The Imamate of One Who Sells [Palms] to Toddy-Makers

Question

(1) Zayd is a hafiz and a qari. His wife has passed away and he has not remarried. He is reputed to be of doubtful conduct. He keeps his beard only two fingers long and constantly trims it. He owns an orchard of date palms from which toddy (palm liquor) is extracted, and he keeps selling this orchard to the toddy-makers. Is this act of Zayd permissible or not? (3) Bakr is a hafiz, an elderly man with a beard according to the Shari‘a; he is regular in fasting and prayer, well acquainted with the rulings (masa’il)

Answer

In both these cases Bakr is the more deserving of and more entitled to the imamate. Cutting the beard before it reaches a fist’s length is not right. Selling date palms to the toddy-makers is makruh.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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