Beard in Hanafi Madhab

Discussion in 'Hanafi Fiqh' started by ridawi, Feb 13, 2016.

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  1. ridawi

    ridawi Muhammadi Sunni Hanafi

    scans:
    Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/535: http://www.alahazratnetwork.org/modules/booksofalahazrat/item.php?page=524&itemid=22

    Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/544: http://www.alahazratnetwork.org/modules/booksofalahazrat/item.php?page=533&itemid=22

    Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/601: http://www.alahazratnetwork.org/modules/booksofalahazrat/item.php?page=590&itemid=22

    Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/627: http://www.alahazratnetwork.org/modules/booksofalahazrat/item.php?page=616&itemid=22

    Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/600: http://www.alahazratnetwork.org/modules/booksofalahazrat/item.php?page=589&itemid=22

    They should try to find an individual who is worthy of leading salah (who has a fistful beard), and then appoint him as their imam for the five times congregation. however, if they cannot find anyone worthy of imamat, and also none from among them is worthy to lead, then they should pray alone. 'worthy'= meets all the conditions of imamat and isn't a fasiq e mu'lin.
    wa'Allahu ta'ala a'lam
     
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  2. Ridawi, for the benefit of others and myself kindly post the scanned copies of EACH Fatwa you mention. There are many people who live close to the Masajid where the Imam has no or little beard. They worry about whether to join the Congregation or Pray alone as a result.
     
  3. Oh Allah elevate Him (Ridawi)
     
  4. ridawi

    ridawi Muhammadi Sunni Hanafi

    The general rule is that salah behind a fasiq e mu'lin is makruh e tahrimi and if prayed, it is wajib to repeat it.

    ala hazrat's fatwa:
    "The one who trims his beard to less than the length stipulated by the shari'ah (fistful) is a fasiq e mu'lin and to appoint him as the imam is sinful." [Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/535]

    Elsewhere:
    "Question: The one who keeps a beard less than the length stipulated by the shari'ah and habitually trims it - what is the ruling of shari'ah to appoint him as the Imam for salah?

    Answer: He is a fasiq e mu'lin and to appoint him as the Imam is sinful, and to pray salah behind him is makruh e tahrimi. It is in gunyah: 'If the people put forward a fasiq [to lead] they will be sinful.'" [Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/544]

    In another fatwa:
    "salah behind a fasiq is makruh. If he is not an open sinner (mu'lin), in that he sins in secrecy - it [his sin] is not known or popular, then it is makruh e tanzihi, meaning khilaf e ula [to pray behind him]. And if he is a fasiq e mu'lin, in that he commits major sins openly or persistently commits minor sins, then to make him the imam is sinful: salah behind him is makruh e tahrimi; to pray behind him is sinful and if prayed it is wajib to repeat." [Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/601]

    Another fatwa:
    "The one who shaves his beard is a fasiq e mu'lin. [when it is said that] salah will be done [behind him] it means that the fard will be complete; otherwise it will be sinful to appoint him as the imam and salah behind him is makruh e tahrimi; to pray [behind him] is sinful and to repeat it is wajib." [Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/627]

    ala hazrat's fatwa:
    "Question: Is it permissible or not to pray salah behind a fasiq/fajir when there is no other [non-fasiq] to be found to lead the salah?

    Answer: If he openly commits actions of fisq and fujur and there are no other individuals worthy of leading salah available, then pray salah alone.
    Because to put forward a fasiq [to lead salah] is a sin and to pray salah behind him is makruh e tahrimi, and jama'at is wajib - therefore both their ranks are one (equal) [in terms of hukm]. However, to ward off corruption is better than gaining benefit/virtue [dar' al-mafasidi awla min jalbi'l masalihi: a principle of hanafi fiqh]." [Fatawa Ridawiyyah 6/600]

    I don't agree that most (hanafi) imams do not have a fulfist beard, maybe such is the situation in some Arab countries - Allah knows best. But from what I've seen in UK and India, majority of the local imams seem to have a fulfist beard.
     
  5. would repeating it be wajib, sunnat e mu'akkadah, ghayr mu'akkadah, mustahab, or simply up to the person?
    do you have a source for this?[/QUOTE]

    It would appear that the strongest opinion would be it's necessary to repeat the Prayer where the Imam has a short Beard, but you would need to check Ibn Abidin and Ala Hazrat's Fatwa on this. Pretty sure its Wajib. However the issue is not as cut and dry as this in many cases.

