I hate trimming my beard!

Being in the Army, i've no choice but to trim my beard..

Some people might say, "At least you get to keep your beard.." While that is true, there's more to the issue than what meets the eye..

1) I applied for Muis support letter to keep the beard online (through Muis website). It's computer-generated (Muis is actually lazy to entertain "trivial matters"), and one has to choose from 3 options:

• I am a Shafi'i and it is encouraged to keep the beard
• I am a Shafi'i and I have made a vow to keep the beard
• I am a Hanafi

I was like, "Huh???" I was reminded that when I asked Muis about the beard several years ago, the reply that I received from them states that keeping the beard is only optional (sunnah) according to the Shafi'i madhhab.

They must be kidding right? But that was their reply. Despite the fact that I clearly stated in my question that Imam al-Shafi'i rahimahullah stated in al-Umm that it is haram to shave the beard.

I've also read somewhere that Imam al-Nawawi rahimahullah viewed the beard should be left to grow naturally, should not be cut at all, not even a little. (Imagine that.. one shouldn't cut his beard at all..) I follow the view that one can trim his beard to keep it neat and tidy.. in fact, one can trim up to a fist length, following the action of Ibn 'Umar radiyAllahu 'anhuma and some of the Salaf.

'Ala kulli hal, the four madhhabs agree that it is haram to shave. [Refer to the article by Shaykh Muhammad al-Jibalee on "Shaving the Beard: A Modern Effiminacy".]

Upon the advice of Ustaz Hamzah, I chose the 2nd option. The letter was sent for processing and it turned out that my request to keep the beard is supported. [For some reason, I have the feeling that if one were to choose the 1st option, he won't get the approval.] [I didn't make a vow.. rather, I "interpret" it as a "vow"(conviction/strong determination) to adhere to the Sunnah of the Messenger.]

[Guess what? There's a trainee in my camp who keeps the beard too.. in fact, his request was approved concurrently with mine.. and he actually is a Shi'ite.. guess he knows how to go around things..]


2) In Muis letter, it is stated I've made a vow to keep the beard. Thus, the letter serves as a request to allow me to keep it. But it also states that I should keep my beard short and neat.

I was like "huh????" The Sunnah is to keep the beard long and thick! At most, keep it at fist-length.. thus, that's why the approval letter from the army requires me to keep my beard short.. haiz..


3) I've trimmed my beard before.. but merely to tidy it from unsightly "sproutings".. but never this short.. one thing about trimming the beard.. once u start trimming it, u'll feel that it's not tidy enough that u'll be trimming and trimming until Allah knows when.. and somehow u feel it's tidy/neat enough.. and then you realise that "gosh! now my beard is really short...."

Not forgetting the fact that since I've to keep it short throughout my 2 yrs in Army, imagine the number of times i'll be trimming my beard..

I fear that I'll get used to this habit such that I'll feel very comfortable with it and forget the main purpose of growing the beard long and thick....


Wallahu al-Musta'an