Cutting-edge Perspective: Trimming the beard in Islam (pt 2)- Mufti Abu Layth

[Music] so first of all we've got two things here one that there is a combination between the the mustach between the Tash and the beard okay so the and the in all three of these secondly we have a a type of

stipulation saying be different to the Jews and the Christians or the ma or the mush now many people have interpreted this to mean that it is an obligatory command a mandatory command but we see quite differently from other so let me take you to a few other Hadith that share or that bear a resemblance to this from the differing

perspective so there is a Hadith of Abu which is in um the mus of Ahmed and Abu da and in it is transmitted also by bukari that the the prophet Sall alaihi wasallam said that the Y that they do not die their hair they do not color their hair so the prophet Sall alaih wasallam said so be different to them and you color your hair color whether that is of the head or of the beard color

it there is another Hadith transmitting by transmitted in the book of and in the that the prophet Sall alaihi wasallam said is transmitted by sh that the prophet Sall alaihi wasallam said that that be different to the they do not pray in their shoes wearing their shoes so be different to with them and this is a

command now there is another Hadith which is transmitted once again uh in Muslim in and in the ofed that the prophet Sall alaihi wasallam on the authority of stated that the difference between us and the people of the book and that how we should be different to them with regard in regard to our fasting is that we should wake up

for is the wording of the Hadith is the difference between us and the people of the book and there are a few other examples as well but I'll just keep these three um which will really suffice to show what I'm trying to prove here and that is that first of all the generally across the board have agreed that in all three of these in the one of Abu and the one of sh in the one of in these type of where the Prophet

has instructed people that be different color your hair color your beards that be different to the Y pray in your shoes that be different eat that in these typ and other that resemble this that the command and instruction here is not mandatory rather some have said it is simply permissible others have said that it is upon recommendation and that seems to be the popular view amongst the majority of the okay so if

here this is taken as a recommendation then why is it when it is mentioned with the beard that it must be an obligation that's a question another uh point of contention is that we see that there are several in which the prophet s Alam has taught us some have been transmitted for example on the authority of that 10 actions are from the and they mention all these different actions like

and so on and rinsing the mouth and amongst them is that allowing the beer to grow and the f is understood to mean the Sunnah and there are several variations there is some transmission from that which is in in the book of H that there are 10 acts of f including that of the beard and then there are other transmissions and I will accept that whilst investigating thesei many of the have found that there have been some

problems with the chains but what they have found is what is definitely it through various Nar narrations whether it's been through the book of through aladi through ABD through uh through Teri through various narrations that from the actions of f is to trim the mustach okay trimming the Tash is from the is from the actions of so now this brings

us back to the Hadith the three all of which contained both actions the the mustach and the beard and the fact that we should be different so you can see that if when it comes to trimming the mustache that has been clearly proven to have been from the act from the Sun or the F of this de and not from the obligatory actions of this thing okay so these were some of the evidences that those and there were many

whom I've mentioned have used as a basis historically for centuries up until this very day and age to say that growing A Fistful beard is not obligatory uh Abu W Ali one of the Legends almost a thousand years old said that the prophet Sall alaihi wasallam used the word that grow the beard which also means to trim and he said because some of theab had great beards and the prophet Sall alaihi wasallam it's possible he said it's very possible in fact he

says he said that the prophet Sall Al wasallam was saying shorten the beard in a way that it's less although it's still a beard but it's less than what the Jews and Christians have he said that that is possible and he says that this wording what is also possible from it is that grow it in relation to the [Music] mustach that is an interpretation from a scholar that is almost a thousand years old from alelos Ab so we see these classical narrations coming through this is not a phenomenon

of postmodernity this is something that is well found and established in our books and we have to recognize that the is well founded it is in our tradition it is unden denable I am not stating by any means that there is no other opinion there are opinions that people have said look you must have a fistful length beard some have said you must just let it grow all together and people are entitled to follow that if they please but what they cannot do is deny that these opinions

have existed as authentic opinions of some of the greatest of this theme till our very day and age and what is interesting and worth mentioning that Imam Malik was asked that when somebody informs another of the Sunnah should he start arguing and debating and getting into such a discourse and uh such like a heated discussion with people regarding the Sunnah and IM Malik said

he said that's all he said you simply State and inform and you leave it at that that is how this theme has been transmitted with etiquette and we see people today will often do things as judge people we are so uh uh so Swift to judge one another we must remember that it is not these outwardly things that reflect the true state of a person let alone that these states which we are objecting to have actually been

substantiated by many of this tradition that said people I have clarified uh quite clearly and substantiated that this opinion does exist it is not Haram according to many of the Great man of quoted people like people like IM many others up until this very day and age right up until contemporary Scholars like Mustafa Zar or Al many others who

have clearly stated that it is not Haram to trim your beard likewise many have said it is not Haram to have an or what is interpreted as a beard it is not uh Haram to be kind of trimming below a fistful in length that said this is not a matter of the dean which we should treat as a tenant of Faith the way some people have kind of given this such they

have prioritized it in a way that it almost Allah like perhaps comes after or one of the the greatest tenants of this thing that is not the state status or the mam of this Mas that said people I leave you with a [Music] poem that I mean whoever wishes that he can take heed or guidance from what has been said or displayed that we have

really just poured out everything we possibly could we ask Allah subhah wa ta'ala to teach us from his knowledge to give us the to to reconnect with this amazing Legacy that we have to have the ability to convey the true understanding of This Dean to those who come after [Music]

[Music] us with that folks for listening