Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
In Shaykh Nuh Keller’s letter regarding the beard (available at Masud’s websites), he mentions that his teacher said there were two positions regarding the length of the beard in Hanafi fiqh. Shaykh Nuh stated this his teacher did not provide a reference for this. Could you please comment.
Walaikum assalam,
I am not sure. What I have read and learned clearly indicates that for the beard to be a fistful is wajib. The texts that say it is a “sunna” also mention it being sinful to have it less than a fistful, and are explained in other texts to mean “established by the sunna,” with the ruling being that it is wajib.
Unlike the Shafi`i school, the Hanafis do not define things precisely when no precise definition has come from the Lawgiver. In fact, this is an established principle that Abu Hanifa based countless rulings on. As such, you will be hard pressed to find a “precise definition” of what a fistful means.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani