Why do Muslim men have beards?

The last and best of the Messengers, Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) let his beard grow, as did the caliphs who came after him, and his companions and the leaders and common folk of the Muslims. This is the way of the Prophets and Messengers and their followers, and it is part of the fitrah (original predisposition) with which Allah created people. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (peace be upon him) said:

Ten things are part of the fitrah: trimming the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the siwaak, rinsing the nose with water, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the armpit hairs, shaving the pubes and washing the private parts with water.

Sahih Muslim, 261a

What is required of the believer, if Allah and His Messenger have enjoined something, is to say: We hear and obey, as Allah says:

The only response of the ˹true˺ believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so he may judge between them, is to say, “We hear and obey.” It is they who will ˹truly˺ succeed.

Quran - 24:51

(interpretation of the meaning)

Muslim men grow their beards in obedience to Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) ordered the Muslims to let their beards grow freely and to trim their moustaches. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) said:

Be different from the pagans: let your beards grow and trim your moustaches.

Sahih al-Bukhari, 5892

Al-Imam Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: “It is forbidden to shave the beard, and no one does this except men who are effeminate” i.e., those who imitate women. Jabir reports the following about Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him):

(...) he had a thick beard. (...)

Sahih Muslim, 2344b

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The Quran, Sunnah and ijma’ (scholarly consensus) all indicate that we must differ from the unbelievers in all aspects and not imitate them, because imitating them on the outside will make us imitate them in their bad deeds and habits, and even in beliefs. (...)

Source: islamweb.net · islamqa.info · islamqa.info · islamqa.info