The Beard

[Veritas]

I am genuinely curious as to the significance of the beard on male Muslim followers. I am also aware of the ritual and body hair maintenance practices to bring oneself to prayer.

So why the desire for a beard ... and the bigger the better?

[abcdcool2012]

would you like if somebody call you you are looking like a girl ?


i hope no..

this is why beard differentiate between a male and a female look wise..
and another important thing is our prophet(peace be upon him) had beard so we also keep it and not only our prophet every prophet including isa whom you call jesus(peace be upon him) had beard so it is a sunnah...hope you understood

[Ali_008]

It is something which has been prescribed by our prophet. Not only should you be obeying the prophet in Islam, but you should pick up their attributes and habits as well and imbibe them in your own life, although not all of them as there are additional duties of being a prophet which are exclusive to him alone. Apart from them, Prophet Muhammad :saws: recommended keeping a beard in order to differentiate from the polytheists. Polytheists used to keep mustaches during the time of the prophet, he warned Muslims from imitating them, and thus ordered doing the opposite of what they do. Polytheists keep mustaches, but shave their beards, and Muslims do the opposite of that. Even now, Muslims are doing the opposite of what non-Muslims and polytheists do as either cleanshaven or mustaches are more popular than beards in their communities.

[MartyrX]

The beard has a long history especially in the Arab world. Probably in most cultures as well. It's a sign of manhood and strength. You can read throughout history of people having their beards ripped off and being shamed.

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[Muhaba]

even male lions have beard (mane) then why don't men want to have them? shaving beard by men would be like shaving hair by women. i'm sure all would find that strange.

now the actualy question shouldn't be "what is the significance of keeping beard? why does islam require men to have beard?" The question to ask is "what is the significane of shaving the beard?" Why do men want to shave the beard? why is the normal thing for men today to shave the beard?

[piXie]

The beard has a long history especially in the Arab world. Probably in most cultures as well. It's a sign of manhood and strength. You can read throughout history of people having their beards ripped off and being shamed.

If I remember reading correctly, there is one full diya (price of 100 camels) which one must pay to the person who's beard or head hair he damages, to the extent it cannot grow back again. This is how much importance the shariah places on the beard, yet many Muslim youth show a complete disregard for this when they shave every morning. Allaahu Mustaan!

[source: Umdatul Fiqh, Kitaab ad-Diyaat]

['Abd-al Latif]

I am genuinely curious as to the significance of the beard on male Muslim followers. I am also aware of the ritual and body hair maintenance practices to bring oneself to prayer.

So why the desire for a beard ... and the bigger the better?

The beard is obligatory for men.

The Messenger of Allah :saws1: ordered men to grow their beards when he said: "Trim your moustaches and let your beards grow."

[Banu_Hashim]

As others have said it is of the disposition of the Muslim man - to grow a beard. Other requirements are explained by the following narration of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):

"Ten are the acts according to fitra (disposition/nature/constitution): clipping the mustache, letting the beard grow, using the tooth-stick, snuffing water in the nose, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubic hair and cleaning one's private parts with water. The narrator said: I have forgotten the tenth, but it may have been rinsing the mouth."

[Abz2000]

This may not be an answer from a juriprendce point of view, but it can be useful to show a questioner how the point of view they have grown up with isnt the only one that makes sense,

It may be difficult to understand it having grown up in the west where the majority grown men bare their cheeks,
But in most Muslim lands there is seniority due to age (younger people respect older people and consult with them on matters of importance, and growing a beard also shows manhood. so when one came of age, he'd be playing his natural part in maturing and differentiating himself from children and women,
People who haven't reached puberty aren't even considered responsible for their actions, similar to age of consent in the uk, and in that category go morons and crazy people too,
but wisdom and age are valued in these lands unlike in the west where men feel insulted when you say they're older than they are.
In Arabia where the Prophet was sent, and in many other lands, age indicates experience and wisdom, and the beard was and is a sign differentiating the men from the boys and faggits :omg:

Also when Muslims see each other they're meant to greet them with peace, and being unique and having self esteem rather than an inferiority complex and imitating others is a way to recognise each other,

Read the full Hadith:

1) Ibn 'Umar (ra) related that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
"Be different to the polytheists: Let the beards grow and trim the moustaches short" as recorded by Al-Bukhaari and in a version from Muslim: "Be different to the Mushrikeen: Trim the moustaches short and let the beards grow."

