Very often people say that growing a beard is Sunnah, as in optional.
So I thought too, before a friend of mine told me that it is wajib. And so it is. As a matter of fact ALL the four schools of thought have growing a beard as wajib, as in compulsory. All say that shaving is a sin, i.e gunah, but not kufr. In other words growing a beard is NOT optional.
There are in addition to this numerous narratives ascribed to the Prophet (PBUH) saying that he ordered every muslim to grow beard (and trim their moustaches) so that muslim distinguish themselves from the jews and the christians. Also there is a narration saying that the Prophet(PBUH) once met muslim men with white beards and told them to dye it, so that they would be different from the jews and the christians.
Good topic,..But one question,..if people are so conscious about growing beard what about,…Good deeds and actions which are ** WAJIB**…I see Muslims with long beard and acting so strange,…Makes me laugh,…what kind a Islamic image they are giving…Having beard is good,..but it comes with whole range of restrictions to follow too…that’s how I think,..don’t know about others,…
A close consideration of the narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the topic under consideration shows that these narratives actually relate to two separate issues. The first issue, in which the Prophet (pbuh) has generally used the words: “Oppose the Ahl e Kitaab or the polytheists…”, actually relates to the incorrect and the self-imposed additions of the Jews or the polytheists living around the Prophet (pbuh). In other words, these narratives of the Prophet (pbuh) are, in fact, a teaching to disown the incorrect and self-imposed additions (bid`aat) of the Ahl-e-Kitaab and the polytheists.
The above explanation is clearly supported by the following narrative reported in Ahmad ibn Hanbal:
Once the Prophet walked by a gathering of the elders of the Ansaar, who had white beards. He said to them: ‘Dye your beards red or golden and, thereby, oppose the Ahl e Kitaab’. Abu Umaamah says: I asked the Prophet: The Ahl e Kitaab wear trousers but do not wear unstitched leg-coverings. The Prophet replied: ‘You should wear trousers as well as unstitched leg-coverings, thereby, oppose the Ahl e Kitaab’. Abu Umaamah said: The Ahl e Kitaab walk bare-footed and do not wear shoes. The Prophet said: ‘You should walk bare-footed as well as wearing shoes and, thereby, oppose the Ahl e Kitaab. Then we asked ‘O Prophet of God, the Ahl e Kitaab have their beards trimmed short and they allow their moustaches to grow. The Prophet (pbuh) said: You should trim short your moustaches and allow your beards to grow and, thereby, oppose the Ahl e Kitaab.
It is clear that the referred practices were those, which the Ahl e Kitaab had incorrectly adopted as symbols of piety and thus had given these practices a religious sanctity and considered lack of compliance with these practices to be sacrilegious. The Prophet (pbuh) guided the Muslims by declaring that these practices did not actually entail any religious sanctity and, therefore, they should not adhere to them, like the Jews.
Seen in the correct perspective, the referred directive of the Prophet (pbuh) is actually a part of his corrective teachings.
The second issue, mentioned in the narratives ascribed to the Prophet (pbuh) is that, which has generally been reported with the words “Whoever adopts an appearance like a people…”. It seems that this issue relates specifically to the time when the Qur’an had directed the Prophet (pbuh) to take aggressive action against the rejecters. It was probably at this time that the Prophet (pbuh) declared that those, who attire themselves like a particular people and adopt an appearance, which is similar to them, because of their apparent similarity shall be considered as being from amongst those people. Thus, if they are mistakenly killed by the Muslims, in their war against the rejecters, they would themselves be responsible for adopting an appearance, which is similar to a nation against whom an action is being taken. The Prophet is reported to have said:
Ibn Umar reports that the Prophet (pbuh) said: I have been sent with a Sword [and have been directed to fight the people] until only the One God, Who has no partners is worshipped. Blessings have been ordained for me, under the shadow of my spear; and disgrace is the fate of all those, who oppose my message. [Therefore, I shall fight them all.] And whoever adopts an appearance similar to a people shall be considered to be from amongst them.
The foregoing explanation should adequately clarify the context of the referred narratives.
The content of your post is similar to what I found on www.understanding-islam.com, before I posted this post, by the Learner.
However, I am not so sure of what to conclude from it. Is it suggested that the Prophet(PBUH) actually ordered growing of beard for the muslims in the society back then? And is therefore not for us to follow in this time? Still today I think that we imitate the western ppl by shaving off our beards. There is in my mind no doubt that the beard is one of many things that differentiates the muslm men from the ahl-e-kitab or jews. And the other narrative regarding dying ones beard is also valid as in today. And so is the unanimous consensus of the muslim scolars.
I also found other articles by the Learner saying that it should be grown as the beard is given to men by the nature, and distinct them from the women. This is so true, but still the I find the narratives above to be more stronger.
Furthermore, there is no doubt that growing a beard is at least a sunnah. Found the following narrative
*
He who starts a good sunnah (way) will be rewarded for it, in addition to receiving rewards equal to the rewards of those who follow him into it. Whereas he who starts a bad sunnah will be burdened with it, in addition to receiving burdens equal to the burdens of those who follow him into it. [Muslim]*
If I have misinterpreted your post, please clarify.