    In today's age most Imam's don't have a proper beard, especially in the Arab World. Then it becomes difficult and looking at the condition of the general Muslim Awaam where many struggle with the very basics it may be wise to allow some room for the Shafi'i dispensation on the beard which would mean that they would not need to repeat every Prayer. The official position being that the beard is Sunnah without it being a sin not to have a full length beard.

    Allah know's best.
     
  6. ridawi

    ridawi Muhammadi Sunni Hanafi

    actually, for joining the jama'at there are six opinions. but you're right to say that the overwhelming majority say it is wajib.

    would repeating it be wajib, sunnat e mu'akkadah, ghayr mu'akkadah, mustahab, or simply up to the person?
    do you have a source for this?
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2016
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  7. It comes down to Wajib of congragational Prayer Vs praying behind a sinful person. Since joining the Jamaat is Wajib without difference of opinion or overwhelming majority say it is Waajib but repition of such a Prayer behind an Imam with a short beard is not agreed on unanimously ( unless soneone can prove Ijma here using the Primers) then one would join the Salaah and repeat it to come out of the difference of opinion on short bearded Imams neccessitating repetition of Prayer.

    Allah knows Best
     
  8. Bazdawi

    Bazdawi Well-Known Member

    The fact of the matter is: you cannot give your own opinion on a matter and just quote a few hadīth to support it. Present quotes from the books of Fiqh, only then will your claim be substantiated.

    "Hadīth is a pitfall except for the fuqahâ."
     
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  9. Unbeknown

    Unbeknown Senior Moderator

    what do you mean?
     
  10. The wajibaat of Praying in congregation would not be lifted if you fulfil the conditions in the first place ( for example you live next door to the Masjid). Even if the Imam has a short beard you would be obliged to join the Prayer and Pray behind Him due to the Narrations on the matter, one being

    The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever hears the call and does not come [to the mosque], there is no prayer for him, except for one who has an excuse." This was narrated by Ibn Maajah, al-Daaraqutni, Ibn Hibbaan.

    The point is that saying one refuses to Pray behind an Imam with a short beard does not lift the obligation to Pray behind him if he meets the criteria where he must join the Jamaat. Even where there is an other Imam available. Yes if a local Mufti or Scholar allows an exception for the followers to use the Shafi'i dispensation for this then that is different, especially when repeating every Prayer will cause hardship.
     
  11. Alf

    Alf Active Member

    what if the the person leading the salah and the person praying behind him both have less than one fist beard ? Will the person need to repeat his salah even then?
     
  12. Bazdawi

    Bazdawi Well-Known Member

    Any reference to support your assumption?

    If his beard is cut to less than a fistful then even if salah is prayed behind him, it would be necessary to repeat. This is because praying behind a fasiq is makruh tahrimi, and it is wajib to repeat every salah which has been fulfilled with karahat e tahrim.
     
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  13. Unbeknown

    Unbeknown Senior Moderator

    brother, this was in a specific case where another Imam was already available. we are not talking of exceptions here. The case of praying and repeating would arise, if at all that is the hanafi position, only after all other avenues are exhausted.
     
  14. [QUOTE="Unbeknown, .

    If he refuses to pray behind an imam with less than fistful beard is he to be called 'ignorant', 'extremist', 'sectarian', 'modern barelvi' and 'khariji'?

    I don't think is the correct interpretation of the Hanafi position on the matter. One is not discharged from the congregational Prayer but joining it would be Wajib if one is in the Mosque even if the Imams beard is short. One would have to join it and then repeat the Prayer to fulfil all the conditions of the School as far as I am aware. Allah knows best.

    The problem nowadays is that there are areas even countries where finding an Imam with a full beard is difficult. In such a case one would then be constantly repeating every Prayer.
     
  15. Unbeknown

    Unbeknown Senior Moderator

  16. Unbeknown

    Unbeknown Senior Moderator

    Dar-ul-Iftah-Ahlesunnat (madani channel) episode 470. A caller asked if salah behind an imam having less than a fistful beard is valid. Mufti sahib replied that this mas'ala has been explained numerous times. If the imam's beard is naturally short and he fulfills all the other conditions, salah behind him is valid. If he trims his beard to less than a fistful, he is a fasiq mu'lin and salah prayed behind him will have to be repeated.

    so the question is, if a commoner watches madani channel and takes the mufti sahib's ruling at face value without going to read what Imam Shami said or someone else said, will he be guilty of negligence? If he refuses to pray behind an imam with less than fistful beard is he to be called 'ignorant', 'extremist', 'sectarian', 'modern barelvi' and 'khariji'?

