Shaving beard or getting fired and cleaning the private parts
13-7-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
1. I am an x-ray technician and I do not want to shave my beard. However, the ministry of health in my country doesn't allow me to do that (to grow my beard long). Do I have to leave any job that deprives me from my religious rights or is there any permissibility to shave the beard under such pressure?
2. Is it possible to use tissue or paper in the toilet for Istijmaar (removing feces)? I have sent this and other questions before, but I am not sure if you have received the questions or if they were clear.
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
It is Haram (forbidden) to shave the beard and it is an obligation to grow it. And it is not permissible for you to shave it as the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alahi Wa Sallam) said:" The grace of Allah cannot be achieved by disobeying him." (Reported by Al Hakim.)
Allah says:"Then when they are about to fulfill their term appointed, either take them back in a good manner or part with them in a good manner. And take for witness two just persons from among you (Muslims). And establish the witness for Allâh. That will be an admonition given to him who believes in Allâh and the Last Day. And whosoever fears Allâh 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. And whosoever puts his trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allâh will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allâh has set a measure for all things. (At-Talaq 65:2-3)
However, if growing your beard will lead you to be dismissed from work and you are certain that you cannot find another job, and losing this job will cause losing the family you are taking care of, or will lead them to be in hardship that is unable to bear, then there is no harm for you to trim it, committing the lesser of two harms in order to repel a great evil, until Allah opens the doors of provision for you. But you have to do your best to find another job in which there is no such evil.
As regards cleaning the private parts after relieving oneself, there is no harm to do so with tissue or toilet paper on the condition that the place be cleaned from any dirt. So in this case, the private parts are considered pure and using tissue or toilet paper serve instead of water, even in the presence of water.
But using water along with the paper is better and purer.
Allah knows best.