I heard a tape of Shaykh al-Albaani where he was asked by Shaykh al-Huwayni about a woman that naturally grows a beard. Shaykh al-Huwayni asked Shaykh al-Albaani if the woman could shave her beard but the Shaykh replied with the negative and insisted that she should not. Is this the common opinion among Muslim scholars?

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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

The scholars differed regarding the issue of a woman whose beard grows whether she should shave it or not. There are two opinions. Imaam An-Nawawi said: 'If a woman's beard grows it is desirable for her to shave it, this is what Al-Qaadhi Hussein and other scholars had stated. The same thing applies to the moustache, and the goatee, and this is our view point.'

Muhammad Ibn Jareer stated: 'She may not shave any of this hair, nor change the way in which she was created by adding or removing from her created appearance.' The majority of scholars however, are of the view that it is permissible for her to shave her beard, moustache and goatee. In fact, the Maaliki school hold the opinion that it is an obligation on her to shave them. The opinion of those who say that it is desirable or an obligation (for the woman to shave) sounds more appropriate than those who say that it is forbidden for her to do so, as the woman is required to beautify herself for her husband. If she has a beard and a moustache, her husband may shun her and dislike her, and this is contrary to the objectives of the Sharee'ah in marriage.

Allaah knows best.