This is quite a controvertial subject. Most young men, find some excuse or the other to skirt the issue. Some even don’t want to offer any excuse, because as they say “its a matter of personal choice. I want to decide myself, how should I look”.
All this may be true. here is a reproduction of an answer to this question by an Islamic scholar posted on a website. Views are invited from those of you who care about this issue:
Can someone please shed some light on this, including references to ahadeeth :) and preferably books.
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
search the forum and you will find plenty of material on the subject.
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
the only question that comes to my mind after reading the first thread is:
If we are to be different from non-muslims, then how come we don't workout that often? Why do our religious leaders have a beer bellys? I always thought that Prophet (PBUH) was a very fit person, he is my ideal person to be so I am going to try to make sure that my physical attribute match with him as well. But why do we concentrate only on the beard? Why not have the same strength as him, why not be able to do housework, our own work ourselves.
I have read that Prophet (PBUH) used to fix his own clothes, fix his own shoes, get his own glass of water, build masjid by his own hands, play with kids and was never angry at anyone. It really does break my heart that most of the islamic teachers I have had, didn't even bother getting their own glass of water, always either used to "order" a kid to do that or their wives would be the one to bring them water.. they used to beat the kids they were teaching, as suppose to make friends out of us, it was a relationship based on fear.
Why do we forget all these attributes of our Prophet (PBUH) so easily?
the only question that comes to my mind after reading the first thread is:
If we are to be different from non-muslims, then how come we don't workout that often? Why do our religious leaders have a beer bellys? I always thought that Prophet (PBUH) was a very fit person, he is my ideal person to be so I am going to try to make sure that my physical attribute match with him as well. But why do we concentrate only on the beard? Why not have the same strength as him, why not be able to do housework, our own work ourselves.
I have read that Prophet (PBUH) used to fix his own clothes, fix his own shoes, get his own glass of water, build masjid by his own hands, play with kids and was never angry at anyone. It really does break my heart that most of the islamic teachers I have had, didn't even bother getting their own glass of water, always either used to "order" a kid to do that or their wives would be the one to bring them water.. they used to beat the kids they were teaching, as suppose to make friends out of us, it was a relationship based on fear.
Why do we forget all these attributes of our Prophet (PBUH) so easily?
I AGREE WITH YOU
UNFORTUNATELY IN TODAYS WORLD, GENERALL (APART FROM EXCEPTIONAL CASES) THE RELIGION HAS BECOME MORE OF A SHOW, AND LESS OF PRACTICE
IN TRUE SENSE
MIND IT IF YOUR BEHAVIOUR WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IS NOT PROPERBE SURE YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYGOOD TO YOURSELF BY PRAYING
the only question that comes to my mind after reading the first thread is:
If we are to be different from non-muslims, then how come we don't workout that often? Why do our religious leaders have a beer bellys? I always thought that Prophet (PBUH) was a very fit person, he is my ideal person to be so I am going to try to make sure that my physical attribute match with him as well. But why do we concentrate only on the beard? Why not have the same strength as him, why not be able to do housework, our own work ourselves.
I have read that Prophet (PBUH) used to fix his own clothes, fix his own shoes, get his own glass of water, build masjid by his own hands, play with kids and was never angry at anyone. It really does break my heart that most of the islamic teachers I have had, didn't even bother getting their own glass of water, always either used to "order" a kid to do that or their wives would be the one to bring them water.. they used to beat the kids they were teaching, as suppose to make friends out of us, it was a relationship based on fear.
Why do we forget all these attributes of our Prophet (PBUH) so easily?
:biggthumb Well said.
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
Salam,
Brother Ansoon, what you said makes absolute sense. These things happen because people who call themselves muslims have made shortcuts in their religion. Yes all show and no work! For Allah SWT the only thing that matter is your act! But we try to shift the concept of "thawab" from our morals to the physical characteristics. No wonder muslims are in condition they are in right now.
A point to note here is If hazarat Mohammad PBUH ever wore a beard so did all munafiqeens and even mushrikeen of that time did that, as probably it was a fashion of Arab that time. He might have ordered people to do certain things other wise due to some strategic reasons but all the reality stays that he even wore same clothes people of that time used to wear.
The only thing that made him different from other even before Quran was revealed was his unsurpassed character his unmatched Aamal and his refusal to bend to any other authority than ALLAH alone after he was chosen and shown the light, the right path. And that was message he was to give, which he did. Unfortunately, how many muslims you see following the message he delivered, the message that was Allah's message!
thanks
Ash
Allah knows Best.
this would have helped.
*
the only question that comes to my mind after reading the first thread is:
If we are to be different from non-muslims, then how come we don't workout that often? Why do our religious leaders have a beer bellys? I always thought that Prophet (PBUH) was a very fit person, he is my ideal person to be so I am going to try to make sure that my physical attribute match with him as well. But why do we concentrate only on the beard? Why not have the same strength as him, why not be able to do housework, our own work ourselves.
