# Which scholars have allowed trimming or shaving the beard?

*Classical and modern scholars who held that trimming or shaving the beard is not haram*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/d95_pyj6nia/s/2/
- Date: 2014-04-12 · Kind: lesson · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Cutting-edge Perspective: Trimming the beard in Islam (pt 1)- Mufti Abu Layth (4:01–9:16)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d95_pYj6NiA&t=241s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/d95_pyj6nia/

**Topics:** Beard, moustache and hair; The Maliki school; Schools of law and following them

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Maliki and other classical jurists held that trimming or even shaving the beard is at most makruh, not haram, and many modern scholars across the schools have given the same fatwa or kept trimmed, goateed or clean-shaven beards themselves. Mufti Abu Layth presents this to show the opinion's long standing, not to deny the other view.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says that the view that trimming or even shaving the beard is at most makruh and not haram has been held by Maliki and other classical jurists and by many modern scholars, some of whom were themselves trimmed, goateed or clean-shaven.

**Evidence, his words at 5:51:** “many of these have all written very clearly that it is not Haram to trim or even shave but especially to trim right down the beard they've not considered it haram” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d95_pYj6NiA&t=351s)

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth surveys the scholars who held that trimming the beard, or even shaving it, is not haram. He begins with a Maliki commentator on Sahih Muslim [?] who, speaking of shaving the beard completely, says it is not haram but simply discouraged, which Mufti says is the position of the Maliki school and of some other fuqaha: better not to do it, but no blame if one does, so that it stays within permissibility. He cites another scholar [?] who defines the beard as only what is on the lower chin, and others from the other schools of law who wrote that trimming, especially trimming right down, is not haram but makruh, with one view [?] allowing it to be trimmed almost down to stubble. He then lists modern scholars across the schools up to the present day who gave fatwas to this effect or practised it in person, among them muftis of Tunisia [?], shaykhs of al-Azhar [?], Muhammad Abu Zahra [?], a scholar from Kuwait [?], a scholar who was clean-shaven for a good while [?] and Hamza al-Kattani [?]; some kept their beards very trimmed, some a thin line, some a goatee and some were almost clean-shaven. He concludes that this opinion has clearly existed and continues to do so.

## Sources and names cited

- Sahih Muslim (a Maliki commentary on it) [?]
- makruh
- Maliki school
- fatwa
- Muhammad Abu Zahra [?]
- Hamza al-Kattani [?]

## Transcript (machine tier, 4:01–9:16)

[3:57] agreed that it is what grows upon the chin and then there is some disagreement as to how far must it extend upon the jaw so that's as far as a definition is concerned traditionally there have been many beginning with from the Mal who clearly states in his commentary on Muslim that when he speaks about trimming the beard and he actually speaks about completely shaving the beard he says that it is simp he says it

[4:36] is it is not Haram he says it is simply discouraged that discouraged according to these schools of law especially according to the Maliki School of Law or uh likewise some of the other F have adopted as well that it is something which it may be better not to do but if by doing it there is no blame upon you and clearly writes other people that it is an extension of of permissibility still Falls within that realm so it is not Haram

[5:15] then like IM who describes the beard as being only that which is really with on the chin he says this the lower chin is what beard actually is so that's imashi then we have many other even from the other schools of law so for example

[5:51] imami um many of these have all written very clearly that it is not Haram to trim or even shave but especially to trim right down the beard they've not considered it haram they've clearly said it is simply Mak is also transmitted from from Z these are from

[6:20] the in fact goes to the extent to say it's actually it's not even to trim your beard almost right down to just you would say just above a stubble almost and you see that continuing right through to several right that have come after right up and until our very day and age so you will see many people uh whether they will be Maliki or of Other M so people like Muhammad as

[7:00] his son Al you will see Kamal the great Muti of Tunisia his father Muhammad um the great of alar Muhammad Al Hussein in fact who was clean shaven himself had a small goatey as you will see you will see many like the great Maliki scholar you will see

[7:38] like people like the of Ali [Music] Muhammad in our um Dr say Ahmed Al Al sh ABD alatan from Kuwait Abu zah previously uh today from the of you you hear Alani who was actually for a good while

[8:17] clean shaven um his as the sh from his uh his own children Hamza Al katani and many others we see many of these right from across different schools of law up until our very day and age many of the of Al have all given fwa and have many of them have practiced actually in person that their beards have either been very

[8:53] trimmed uh have been just perhaps just a very thin layer going around or some of them have had perhaps an A goate and some of them have even been almost clean shaven this opinion very clearly has existed and continues to do so as to the evidence that these have have held and I'm not speaking about the evidence that the other UL with the other position that no you must have a fistful length beard hold I'm talking

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment d95_pYj6NiA/s/2. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/d95_pyj6nia/s/2/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.