A new law requires me to shave off my beard in order to renew my passport

Reference: Silsilah Kitaab ad-Da’wah (10), al-Fataawa – Volume 3, Page 42

Question: Your excellency, my passport has expired and I want to renew it so that I can come and perform ‘Umrah and the obligatory Hajj. [The passport office] requested I shave off my beard in accordance with the new law which was recently passed in my country. So what do I do? And may Allaah reward you with good.

Response: In the Name of Allaah, and all Praise is for Allaah [alone]. We advise you not to adhere [to their request] to shave off your beard, and [rather] be patient until another time, and Allaah will make an opening for you (facilitate for you your affairs), as He (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says:

{And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out [from every difficulty]}, [Soorah at-Talaaq, Aayah 2].

And from that which is known, the shaving off of the beard is a sin, because the Prophet ﷺ commanded the leaving off of beards to grow. And it is authenticated from him ﷺ that he said:

«Indeed, obedience is in [all] that is good, [and] there is no obedience to (any of) the creation whilst committing a sin against Allaah».

And may Allaah grant everyone success.

He is a graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having graduated from the Institute of Arabic Language, and later the Faculty of Sharee'ah in 2004. He currently resides in Birmingham, UK.

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