Why is shaving beards prohibited, though the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, did not forbid it? He just ordered us to let beards grow and the authentic Hadeeth states: "Whatever I command you, try your best to execute it." In Algeria, shaving the beard has become a habit; and the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: "Sin is the act that your heart rejects and you fear that people would know about."

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The ruling on shaving the beard has been already discussed in previous Fatwas. The questioner says that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not forbid us from shaving the beard. Our answer to him is that the Prophet commanded us to grow the beard, and it is well-known that the command to do something means forbiddance to do its opposite. Thus, the command of letting the beard grow indicates the prohibition of shaving it. Also, the command here is an obligation whose negligence is prohibited. As for the words of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, "Whatever I command you, try your best to execute it", it does not stand as evidence permitting shaving the beard. On the contrary, it refers to the obligation of letting it grow. Only when there is a genuinely unbearable harm can one shave it due to necessity which must only be answered proportionately.

In answer to the argument that shaving the beard has become a habit in Algeria, we say that habits which contradict Sharee‘ah are of no significance. Rather, they must be changed. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allaah Has Revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing."} [Quran 2: 170]

The Hadeeth which reads, "Sin is the act that wavers in your heart and you hate that people would know about," is not deducible as well. It indicates the prohibition of shaving the beard, because the heart rejects doing that. The last part of the Hadeeth, "and you hate that people would know about," means the thing that you are doubtful about it being a sin and meanwhile you hate that people would see you committing it. Had everything that you hate people would see you doing been a sin, then spending secretly in charity and praying at night would have been counted among the sins.

Allaah Knows best.