Is there a mandate anywhere in the books? Cultural thing?
Where do you get the idea, or evidence, that most do?
I remember that when the Taliban was running Afghanistan, men were required by law to grow beards. Violators would be jailed until they grew a beard of sufficient length.
Fair point, Ill rephrase, Why do seemingly a lot of muslims sport beard. It does seem common in parts of the muslim world (read: parts of the middle east).
Coincidence?
It’s based on hadith, nothing in the Qur’an per se. Basically the idea is that Muhammed allegedly wore a beard, so its good practice for men to wear one generally.
Scripturally it’s pretty weak sauce ( like “honor killing” ), not really required by anything definitive. But folks like the Taliban have embraced the idea, because it fits in with their own cultural preferences.
culture
:sigh:
Very useful. Are you directly suggesting that it is wrong?
Yeah, even better. Citation?
Here is a site on the beard in Islam
Here is a FAQ about beards in Islam
Same reason (similar to what Mahaloth pointed out) that a number of orthodox Jews grow beards. Scriptural references indicating that it’s proper behavior.
checks face
Nope don’t have a beard still.
Where on Gods green earth did you get that idea?
In Afghanistan, for example, it is frowned upon (not permitted) for a beardless youth to sleep in the same room as adult males. You can guess why. we are talking about cultures which have local traditions which have been incorporated into the religion.
Thus a man, a real man, will have a beard. A man without a beard is like announcing his gaydom – something absolutely frowned upon.
Mohammed encouraged growing beards but it’s not in the Q’ran but in the Hadith, so it’s not universal. You might be more interested in some of the other ‘Dress’ codes in the Hadith, such as plucking armpit hair.
Volume 7, Book 72, Number 779:
Narrated Abu Huraira :
I heard the Prophet saying. "Five practices are characteristics of the Fitra: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, cutting the moustaches short, clipping the nails, and depilating the hair of the armpits."
Volume 7, Book 72, Number 780:
Narrated Nafi':
Ibn Umar said, The Prophet said, 'Do the opposite of what the pagans do. Keep the beards and cut the moustaches short.' Whenever Ibn 'Umar performed the Hajj or 'Umra, he used to hold his beard with his hand and cut whatever moustaches. Ibn Umar used to cut his moustache so short that the whiteness of his skin (above the upper lip) was visible, and he used to cut (the hair) between his moustaches and his beard.
Volume 7, Book 72, Number 781:
Narrated Ibn 'Umar:
Allah's Apostle said, "Cut the moustaches short and leave the beard (as it is)."
Volume 7, Book 72, Number 782:
Narrated Muhammad bin Sirin:
I asked Anas, "Did the Prophet dye his hair?" Anas replied, "The Prophet did not have except a few grey hairs."
Volume 7, Book 72, Number 783:
Narrated Thabit:
Anas was asked whether the Prophet used a a hair dye or not. Anas replied, "The Prophet had not enough grey hair to dye. I could even count the white grey hairs oil his beard ill would."
Volume 7, Book 72, Number 784:
Narrated IsraiI:
Uthman bin 'Abdullah bin Mauhab said, "My people sent me with a bowl of water to Um Salama." Isra'il approximated three fingers ('indicating the small size of the container in which there was some hair of the Prophet. 'Uthman added, "If any person suffered from evil eye or some other disease, he would send a vessel (containing water) to Um Salama. I looked into the container (that held the hair of the Prophet) and saw a few red hairs in it,"
Volume 7, Book 72, Number 785:
Narrated Uthman bin 'Abdullah bin Mauhab:
I went to Um Salama and she brought out for us some of the dyed hair of the Prophet . ibn Mauhab also said that Um Salama had shown him the red hair of the
Volume 7, Book 72, Number 786:
Narrated Abu Huraira :
The Prophet said, "Jews and Christians do not dye their hair so you should do the opposite of what they do.Even worse; a clean shaven man might be mistaken for a hermaphrodite.
Aren’t there a lot of majority-Moslem countries where beards aren’t common at all? Most Moslems don’t live in the Middle East. A larger proportion live in countries like Indonesia, where (I believe) beards aren’t typical at all. Isn’t the (almost) compulsary wearing of beards mostly confined to a small section of the Middle East?
I sorry you were unable to put my post to good use. I’ve recently been living in one of the biggest Turkish communities in western Europe, and yes, I am directly suggesting that it is wrong. Did you not notice how the OP said that I’d made a fair point?
My Saudi students think my clean-shaven mug looks odd. Other words like ‘girlish’ and ‘boyish’ were once used years ago.
The prophet pbah Sported a beard.in respect to him. It is suppose to remind the faithful of their faith and devotion while stroking the beard
Redfishhunter930, would it kill you to be careful when you type? You apparently mean “pbuh” instead of “pbah”:
No one has answered my question yet. How common is it in, say, Indonesia, which is the country with the largest number of Moslems, for men to have beards?
Can’t speak for Indonesia, but in the second most populous country; Pakistan, it is most common to have a mustache, then be totally clean shaved, then a beard.
I just don’t believe the claim that most Moslem men have beards. Take a look at where most Moslem men live:
Until someone gives us some facts about the proportion of Moslem men in, say, Indonesia who have beards, the anecdotal evidence quoted so far doesn’t prove much of anything.
Afghanistan isn’t in the Middle East by most definitions, but sure.
I don’t think anyone, other than perhaps the OP who mentioned it offhandedly, is arguing that most Muslim men have beards. I’m fairly certain most don’t ( but my evidence for that is anecdotal as well ). The discussion was more why beards are seen as a positive by some Muslim men.
Just for example, a quick google on Morocco turned up this tourist note:
Nowadays, beards are often associated with fundamentalist or extreme religious views; simply wearing one in Morocco can cause suspicion by the police at roadblocks.
Normally, it’s just the devout Muslims who grow full beards. Wearing a mustache (another Muslim prerequisite) is no big deal really. Goatee beards are quite popular in Morocco.