This short article on ‘Growing Beard and Trimming Moustaches’ has been compiled from the traditions of masomeen-asws. Shaving beard is forbidden, if someone does that then there is ‘Kufara’ (penalty) equivalent to ‘blood-money’ if beard would not grow back but if it does than Kufara would be 1/3 of it. Kufara of a shave (if beard grows back) is approximately £ 26, 000.
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ شَمُّونٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ مِسْمَعٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَضَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) فِي اللِّحْيَةِ إِذَا حُلِقَتْ فَلَمْ تَنْبُتِ الدِّيَةَ كَامِلَةً فَإِذَا نَبَتَتْ فَثُلُثُ الدِّيَةِ.
A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Al Hassan Bin Shamoun, from Abdullah Bin Abdul Rahman, from Misma’a,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen-asws judged regarding the beard when it is shaved-off, so it does not grow back, is the complete wergild. So if it does grow back, so it is a third of the wergild’.[1]
وسألته عن أخذ الشاربين أسنة هو ؟ قال: نعم.
And I asked him-asws about taking the moustache, is it a Sunnah?’ He-asws said: ‘Yes’.[2]
عن ابن مسعود، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله قال: لما تاب الله على آدم أتاه جبرئيل فقال: إني رسول الله إليك وهو يقرئك السلام ويقول: يا آدم حياك الله وبياك قال: أما حياك الله فأعرفه فما بياك ؟ قال: أضحك، قال: فسجد آدم عليه السلام فرفع رأسه إلى السماء وقال: يا رب زدني جمالا فأصبح وله لحية سوداء كالحمم فضرب بيده إليها فقال: يا رب ما هذه ؟ فقال: هذه اللحية، زينتك بها أنت وذكور ولدك إلى يوم القيامة
It is narrated by Ibn-e-Massoud that Prophet Mohammad-saww, said: when Hazrat Adam-as was feeling low Allah-azwj sent Hazrat Jibraeil-as to (cheer him up). Jibraeil said: I am a messenger of Allah-azwj and Allah-azwj Wishes you a long and cheerful life. (Upon hearing this) Adam-as went into prostration and then lifted his head towards skies and prayed: O Lord! Make me more graceful. In the morning, the next day, upon touching his face with his hands, Hazrat Adam-as felt a heavily grown black beard. Upon feeling it, Hazrat Adam-as said: Allah-azwj What is this? Allah-azwj replied: This is beard, the beauty for you-as and your sons to come until the day of resurrection.[3]
أبي ، عن سعد ، عن أيوب بن نوح ، عن ابن أبي عمير ، عن حفص بن البختري ، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال : كان الناس لا يشيبون فأبصر إبراهيم عليه السلام شيبا في لحيته ، فقال : يارب ما هذا ؟ فقال : هذا وقار . فقال : رب زدني وقار
Abi Abdullah-asws said that the people never look old until the time of Hazrath Ibrahim-as. Upon observing a white hair in his beard, the first time, Hazrath Ibrahim-as prayed to Allah-azwj Oh Allah-azwj! Please enlighten me about it. Allah-azwj said it is ‘WIQAR’ (reverence) for you. Then He-as said Lord bestow me with more reverence.[4]
قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله حلق اللحية من المثلة ومن مثل فعليه لعنة الله
Rasool Allah-saww said shaving beard is an act of mutilation and one incites Allah-azwj ‘s curse by shaving his beard.[5]
عدة من أصحابنا عن سهل بن زياد، عن محمد بن الحسن بن شمون، عن
عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن، عن مسمع، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قضى أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام في اللحية إذا حلق فلم تنبت دية كاملة فإذا نبتت فثلث دية
It is narrated from a chain of narrators that Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq-asws quoted on behalf of Amir-ul-moumaneen-asws that if someone shaves his beard and it does not grow again then there is ‘Blood Money’ on him but if his beard grows again then he should pay out (elms) one third of the ‘Blood Money.[6]
الحلبي، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: الدية عشرة آلاف درهم أو ألف دينار، قال جميل: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: الدية مائة من الابل
Hazrat Abu Abdullah-asws said: Blood money is ten thousand Dirhams or one thousand Dinars. Jamil said that Abu Abdullah-asws said the blood money is equivalent to the price of one hundred camels.[7]
فقال رسوالله لكن ربي أمرني بإعفاء لحيتي و قص شاربي الخبر
Rasool Allah-saww said that I have been asked by my Lord to grow my beard and cut my moustaches[8]
قال: قال رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله): إن المجوس جزوا لحاهم، ووفروا شواربهم وإنا نحن نجز الشوارب، ونعفي اللحى، وهى الفطرة
