Question:
Is it true Malik forbade shaving the mustache?
Answer:
Trimming the mustache is a light sunna. Buzzing it is makruh, and shaving it is haram.
He held that the correct narration was “trim the mustache,” not “remove the mustache.” Malik held the reasoning to be that hair over the lip is unclean which is why the Prophet ﷺ trimmed it.
Malik said in the Muwatta, “The mustache is trimmed until the upper lip shows, but it is not shaven so that one does not disfigure himself.” He also said, “Whoever trims his mustache should be reprimanded and taught manners (yu’addab), and be emphatic in his punishment (‘uqubatihi) because this is disfigurement, and it’s the practice of the Christians.” (His saying ‘punishment’ would indicate prohibition since only forbidden things are punished.)
Source:
Nafrawi. Al-Fawakih al-Dawani ‘Ala Sharh Risalat Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani; vol 2, pp 305.
(وَمِنْ الْفِطْرَةِ خَمْسُ) خِصَالٍ إحْدَاهَا: (قَصُّ الشَّارِبِ) فَإِنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ خَفِيفَةٌ، وَلَمَّا كَانَ إمَامُنَا مَالِكٌ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – لَا يَقُولُ بِقَصِّ جَمِيعِهِ وَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ بِنَدْبِ النَّازِلِ عَلَى الشَّفَةِ مِمَّا يَتَأَذَّى بِهِ الشَّخْصُ قَالَ الْمُصَنِّفُ: (وَهُوَ) أَيْ الشَّارِبُ الَّذِي يُؤْذَنُ فِي قَصِّهِ (الْإِطَارُ) بِكَسْرِ الْهَمْزَةِ أَوْ فَتْحِهَا وَفَسَّرَهُ بِقَوْلِهِ: (وَهُوَ طَرَفُ الشَّعْرِ الْمُسْتَدِيرِ) أَيْ النَّازِلِ (عَلَى الشَّفَةِ لَا إحْفَاؤُهُ) أَيْ جَزُّهُ وَاسْتِئْصَالُهُ، قَالَ يَحْيَى فِي الْمُوَطَّإِ: سَمِعْت مَالِكًا يَقُولُ: يُؤْخَذُ مِنْ الشَّارِبِ حَتَّى يَبْدُوَ طَرَفُ الشَّفَةِ وَهُوَ الْإِطَارُ وَلَا يَجُزُّهُ فَيُمَثِّلُ بِنَفْسِهِ، زَادَ بَعْضُ الْفُضَلَاءِ عَنْ مَالِكٍ: أَنَّ مَنْ جَزَّ شَارِبَهُ يُؤَدَّبُ وَيُبَالَغُ فِي عُقُوبَتِهِ لِأَنَّهُ مُثْلَةٌ وَمِنْ فِعْلِ النَّصَارَى.
Written by Shadee Elmasry
Reviewed by Rami Nsour