As Muslims we are meant to have and keep a unique identity and follow the advice of the Prophet pbuh in context, he was guided by the lawgiver - law creator - of the universe and did his job very well.
However unfortunately, the majority of the people of the west get the bulk of their information about life and surroundings, even what's in "fashion" and what fad to follow from the tv and magazines - from before the age they are even allowed to cross the road and see what's on the other side, let alone travel through the earth and see what else might make sense, and even more unfortunately, the western corporations utilise media so much that they have a monopoly on it - and the point of view or fad they decide on is adorned and promoted all over the globe - to the extent that many Muslims seem to have developed an inferiority complex and want to imitate the tv which is already being imitated by the people in the west from a few decades ago, to the extent that people have forgotten that wearing clothes was a sign of status and decency over the age of loincloths.

The Prophet pbuh told us that it is a part of inherent nature to have a beard.
And it makes sense to me.

A small piece of advice, always try to bear in mind that there are people all over the world who haven't fallen prey to conditioning and moulding though they may be character assassinated and desperately called names like "fundamentalist",
They may be servants of God, but they will not be servants of men like - or worse than - themselves.
And they will usually look a bit different from the "heroes" and "cool guys" you see on tv........and all around you....
Peace.

[Abz2000]

Lol inqilab's siggy says it all, if anyone thinks they came from apes and stuff, then it makes sense to not have any hair anywhere lol, but there's a dilemma, why would the media at the same time encourage you to go back to wearing loincloths or even less amounts, and make you see it as ok to see your mothers wives and daughters exposed outside and appealing sexually to other men "because its the fashion"?
Bear in mind that respectable men grew beards in the west less than a century ago, (look up some famous names in google images) but respectable women wore clothes in public.

There is a really good islamic book I have called "enemies in our homes" which delves into how the tv is used to brainwash people and make them see normal as abnormal and shameful as fashionable, I'll try to find you a soft copy God Willing, and it may leave you wondering where you've been getting your ideas on what's normal or sensible,
and why other people who don't fall prey to it may look or act different.

[Urban Turban]

What are the visible signs of love, adoration, and respect?

Why do people try to dress, imitate the mannerisms of the sport stars and movie actors they are fond of?

What happens during the soccer world cups events? Why do sports fans wear nay spend hundreds of dollars on team merchandise, imitating even the hair cut of their fav sports stars?

Love. Adoration and Respect - There's nobody in the whole universe who deserve them more (regarding the creation) than Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Jesus Christ [Prophet Isaa - peace be upon him), Prophet Musaa (Moses) (peace be upon him), Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (peace be upon him) and all the other Prophets (peace be upon them all).

We soooo love the Prophets (peace be upon them) that we even dress like them :smile:

[Qurratul Ayn]

The Messenger of Allah :saws: ordered men to grow their beards when he said: "Trim your moustaches and let your beards grow."

"Be different from the Mushrikeen; cut the moustache and let the beard grow"
Muslim [602]

[Abu Loren]

There is a hadith in which the Prophet (SalAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) says that when father Adam was created, he was created with a beard therefore the beard is a natural feature of the man.

I was very anti-beard during my pre-Islamic days. I suppose it's a vanity thing, some people think that a beardless face is more handsome.

The good thing about this is that with a beard it's amazing how many brothers say 'As'alaamu Alaikkum' when they see you. :)

[sunnyhayat]

Is it necessary to have untrimmed beard or we can trim it to look better. Untrimed beard is very difficult to maintain also and I cant keep full untrimmed beard. I am secretly reverted and have been trimming beard regularly and have stopped shaving altogether by now

[sohail1234]

Imam Muhammed (R.A.) writes in his book "Kitabul Aathaar" where he relates from Imam Abu Hanifa (R.A.) who relates from Hadhrat Haytham (R.A.) who relates from Ibn Umar (R.A.) that he (Ibn Umar) used to hold his beard in his hand and cut off which was longer. Imam Muhammed (R.A.) says that this is what we follow and this was the decision of Imam Abu Hanifa. Therefore, according to Hanafies, to shorten the beard less than a FIST LENGTH is HARAAM and on this is IJMA (concensus of opinion).

[gord]

Funny thing is most of my friends (who have no real interest in God) all have beards. I think I am the only one with an interest in God and I am without a beard. Hehe.