The Messenger of Allah-saww said: The Majoosi[9] shave their beards, and grow their moustaches and we trim our Moustaches, and grow our beards.[10]
رأيت أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) في شرطة الخميس ومعه درة يضرب بها بياعي الجري والمار ماهي والزمير والطافي، ويقول لهم: ” يا بياعي مسوخ بني اسرائيل وجند بني مروان ” فقام إليه فرات بن الاحنف فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين، وما جند بني مروان ؟ فقال له: ” أقوام حلقوا اللحي وفتلوا الشوارب
A companion of Amir-ul-Momaneen-asws narrates: I saw Ali-asws accompanied with his officials, on Thursday, he had a lash in his hand and was hitting those with it who were selling ‘Haram’ fish-The fish with Moustaches and the dead floating fish. Amir-ul-Momaneen-asws cautioned them: O sellers of deformed Children of Israel and Army of Marawan’s son” (Upon listen to this) Furath Bin Al-Hanif asked : Ya Ali-asws who is the army of Marawan’s son! Imam Ali-asws replied they are from those who shave their beards and twisted their moustaches.[11]
The minimum and maximum length of Beard:
It is narrated from Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq-asws that close your fingers around your beard and trim down hair which comes out of your palm (width) and in another tradition, Imam-asws says the part of beard which is longer than the fist-length will be burnt in the hell fire.[12]
Imam Musa Kazim-asws replied to a question regarding the triming of beard, as: trim it down some from the sides and some from the front.[13]
.وعن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن المثنى، عن سدير الصيرفي قال: رأيت أبا جعفر (عليه السلام) يأخذ عارضيه ويبطن لحيته
Sudair Al Serafi reports : I having seen Imam Aba Jaafar-asws used to trim his beard by removing hair from His-asws cheeks and underneath the chin.[14]
محمد بن إدريس في آخر (السرائر) نقلا من كتاب (الجامع) لاحمد بن محمد ابن أبي نصر البزنطي صاحب الرضا (عليه السلام) قال: وسألته عن الرجل هل يصلح له أن يأخذ من لحيته ؟ قال: أما من عارضيه فلا بأس، وأما من مقدمها فلا
Abi Nasr Al Bznti the Sahabi asked from Imam Raza-asws : Is a man allowed to remove hair from his beard ? Imam-asws replied: There is no harm if he removes hair from his cheeks but should refrain from shaving the front part. [15]
عدة من أصحابنا عن سھل بن زياد، عن محمد بن الحسن بن شمون، عن
عبد لله بن عبد الرحمن، عن مسمع، عن أبي عبد لله عليه السلام قال:
قضى أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام في اللحية إذا حلق فلم تنبت دية كاملة
فإذا نبتت فثلث دية
It is narrated from a chain of narrators that Amir-ul-Momaneen-asws said if someone shaves his beard and it does not grow again then there is ‘Blood Money’ on him but if his beard grows again then he should pay out (elms) one third of the ‘Blood Money[16]
‘Kufara’ (penalty) of Shaving Beard:
الحلبي، عن أبي عبد لله عليه السلام قال: الدية عشرة آلاف درھم
أو ألف دينار، قال جميل: قال أبو عبد لله عليه السلام: الدية مائة
من الابل
Hazrat Abu Abdullah-asws said: Blood money is ten thousand Dirhams or one thousand Dinars. Jamil said that Abu Abdullah-asws said the blood money is equivalent to the price of one hundred camels.[17]
Kufara per Shave if beard grows again:
Method One:
The Islamic dinar (coin22k (91.7%) gold) weighs 4.25 grams gold.[18]
333.333 x 4.25 = 1416.65 x £18.30[19] = £ 25,925.00
Method Two:
Or if we assume a live camel will cost £12,000
Then the price of 100 CAMELS will be 1,200,000 THEN 1/3 of it:
£ 400,000
Kufara per Shave if beard does not grow again:
Method One: £ 77,775
Method Two: £ 1,200,000
[1] Al Kafi – V 7 – The Book of Wergilds Ch 26 H 23
[2] (an extract from Bihar Al-Anwaar, vol. 10)
[3] Bihar V 73 P 379 Ilaloshraya V2 P 379
[4] Al-kafi vol 6 pg 494 Ilalushrayi vol 1 pg 104
[5] Mustadrak Ul Wasail Vol 1 Hadees No 1003
[6] AL-KAFI .V-7.PG-316, FAQI V.4 P.150,TAHZEEB V 10 P.250
[7] AL-KAFI V-7 P-272. TAHZEEB V-10 P-160
[8] Mustadrak Ul Wasail, Vol 1, Hadees No 1004
[9] A nation who disobeyed Allahazwj and were destroyed by Allahazwj’s wrath.
[10] Mustadrak Ul Wasail, Vol 2, Hadees No 1659
[11] Usool-e-Kafi (Arabic Version), Vol 1, pp. 346, Hadith No. 3, Wasail-ul-Shia, Vol. 2, pp. 116, Mustadrak Ul Wasail, Vol. 16, pp. 178.
[12] Tahzib-ul-Islam, pp. 182 (Urdu)
[13] Tahzib-ul-Islam, pp. 182 (Urdu)
[14] Wasailulshia V-2 Page 111, Bihar V-46 Page 299
[15] Wasailulshia V-2 Page 111 Bihar V-73 Page 113
[16] AL-KAFI .V-7.PG-316, FAQI V.4 P.150,TAHZEEB V 10 P.250
[17] AL-KAFI V-7 P-272. TAHZEEB V-10 P-160
[18] Islamic gold dinar From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[19] Gold price as per June 2009.