    If these terms are applicable to him then they apply even more to the mufti who provided the ruling and since the ruling has been explained 'numerous times' its would be that the lot of dawate islami muftis are...........

    Should a mufti give a straight ruling or should he delve into who said what and the definitions of this and that? Would this not leave the questioner more confused than he was to begin with?
     
  17. agent-x

    agent-x Well-Known Member

    Can we expect this any time soon?
     
  18. FaqirHaider

    FaqirHaider اللَه المقدر والعالم شؤون لا تكثر لهمك ما قدر يكون

    From Malfoozat of Ala Hazrat (r.a)

    QUESTION: Is it a major or a minor sin to shave off or cut the beard
    very short?
    ANSWER: To shave off completely or trim the beard very short once
    is a minor sin and to habitually do so is a major sin. This continuous
    act will make you a Faasiq-e-Moh’lin (certified transgressor) and the
    Court of Sharee’ah will reject you as a valid witness. To perform
    Salaah with Jama’at behind such a person is forbidden and if Salaah
    performed, it will be incumbent to repeat that Salaah. If one does not
    do so, then one will be a great sinner.
     
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  19. Unbeknown

    Unbeknown Senior Moderator

    What I understood from the post below:

    1. Beard is sunnah qarib bilwajib which is the lowest of the three categories of wajib.
    2. Trimming it to less than a fist is
    makruh.
    3. A fatwa of
    karahah cannot be invoked to label a person as fasiq.

    My questions:

    1. I have heard that fatawa ridawiyyah states that for as haji it is qarib bilwajib to go to madina shareef. So is the hukm on beard of the same category?


    2. What is the meaning of
    makrukh in the hanafi madhhab? In the shafi'i madhhab committing a makruh does not make a person fasiq though habitual commission of makruh may cause him to lose his respectability and hence make him ineligible for bearing witness in a court of law.
     
  20. Moriarty

    Moriarty Veteran

    Some quick thoughts:

    Abu Bakr Jassas in his commentary on Mukhtasar of Imam Tahawi mentions the ranks of wajib (maratib alwajib) as being three. This is in the Hanafi school. Beard would fall in to the last category. Go back and have a look at that passage.

    Mufti Waqar expresses the essential nature of the beard as sunnah qarib bilwajib. (Check his fatawa).

    This would make clear that those scholars who employed the expression 'sunnah' meant an emphatic sunnah not unlike wajib. Analogous to sunnah of fajr or prayer in congregation. Leaving an emphatic sunnah would entail 'isaah'. Isaah on a continuous basis is makruh tahrimi.

    The expression 'a fist is wajib' is misleading. What should be said is trimming less than a fist is makruh.

    Many of the Hanafi texts explicitly mention the dislike of trimming the beard below the sunnah legnth. Trimming less than the sunnah legnth is established as being makruh. Imam Ibn Abidin likens the habit to that of mukhannath (hermaphrodites)!

    It is the passages which mention the fist amount as sunnah being misconstrued. The sunnah legnth being stated does not negate the trimming less than fist being makruh.

    Contrary to popular opinion in UK the Indian Hanafis are not alone in stating this position. Dr Samir himself gave the verdict that trimming less than the sunnah amount is makruh, even though he falls short of practising this. Shaykh Abdullah Siraj uDin also gave the same verdict as cited by Dr Nur aDin Itr in the formers biography. Nahlawi, Allah have mercy on him, states: the lay man should avoid calling a person a fasiq on issues of disagreement amongst the four schools (end of quote).

    Sayyid Alawi states the same in his fatawa.

    Now even though the fatwa is on karahah on numerous things, laymen should be careful on labelling people fasiqs. A person eats lobsters is a fasiq, a person who eats intestines is a fasiq, a person who smokes is fasiq etc.

    Yet the state of our communties is that the overwhelming majority of people do not pray five times a day. The salaf differed whether the person who abandons the prayer is a kafir or not! Even though Hanafis follow the lenient verdict.

    Our UK 'scholars' allow usurious transactions and are engrossed in riba. They will have full beards. This is not an issue of makruh or not but an issue of getting our priorities right.

    As for those who make it their goal to prove its not makruh they should learn how to interpret Hanafi texts correctly.
     

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