The barber’s profession in detail

Question

Question: (1) Zayd is a barber by caste, and his livelihood is cutting hair and shaving. Nowadays shaving the beard is very widespread; if Zayd does not shave beards, people say they will engage another barber. (2) What is the ruling on Zayd shaving the beards of non-Muslims? (3) What is the ruling on cutting the head hair of Muslims and non-Muslims in fancy styles? (4) Some Muslims force Zayd to cut off their beards and say: “You shave the beards of non-Muslims too, don’t you?”

Answer

(1) Shaving the beard is not permissible. If those people threaten to engage another barber, do not be alarmed: the Provider (al-Razzaq) is Allah. (2) That too is not permissible. (3) It is makruh. (4) Let Zayd refuse the non-Muslims as well as the Muslims; then they will not force him.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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