated that maintaining beards is a fitra and the law of a fitra thing is sunnah.

3. Mubah or The Law of Maintaining Beards is Allowed

Mubah comes from Arabic which means it may. There is no obligation or sunnah to maintain beards. It is not meant that some Ulama who argued that the law of maintaining beards is mubah or allowed, deny hadith above. But, they question whether the coming of that hadith only differentiate Muslim with polytheist or wise men.

As we know that in the ancient time, the behavior of polytheist and wise men was maintaining moustache and cutting beards. But in a way, this behaviour has changed. It is become a problem by some Ulama. They argued that the command of that hadith is not for maintaining beards, but it is a command to do not imitate polytheist and wise men. [AdSense-C]

Benefits of Beards

Beards has also some benefits for men, such as :

• Decrease the risk of allergic : For you who are sensitive with dust, beards can filter that dust, so it does not enter into your lungs.
• Delay wrinkles : Beards can protect face from direct exposure to the sun which can make skin become wrinkles.
• Prevent acnes : The cause of acnes is dust or dirt that stick and enter into the pore of skin. If you have beards, that dust and dirt will be prevented to enter into the pore of skin. So, it can prevent acnes.
• Prevent asthma attack : Beards can prevent asthma attack because it can prevent dust and bacterial which can be inhaled by nose and enter into lungs.
• Moisturize skin : Water on your face will be held because there is beards. So, the skin will be still moist. Besides that, beards can also produce sebaceous that has function as a natural moisturizer.
• Get rewards : The law of maintaining beards is sunnah. Its means that if it is done, you can get rewards, but if it is left, it is no problem. So that, maintaining beards will get a reward or a goodness because you have do the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad saw.

Thus the explanation about the law of maintaining beards according to Islam. Hopefully, it can be useful for us. Amen.

See also : Cleanliness in Islam