Shaving the beard for job interview

10-4-2000 | IslamWeb

Question:

Soon I'll go for a job interview. Here in Australia employers prefer interviewees to be clean shaven, ie., well presented. Beards have a negative impact as apparent by statistics shown here. I have a beard. Is it possible for me to shave it off for the interview then grow it back again?

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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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Growing a beard is one of the many injunctions of the Sharee'ah. One must follow this and not violate it, but he may be excused from this injunction in some exceptional circumstances, such as if he faces actual harm which is considerable in Sharee'ah and he cannot avoid it. In this condition, he may shave his beard. Allaah Says (what means): {So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can.}[Quran 64:16]

What you mentioned in your question is not a dire need as you are capable of searching for another job in which you would not need to shave off your beard.

You should fear Allaah by following His rulings and avoiding His prohibitions and ask Him to give you lawful sustenance as He is the All-Provider, Owner of power, and the Strongest. Is not Allaah sufficient for all His slaves?! Allaah Says (what means): {And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out from every difficulty, and He will provide him from sources he never could imagine.}[Quran 65:23]

Allaah Knows best.