Is the barber’s wage haram?

Question

Question: The barber’s livelihood is said to be haram. Why is it said so? Please write in detail. If the barber’s livelihood is haram, why are donations taken from him and spent on religious madrasas and mosques? The livelihood of one who does not pray is also haram, yet one who does not pray gives donation money to the mosque and madrasa, and the person taking it knows full well that he does not pray — so why is money taken from him?

Answer

If a barber shaves the head, trims the moustache in the correct manner, clips the nails and takes a wage for this, then his earning is not haram. Where did you learn that the barber’s livelihood is absolutely haram? Whoever earns his livelihood in accordance with the Shari‘a through trade, agriculture or time-based (?)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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