All we have are some traditions. These traditions mention that the Prophet (sws) asked the Muslims to allow their beard grow and trim the moustache. Considering such reports in their proper perspective, it becomes certain that these sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) was to condemn a practice of the Majoosi and the Mushrikin ; they would trim their beard and allow their moustache grow. The Prophet (sws) remarked that what should be allowed to grow is beard and what should be trimmed is moustache. He in fact used the words ‘do this against the practice of Majoosi and at some other occasions, Mushrikin (Muslim, No: 382, 383 ). Viewed in this perspective, the intent of the Prophet (sws) was not to treat beard as a religious practice (Sunnah) but to eradicate a wrong approach toward beard and moustache.

If we take these traditions literally, how we will be interpreting the words: “Do the opposite of polytheists”. Polytheists, who are considered so, no longer keep moustache either. Should we now do the opposite and let it grow? And if at some place, polytheists are found to keep beard, should we then do the opposite?

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it was interesting to read the views above. and i wanted to quote the very thing that
ummtalha has quoted. in the days when Islam was emerging as a new religion, the pagans presumably grew mustache and beard.

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Hmm. That is perfectly okay. I just wanted to know what exactly your viewpoint is.

You write:

i think (my personal opinion again) that the best way is to act on the Prophet (SAWS) hadith and wear beards without mustache; while keeping a modest appearance overall.

In the referred to Ahadith, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) has asked to trim the moustache and not to shave if off. Would you mind telling me why you just said that one should wear beard without moustache.

since it was a Sunnah to wear a beard, Allah will reward one who does wear one because of his intention of following Sunnah.

How do you think it is Sunnah? Do you know scholars differ on this? I would like to know your stance and argument on this.

Counter Question!

Scholars who do not accept that beard is a Sunnah contend that this was not instituted by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) among his Companions as Sunnah. For every Sunnah, these Companions have played the most curcial role since they acted upon them and also transmitted them to the next generation with the understanding that these were instituted by the Holy Prophet (pbuh). These Sunnan reached us through the chain of generation after generation with each generation adhering to them and transferring them to the next one. As we now take a look at these Sunnan, we find that these are common among all the Muslims; there is no difference of opinion among the Muslims regarding the corpus of Sunnah. For instance, Salah, Hajj, Nikah, Adan, etc.

'Why the Ummah does not have consensus on the beard as being Sunnah' is the first question. How do we then substantiate that the beard was instituted as a religious practice when there is no common understanding on this?

If a person loves the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and does what he did in his personal capacity will surely be rewarded for this love.

I do not understand what is your real argument. If you mean to say that, by the virtue of the verse quoted above, it is wrong to abolish everything that grows naturally, I'd give you many examples, where Islam itself has enjoined to remove that which naturally grows, for instance, shaving the head during haj, cutting the nails and shaving the pubic hair that naturally grows etc. This means that to shave 'what grows naturally' does not fall under that verse. Does it?

If your argument is that beard is a natural distinction between the appearance of male and female, I'd say I agree to this. But how this makes it (Wajib) obligatory in the religious sense of the word.

Hmm. I understand.

Even if I accept that shaving the beard is a satanic practice which the west iniatiated, I do not see why it should be obligatory, if you speak the word in the religious sense as we speak Wajib or FARZ?

How can we, without sanction of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), include the beard in the religious obligations of the Muslims? If you bring some Ahaadith, I'd suggest you to go through the above discussion as we have talked about them already.

It is natural for men to keep beard, I agree. When you say it is an obligation, I will ask arguments from you.

Obviously, the Holy Prophet (sws) has married more than four wives, the limit otherwise ordained for the common Muslims. His example is not to be followed in this case.

Similarly, using the sword as a means to combat the enemy is not a Sunnah though the Holy Prophet (sws) armed himself with a sword in battles and his Companions fought with sword.

All aspects of his life, which he adopted because he lived in a specific age, are obviously not a Sunnah for his people, like riding a camel or wearing certain type of clothes or eating certain kind of food etc.

Tahajjud was obligatory for the Holy Prophet (sws); it is not for us.

I do not have enough information regarding antiquity to say whether all Prophets had or had not a beard. It is very likely that they had beard since it is so natural for men to keep it. What seems natural is honored by the Prophets. Moreover, beard is not specific to the Muslims or Prophets alone. Christians and Jews also kept beard and polytheists did too. Actually, the modern era has caused men to try to resemble feminine beauty in certain respects, and women to try to resemble male Wajahat in certain respects.