sakeenah.net - Quit Your job, But Dont Shave Your Beard

Quit Your job, But Dont Shave Your Beard

(or remove your hijab, deal in riba, etc ...)

from Vol. 8 of Fatwa Islamiyah which can be found at Suq As-Sunnah Bookstore.

A brother poses a question to Sh. Ibn Baz (May Allah have mercy on him)

Q. If I want to work in a job that requires me to shave my beard, what should I do?

A. The Prophet said in an authentic Hadith, "Indeed, obedience is only in what is good." [Al Bukhari no 7257 and Muslim no 1840]

He also said, "There is no obedience to a creature in disobedience to the Creator." [Sharh us Sunnah for Baghwi 10/44 no 2455 and Tabrani 18/170 no 381]

Fear Allah Almighty and don't agree to this requirement: remember that the doors of sustenance are open, not closed, and they are many - all praise is for Allah Almighty who said:

َ وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا

"And whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty)." At-Talaq 65:2

Don't take any job that requires you to disobey Allah, regardless whether that job is in the army or in any other profession. Seek a job that Allah Almight has made lawful, but don't cooperate with and promote transgression and evil, for Allah Almighty says:

وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الْبرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ

"Help you one another in virtue, righteousness, and piety, but do not help one another in sin and trasngression." Al-Ma'idah 5:2

We hope that, with Allah's permission, we will be guided to do what is right.

Furthermore, the rulers and authorities in all Islamic lands should fear Allah, and not force people to do what Allah has forbidden them to do; rather, they should let Allah's Shari'ah judge in every matter that arises and order accordingly because Allah almighty said:

فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىَ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيمًا

But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad ) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission. An-Nisa 4:65

He also said:

أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللّهِ حُكْمًا لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ

Do they then seek the judgement of (the Days of) Ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allâh for a people who have firm Faith. Al-Ma'idah 5:50

Allah Almighty said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً

O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger, if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. An-Nisa 4:59

So obeying Allah and His Messenger is obligatory. So what is mentioned by Allah in His Noble Book, or by the Messenger, in the pure Sunnah, it is obligatory to accept and apply it.

What I mentioned is applicable not only to the issue of that beard, but also to Riba' (interest and usury), and all other issues in life. They must judge according to the Shari'ah of Allah, and by Allah, that is the path to their might, to their salvation, to their safety in this world and the next. But complete dignity and complete pleasure from Allah Almighty can only be achieved by obeying Him Almighty and by applying His Shari'ah.

We ask Allah to grant us all whatever it takes to do what pleases Him.

-Ibn Baz