Ruling on having a beard (Lahya). I am a Muslim living in Amsterdam, and I would like to know if having a beard is compulsory for Muslim men, and if it is compulsory, does it have to be 4 fingers long (measured from the chin down)? Are we allowed to style it according to modern standards, i.e. have a goatee or a very short neat beard? The reason for this question is that in our local mosque; the central mosque (Ja'mah) of Amsterdam, we are told that Muslims have to have a beard and are not allowed to shave it, and it has to be 4 fingers or longer.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

For the Islamic ruling concerning shaving the beard, please refer to Fataawa 81978, 332320, 317029, 119302 and 91108.

As for cutting off whatever exceeds one's fist of the beard, please refer to Fatwa 81533.

In brief, according to the view of the majority of Muslim scholars, it is forbidden to shave the beard, and it is permissible to cut off whatever exceeds one's fist. There is disagreement among scholars concerning other issues, except the above-mentioned. It is a Prophetic Sunnah to let one's beard grow.

Allah knows best.