I have read that Prophet (PBUH) used to fix his own clothes, fix his own shoes, get his own glass of water, build masjid by his own hands, play with kids and was never angry at anyone. It really does break my heart that most of the islamic teachers I have had, didn't even bother getting their own glass of water, always either used to "order" a kid to do that or their wives would be the one to bring them water.. they used to beat the kids they were teaching, as suppose to make friends out of us, it was a relationship based on fear.
Why do we forget all these attributes of our Prophet (PBUH) so easily?
I have met plenty of Ullema who dont have a beer belly, who work out, who work, who study in colleges, play with kids, look after their crowds.
You just need to find the right ones. You're looking at people not Ullema.
As for the beard, may Allah swt allow everyone of us to establish it.
**Aside from hadiths, the most logical rationale for keeping a beard is that the Prophet pbuh had it. He was the PERFECT EXAMPLE, the way he talked, ate, looked, we should copy. Because its the right way. Its simple.
I dont know why we would want to look like girls.
**
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
^ I agree I have found scholars who are active both physically and spritually but cresent what makes you think that if you shave your beard than you are going to look like girls?
Sorry yaara but I just don't agree with your analysis.. majority of Muslims are trying way to hard to "act" like Propht (PBUH) without any "substance" to it.. for example, i can go through the motions of praying but if my heart isn't there, if i am lacking the concentration than those actions are not worth anything.
If my heart isn't pure like Prophet (PBUH).. if i am not honest in my dealings with other ppl, if i am not being nice to other ppl, if i am just growing a beard coz someone told me to .. than what's the use?
Re: Is growing a beard “mandatory” for muslim men?
baghdad was being attacked by the mangols and muslims were debating whether the crow is halal or haram to eat 
these are minor issues… whether someone says ameen out loud, whether they raise their arms before every action in namaz, whether they keep a beard
yes one should try to keep a beard because it is a sunnah of the Holy Prophet(saw) but there is no need to make it an issue of halal and haraam
^ I agree I have found scholars who are active both physically and spritually but cresent what makes you think that if you shave your beard than you are going to look like girls?
Sorry yaara but I just don't agree with your analysis.. majority of Muslims are trying way to hard to "act" like Propht (PBUH) without any "substance" to it.. for example, i can go through the motions of praying but if my heart isn't there, if i am lacking the concentration than those actions are not worth anything.
If my heart isn't pure like Prophet (PBUH).. if i am not honest in my dealings with other ppl, if i am not being nice to other ppl, if i am just growing a beard coz someone told me to .. than what's the use?
This doesn't mean we can give up on everything just because our heart is not in the right place. It will never be actually.
Even the Sahabah had trouble, and they spent their life fixing it. We must always do whats required, whether its keeping a beard, wearing a hijaab, praying on time, whatever it is! It has to be done.
We cant give up on it just because something else is not right?
We have to keep struggling inshallah and try our best.
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
You must submit to the rules.
Re: Is growing a beard “mandatory” for muslim men?
If a person does wrong he will get the sin for that & if he does a right he will get a reward for that simple.
For instance,
If you are not honest in your dealings with others But you have a beard then you get a sin for not being honest & a reward for keeping a beard.
If you don’t have a beard but are honest in your dealings then you get the reward for being honest & a sin for not keeping a beard.
Every wrong has its own punishment & degree of sin ,same as every right has its own degree of reward.
I hope you understood what i’m trying to say.A bad deed does not nullify a good deed & vice versa.
We just have to try our best to do as much good as we can & refrain from as much bad as we can.So that on the day of judgement the good deeds weigh more than the bad deeds inshaAllah.
May Allah(swt) protect us all from Hellfire.Ameen.
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
Please dont mısunderstand me
i want to ask some questions
1. Whether the people before islam were having beard or not
2. Whether the non muslims, during the period of our Prophet used to have beard or not
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
^these are perfectly valid questions, and I think the answers to both questions is yes.
On a side note, if the issue of having a beard is to be different from non-muslims, why do muslims perform circumcision? Isn't that something Jews do as well - and increasingly atheists as well-? So should we not be different and cut off some other part?
Yeah I have also read about it. so what was the final conclusion, crow is haram right?
Yeah I have also read about it. so what was the final conclusion, crow is haram right?
i don't think they got to the conclusion... the Mongols were all over them by that time
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
Nescio, If we showed our privates to the public to differentiate ourselves from others, then your suggestion would be valid.
But we dont, we look at people's faces, and figure. Not their private areas.
As for the Crow argument, that gets thrown around alot, I would like to see some references for it, as in that time period, the Umayyads, fatimids, and the Seljuks were not even united geographically let alone to get together to discuss crows. Impossible.
Mongols converted to Islam afterwards due to the hard work of the Scholars of that time. May Allah bless them.
But really, I would like to see some reference for this crow thing. We can have differences of opinions, just because they exist doesn't mean we're not united.
Re: Is growing a beard "mandatory" for muslim men?
I agreee
The Kufaar didt accept Islam due to the Prophet having a beard, it was his beautiful character and morals.
AS for the person quoting Ibn Taymiyaa, Albani and Uthaiman, can you please refer to stronger references such as the, not these controversial scholars