Keeping beard for an officer in the army
24-6-2007 | IslamWeb
Question:
i am in bangladesh army, an officer.in army, there is a provision of keeping beard.but, those who keep beard, they are looked at by different eye. some good postings are not offered to them.if any mistakes bya bearded person, it is viwed more wrongly. But, those who are very pious but doesnot kep beard, they r ok and serving nicely.i think, this is the situation every where. Now, my brothers, who keeps beard and very pious, they advice me not to keep beard in army. because, they say, people undermines the bearded men and tries to find wheather he is connected to any extremist organization or not. again, wihtout beard u can go close to many people for preaching and in future if u become commander of many soldier u can motivate them better. now if u keep beard, people will make u cornerd. So, what to do now? should i keep beard or i should keep it pending for sometime with hidden desire? Because, now a days, in Bangladesh also extremist organization are working hiddenly even AL- QUIDA. Please, relieve from this .
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 have already issued Fataawa 84474 and 81533 clarifying that it is an obligation to let the beard to grow and that it is forbidden to shave it, and it is known that it is not permissible to commit a prohibition unless in case of a dire necessity or when one is forced to do it, as Allaah Says (what means): {…while He has explained in detail to you what He has forbidden you, excepting that to which you are compelled.}[Quran 6:119].
The excuses which you mentioned are not a necessity or a case of compulsion which allows you to shave your beard, therefore, it is not permissible for you to shave your beard since you are permitted to keep it.
Allaah Knows best.