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Fatwa CenterHadeeth regarding the beard
Question
Please advice about the status (fabricated, weak, Saheeh...) of the below-mentioned Hadeeth, as I have heard in one of the lectures that this Hadeeth is very weak according to the group of Muhaddiseen, and that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and the Sahaabaas never cut their beard. The Prophet ordered to forgive the beard (Afu al-lahya), meaning not to be trimmed at all.
Jaabir, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "We used to grow long beards and only during Hajj and 'Umrah did we trim them to the required length (i.e. fist length)".
Note: please try to answer my questions, because I love my Deen and I wish to learn in order to follow with all my heart. I regret to inform that during the past 1 month, I sent you 20 - 25 questions, and I received answers for 5 or 7 questions. So, for the sake of Allaah and His Deen, I expect you to answer this very very important question, and my previous unanswered questions too.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
The questioner probably means the narration of Jaabir 
who said, "We used to let the beard grow except in Hajj and 'Umrah." [Abu Daawood]
There is no mention of a fist and what increased the length of the fist in the above narration.
The scholars have different opinions concerning the authenticity of this narration. Some classified it as sound while others considered it as weak. However, the narration is not very weak since the chain of the narrators is free from liars or fabricators.
So, the scholars have different opinions about trimming the beard that exceeds the length of the fist, some of them permitted it. It is proved that Ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurayrah 
used to trim what exceeds the length of the fist. A group of scholars prohibited it for the narrations that generally prohibit cutting the beard.
Imaam, An-Nawawi
said, 'It is better to let the beard grow as it is, and should not make it short at all.'
Allaah Knows best.
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