Keeping a beard and determining its length

Question:
Is it a religious obligation for a Muslim man to keep a beard? Also, I've heard that beards should be of a certain length, otherwise, it would make you a 'faasiq'. Please comment.

Response:
Keeping a beard is a good thing at best. It has got nothing to do with religion. If keeping a beard is a religious duty because the prophet, alaihissalaam, kept it then such people who believe so should also keep camels and use them for their travelling.

As for the issue of the length of the beard, in Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal [Hadith no. 21252], for example, Abu Umaamah (ra) reports that once the Prophet (pbuh) came upon a group of old people of the Ansaar with beards that were completely white. He said to them: 'O people of the Ansaar, dye your beards red or yellow and (thus) be different from the people of the Book. [Abu Umaamaah says:] I asked: 'O Prophet the people of the Book wear [clothes like] pants and avoid wrapping the loincloth, [what should we do?]'. The Prophet (pbuh) said: 'You should wear [clothes like] pants as well as wrap the loincloth and [thus] be different from the people of the Book'. I asked: 'O Prophet, the people of the Book walk bare feet and avoid wearing shoes, [what should we do?]'. The Prophet (pbuh) said: You should walk bare foot as well as wear shoes, and [thus] be different from the people of the Book'. Then we asked: 'O Prophet, the people of the Book keep their beards closely trimmed and let their moustaches grow long, [what should we do?]'. The Prophet said: You should trim your moustaches and let your beards grow and [thus] be different from the people of the Book'.

It is quite evident that the Prophet was instructing Muslims to differentiate themselves from the Jews of the time, in all possible aspects. The lengthening of the beard etc. carried the status of advice, keeping in view, the conditions of that Medinan society. It must be reiterated that these instrictions were not a part of the Shariah; rather, advice on how Muslims should appear different from the Jews, who were busy innovating in the religion of God.

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