Maktaba as Salafiya

The Ruling of cutting the portion of the hair which exceeds the grip

of the hand of the beard (the trimming of the beard more than ones hand fist):

Ash-Shaykh Bin Baaz, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said:

"...Some of them (of the people) hold on to what was narrated from IbnUmar, may Allaah be pleased with him, during Hajj and Umrah that he use to trim his beard,from what he understood from the statement of
Allaah:

(...ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا تَفَثَهُمْ)

'Then let them complete the rites prescribed for them...'

He use to see Qadaa at-tafath (completing the rites) was trimming the beard,this (understanding) is also incorrect because it is not permissible for a Muslim if he comes to know of a Sunnah of the Prophet, alaihi as-salaatu was salaam and that which he, alaihi as-salaatu was salaam was upon to oppose it for anyone else opinion. So Ibn Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, was mistaken in this (action), he does not have with him a proof from the Sunnah indicating (the permissibility) of that. So it is not permissible to follow him while being in opposition to the Sunnah, but at the same time Ibn Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, use to trim his beard in Hajj and Umrah only. As for them (those claiming to follow Ibn Umar) they shave it or trim it wherever and whenever not only in Hajj and Umrah, so they are in opposition to the Hadeeth( that which is indicating that the beard should be left) and also they are in opposition to Ibn Umar.

Reference: The Tape: “The Affect of Taqwaa on the life of The Muslim”, Side B.

Has this act been authenticated from another than Ibn Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him?

A: It has been narrated from Ibn Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, that he use to see that it is okay to trim the beard, as been reported by Ibn Jareer in his Tafseer (17/526) and also Ibn Abee Shaybah in his Musanaf (85/4). But however it is considered to be weak due to the narrator on Ibn Abbaas has never heard from him.

Also it has been narrated on Abee Hurairah as it has been reported by Ibn Sa'ad in his at-Tabaqaat (56/3) with a weak chain due to the narrator Abu Hilaal ar-Raasibee , he has been declared to be da'eef .Also it has been reported by al-Imaam al-Kalaal in his book at-Tarajul , page(115) with a weak chain due to one of narrators are unknown to the scholars of Hadeeth.

Also it has been narrated on A'lee bin Taalib as been reported by Ibn Abee Shaybah in his Musanaf (372/8) with a weak chain due to it containing of an unknown narrator and a weak narrator.

Also it has been narrated on Jaabir as been reported by Ibn Abee Shaybah in his Musanaf (375/8) and Ibn Sa'ad in his at-Tabaqaat with a weak chain due to it containing the narrator Abu Hilaal ar-Raasibee who has been declared to be da'eef and also the narrator narrating on Jaabir has never heard from Jaabir. This narration has another chain reported by Abu Daawud (4201) also it is weak due to the narrator narrating on Jaabir is from the narrators whose narrations are not accepted except if they say "I heard from him" due to them being known to drop narrators between them and those they are misleading that they heard from.

As for what has been said that this act has been performed by Umar bin al-khattaab then this incorrect because some of the Scholars have mentioned there is no saheeh chain or weak chain to Umar bin al-khattaab with such an narration.

The Conclusion of this research is that it is not appropriate for a Muslim to leave the proofs and evidences that indicate that the beard should be left (neither cutting it totality off nor trimming it) for the Ijtihaad (own judgement) of one the Sahaabas, may Allaah be pleased with them.