Praying behind an imam whose beard is less than a fistful

Question

In the Hanifi Fiqh, can the imam lead the prayer if his beard is not fistful length.

My understanding is Length of the beard is not a pillar of leading the prayer. Please advise.

— Farukh Qurban, Birmingham, UK

Answer

The individual male who trims, cuts or shaves his beard to less than a fist in length has committed sin. It is stated in Bahār Sharī`at,

داڑھی بڑھانا سنن انبیاء سابقین سے ہے۔ مونڈانا یا ایک مشت سے کم کرنا حرام ہے۔

"Growing the beard is the way of the previous ‘Ambiyā’. To shave it or to lessen it to less than a fist is ḥarām.” (Bahār Sharī`at: Vol. 16, pg 588)

Thus, such an individual is a fāsiq mu`lin, i.e., a public sinner. A fāsiq mu`lin is not permitted to lead a congregation in ṣalāh. Therefore, praying ṣalāh behind such an individual is not permissible and every ṣalāh prayed following such an individual must be repeated. It is stated in Bahār Sharī`at,

فاسق معلن … جو کبیرہ گناہ بالاعلان کرتے ہیں ان کو امام بنانا گناہ اور ان کے پیچھے نماز مکروہ تحریمی واجب الاعادہ۔

"A fāsiq mu`lin …, an individual who commits major sins publicly, making them ‘imām is a sin, praying ṣalāh behind them is makrūh taḥrīmī, and [the ṣalāh] must be repeated.” (Bahār Sharīat: Vol. 1, pg 572-573) And Allāh knows best.

Faqīr `Usmān al-‘Amjadī · (may he be forgiven)

Verified by Muftī Zāhid Ḥussain al-Qādirī