Answered by: Maulana Jamal Ahmed
Question
Is it Sunnah, Wajib, or Fard to grow a beard in Islam? If it displeases your mother, can you still keep it?
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The Prophet peace and blessings are upon him has said: “lengthen the beard and trim short the moustache.” (agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim, as recorded by Mishkat, vol.2, pg.128, hadith no. 4421, Darul kutub Al ilmiyah)
Sheikh Molana Zakariyah rahimahullah after quoting the above hadith and other similar ahadith comment that it is wajib to keep a beard. (WujoobI’faillihyah, pg. 12) It can be downloaded from the following link: http://waqfeya.com/book.php?bid=2761
Mufti Shafi Saab says “according to the consensus of the Ummah it is haram to shave the beard, similarly, to cut it shorter than one fist is also haram. (Jawahirul Fiqh, pg. 159, vol. 7, Maktabah Darul Uloom Karachi)
As for your mother, it is necessary to please her in all matters as long as she does not command you to do something which is against the sharia.
Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, says that the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said “do not obey anyone in sin, obedience is only in Ma’ruf (those things which are in conformity with sharia) (Agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim as recorded by Mishkat, hadith no. 3665, vol. 2, pg. 3, Darul Kutub al Ilmiyah)
However, this does not in any way mean that you can be rude to her or that you can scold at her, rather you should be kind and gentle with parents even at this point. Allah says “But if they endeavour to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do. (Surah Luqman ayah 15)
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Jamal Ahmed
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham