Question:
Since the Messenger of Allaah Salallaahu alayhi wa sallam ordered us to, "Trim our moustaches and grow our beards," will Allaah punish the person who shaves his beard? And is a beard a condition for a Muslim to have complete faith?
Answer:
Shaving the beard is unlawful, and negates the complete faith that is obligatory. A person who shaves deserves to be chastised in this life and punished in the next, unless he repents a sincere repentance before he dies, by regretting his sin, and by growing his beard. Allaah, Almighty says:
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى
And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death) [Taa Haa 20:82]
If he continues to shave until he dies but nevertheless dies a Muslim, he is under Allaah's will: If Allaah Almight wills, He forgives him; if He wills, He punishes him.