Is shaping a cheek line for your beard permissible?

Naṣāʾiḥ of Ibn Muneer - 0012

Q: Fulan, Riyadh, KSA. Is it permissible to shave parts of facial hair that is closer to the eyes and nose to make a straight and sharp cheek line?

A: There are two different issues now mentioned in this question.

The first issue is: Taking the hair off the man’s face. Period. Wherever that hair is. Eyebrows, eyelashes, this that (Mufti points to area beneath the lower lip and sides), face. Because, one may say, I have a lot of hair, I’m very hairy. And the hair becomes unsightly. Hair out of my nose, hair all the way up to my cheeks, nearly connecting to my eyes. That’s one reason.

(The second issue is:) That’s not the same as someone saying I want my beard to be shaped up. I want to look sharp, I want it to be nice and tailored.

That’s two different issues now.

Two different Islamic rulings pertaining to necessity, need, and pertaining to a want, a style and a desire.

As we mentioned last week in Masjid Taqwa. With regards to cosmetic surgery, getting your teeth augmented, everybody understand this? You have abnormal teeth? That’s one thing. That’s not the same as I want to get it done so I want to have a nice smile, a better smile, to be cosmetic. Everybody understand this? There’s two different issues. Everybody clear on this or not?

So therefore the Ulema of Islam they say, that the word Lihya, the beard, in the tongue of the Arabs, composes of the following things:

1. The chin
2. al-Aaridayn, the jawbone
3. al-Khaddayn, the cheeks

This is the Lihya in Arabic. This is the thing the Prophet ﷺ said, don’t cut, leave, and let grow. So you have the chin, the jawbone, and the Khadd, this is the cheek, Khadd.

So the question is, this here (Mufti points to his high cheekbone), is this not what? (audience reply “cheek”) Huh, cheek, it says high cheekbones. This is the cheek. Where does the cheek begin and end, and stop? Everybody clear on this or not? When you get a shape-up, are you not shaving, trimming and cutting, off of the cheek? You are.

So therefore my advice is, to leave the hair on the face. Leave it. As far as it’s all the way up to your eyes, obviously I can’t relate to this, huh? It’s “out of control”, then that’s a different story. That’s perhaps, that’s a what? Different story.

If I had a full beard, myself, I wouldn’t get it shaped up, I would consider it to be more handsome, more natural, and closer to the Sunnah, by letting it be natural, without getting it shaped up. But it doesn’t mean that it is Haram, it doesn’t mean that. That’s my opinion, based off of what I studied, is that it’s(pointing to his high cheekbone) from the hair of the face. Going up to the eyes, the nose, perhaps that’s a different story. Perhaps that’s what? Perhaps that’s a different story. But this here (Mufti points from the ear to above the side of the lips, above the diagonal cheek line many people make), I would consider this to be part of the Lihya. I would consider that to be a part of the Lihya, and, natural is beautiful. Natural is beautiful. Huh? Natural is beautiful.

However, there lies no doubt, for a brother to get his beard shaped up, is better than getting it cut. For a brother to cut his beard, is better than shaving his beard. There are levels. There are what? There are levels. And oftentimes, there’s a lot of pressure, the people who have to go through and face because of having a full beard. Being harassed, being bothered, being discriminated against, people looking at you like you’re a terrorist, or saying “Why you walking around looking like Jesus? Are you some holy saint or monk?” Everybody understand this?

Or unfortunately, there are some women who complain about their husband’s beards. “I don’t want you to have a full beard.” “Can you trim it?” “Can you shave it?” “Can you shape it up?” “Can you look handsome?” “It scratches me.” “How can you sleep with me, and your beard is all over the place?” Muslim women talk like this, unfortunately. So you gotta make sure you’re married to a Muslim woman, who’s on the Sunnah like you’re trying to be on the Sunnah. And her values, are your values. “I want you to wear these tight pants and these short shorts.” No. She wants you to dress in a modest, Islamic way. Whether it’s pants, or thobe, or whatever the case may be. So you have to be with someone who’s compatible for you.

So therefore I wouldn’t advise to shape up the beard, nor would I advise someone to trim the beard, to fluff it, no. Let it grow, and leave it be. The only thing, and Allah knows best, that I feel is valid, issue of khilaf, is the "قَبَضَ". The hair that exceeds the fistful, that’s a discussion which could go either way. Shaving it, trimming it, doing this, so on and so forth, I don’t think that’s correct at all. And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ‎) surely knows best.

Note: This advice of "Mufti" "Abu Ramlah" Muhammad Ibn Muneer Abdul-Hameed was transcribed from Hd Live - YouTube (25:39) (alternative link)

Video streamed live on Jun 19, 2018

Note 2: The original livestream linked above is now private/deleted, so here's the better audio version posted later: Live Q&A Session (7/19/2018) (36:10)

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