Adil Najam
Given all the discussion about cricket and Islam (here), sooner or later we will come to beards and cricket and whether beards of a certain length or style are ‘religiously intimidating’ for some (related story here).
I thought I would pre-empt the discussion by sharing some images of a few ‘great beards’ of cricket. Readers are, of course, welcome to add to the list. You can also look into Joshua Bartlett’s blog to get more information about men’s grooming and the products often used for it.
For that it seems to me that the obvious choice is one of Pakistan’s most graceful batsmen ever (and that is saying something!) Saeed Anwar. He is also generally considered a mentor to many of the more religiously inclined players in the current Pakistan team.
His, however, is not the only set of religiously motivated set of facial hair to adorn cricketing fields. One of my all-time favorite cricketers and all-time favorite famous persons is former Indian Captain Bishen Singh Bedi. His fine-looking facial hair and head-dress – and of many others – were also clearly religiously-motivated and a constant expression of his faith.
By way of disclosure I should add that I occasionally sprout facial hair of my own but am mostly clean-shaven. But as a deep and committed adherent of people’s right of expression (how can a blogger not be that!) I stand committed to defend people’s right to facial hair, whether they are grown for stylistic elegance or religious expression.
Zainab, I have a beard myself so am thankful for your comment about beards and masculity.
However, with all due respect, the argument about trying to guess God’s intention with facial hair is a problem. First, we really don’t know what Allah’s intention was or how we evolved, so trying to second guess God is not very cool. Second, if teh argument is right about us being being created ‘in the best of form’ then maybe we should never cut our nails or hair on our head either, after all God created us with those things growing and growing so looooong nails and looooooonger hair must be the best form too ;-)
I hope this does not turn into an argument. I am all for beards and for people’s right to grown one if they so want. But, lets not twist arguments too much ;-)
[quote ]
“BTW, can someone enlighten me on the proper “Islamic” length of beard? My recollection is that it should not be longer than what can be gathered in one’s fist, but a lot of the overtly religious seem to believe in the untrimmed variety.”[/quote]
Khalid Sahib,
Even if there were a requirement of fistful or handful of beard the question is where would you place the forefinger of your hand while measuring the beard? At your lower lip or at the tip your chin? The fact is that traditions (ahadith) on beard are contradictory and, at best, inconclusive.
To my knowledge, there is no injunction in the Koran that requires Muslims to grow a beard. Prophet Muhammad had a beard because everyone else around him had a beard. It was the Arab tradition and not necessarily a Muslim tradition. We all know Prophet Muhammad became a prophet at age 40, and there is no reason to believe that he did not have a beard before then. Everyone did, including the non-Muslim Arabs.
It is not difficult to imagine that the Prophet trimmed his beard for he was a man of neat and tidy habits. He would not have allowed himself a disheveled appearance.
Incidentally, other than the Arabs there was also a tradition among the Jews to grow beard. Jews are specifically, enjoined “not to cut the sides of their heads and corners of their beardsâ€
in reply to Bilal about beards:
I think beards make a male’s masculiness more apparent
…[no offence clean shaven guys]…be it a fist or a mere ‘rough look’ a guy defo looks alot better with it than without.
Allah only created his creation in the best of form, and He created men to have hair on his face, not so he can shave it off and immitate the women.
Peace to all
ws
Jazakalah bro Adnan,
YLH ….lol…take a chill pill..hmm akhi, trust me I am chilled!
living in gloomy cold England, I am chilled alright! :P
If you mean takin the E and clubbin all night…nah I’d rather not.
On a serious level,
‘Well that is not my Islam’
La hawla la wa la Quawata….
‘who gave you, Inzi or other Mullahs the right to exclusively interpret Islam.’
scroll back up and read my post again, cos i clearly mentioned in brackets if u dont think my word is enuf refer back to the text! I was quoting from tafseer Jilalain, but u can read any other commentry of the Quran and find out.
Now if you dont wanna follow Islaam to its truest sense, khallaas
thats up to u right?
but remeber this much DONT EVER diss the ppl who do try to follow Allahs orders and rulings, cos u dont know who ur messing with, it aint Inzi or me or any Mulah, ur messin wiv Allah!
and wot, do u REALLY think u got the guts to mess wiv Allah
Its actually quite upsetting to know ppl back home think like this, their minds are infected wiv the western fever.
Its ppl like me born and bred in da west that should be talkin about Liberating Islaam and twisting it so I can fulfil all my desires within the Islamic scope.
But thats what the other nations did, and Allah punished them as a whole.
ws
[FAO all those who care….remeber me in ur prayers, caught a cold and a fever :( ]
[quote post=”377″] But if you don’t like the school or its rules you are free to quit that school. Are you allowed to quit Islam? Alive, that is[/quote]
yes you are allowed, read Quran but certainly it’s not acceptable that an apostate pretend to be a follower of certain religion and offend it. By unacceptable means that it’s very pathetic act.
[quote post=”377″]Are you suggesting that Islam does not allow freedom of religion, thought and expression? [/quote]
read again what that lady is talking about. YOU are misquoting the verse. If I ask my brother to offer namaz than that verse DOESNT permit him to run away from namaz or any other islamic practise and still whine to be a “a Muslim”. The complete surah as follows:
YUSUFALI: Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. (2:256)
[quote post=”377″]My sincere advice to you: Take a chill pill.[/quote]
tsk tsk tsk. Because she is trying to explain yo in polite way, you are attacking her back. Umm was that not you who were lecturing me about tolerence in other posts or I was right about you; A Hypocrite and a troll?