Taraweeh behind a hafiz who trims his beard.

Question:

Is it permissible to perform Swalaat-ut-Taraaweeh behind a Hafiz who keeps his beard less than a fist length?

Answer:

The Fuqahaa are unanimous with regards to the impermissibility of keeping the beard less than a fist length. In fact, due to it being an open transgression against the Shari'ah its sin and punishment is more severe than many other major sins.

قال في شرح التنوير و أما الأخذ منها وهي دون ذلك (القبض) كما يفعله بعض المغاربة و مخنثة الرجال فلم يبحه أحد (رد المحتار ص123 ج2)

 

Therefore such a person will be considered to be an open sinner (faasiq) hence to perform salaah behind him is makrooh tahreemi. Therefore if a Haafiz-e-Qur'aan is not available (who acts in accordance to the dictates of the Shari'ah) then too it is not permissible to appoint him as an imam in Taraweeh salaah. In this case a pious person should be appointed who can read the Qur'aan properly and he should perform the Taraweeh salaah with small surats. However as far as Fardh salaah is concerned, if a pious Hafiz is not found then instead of omitting Fardh salaah with Jama'at, it will be permissible to read salaah behind him (faasiq).

 

The same rules will apply to such person who keeps a Shar'ee beard only in Ramadhaan but shaves or trims it to less than a fist’s length during the rest of the year; that it will not be permissible to appoint him as an Imâm. However if such a person makes sincere tawbah and a firm resolution that he will not shave or trim his beard after Ramadhaan, then it will be permissible to read the Taraweeh Salaah behind him.

احسن الفتاوى (ص518ج3)

 

AND ALLAH TA'AALA KNOWS BEST