Question:
We all know growing a beard is the way of the prophet and the Sahaba. However I’ve heard people saying that there’s a Shafii opinion that sates “shaving the beard completely is only makruh, not haram” is this a valid opinion? Jazakallah khair
Answer:
Salām ʿAlaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh,
Jazākum Allāhu khayran for your question.
In the Shāfiʿī madhhab, there are indeed differing opinions regarding the ruling on shaving the beard. Some earlier scholars within the school held that shaving the beard without a valid excuse is makrūh (disliked). However, this is not the sound and relied-upon opinion (qawl muʿtamad) in the madhhab.
The stronger and sound opinion in the Shāfiʿī school is that completely shaving the beard without a valid excuse is ḥarām (prohibited). This aligns with the broader understanding across the madhāhib regarding the importance of preserving the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions in appearance.
However, in the Shāfiʿī madhhab, if there is a valid excuse—such as health concerns, safety issues, work-related requirements, or fear of harm—then shaving may be permitted, based on the principle of removing hardship (rafʿ al-ḥaraj).
Other madhāhib generally require a higher threshold of necessity (ḍarūrah) for shaving to be deemed permissible, such as life-threatening or severely harmful circumstances.
Wa-Allāhu Aʿlam.