Reference: Silsilah Kitaab ad-Da’wah (11), al-Fataawa v4 p42
Question: I have a friend who shaved off his beard, and I admonished him for it, so he told me: “The system within the army in which I work in my country forces me to shave off my beard”. So is this permissible? [Please] advise us, and may Allaah reward you with good.
Response: In the Name of Allaah, and all Praise is for Allaah [alone]. If they force him to do that, then he should not work for them, and he must resign if he is truthful. Either they allow him to grow his beard, or he must resign, and Allaah will provide a job with more blessings than their job [in the army], [as He سبحانه و تعالى says]:
{And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out [from every difficulty]} at-Talaaq 65:2
