Is the Hadith about trimming the beard sahih?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

No, the Hadith saying the Prophet ﷺ used to trim his beard from all sides is not Sahih.

Weak Hadith

عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَأْخُذُ مِنْ لِحْيَتِهِ مِنْ عَرْضِهَا وَطُولِهَا

Amr bin Shu’aib narrated from his father, from his grandfather that the Prophet ﷺ would cut his beard, from its breadth and its length. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2762).

The Hadith above mentions that the blessed Prophet ﷺ used to trim his beard. This Hadith is certainly weak, as mentioned by Imam al-Nawawi and others. However, it is possible that it is very weak, since Hadith scholars will sometimes refer to a Hadith as being weak even though it is in fact very weak.

Classical Scholars

واما الحديث عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَأْخُذُ مِنْ لِحْيَتِهِ مِنْ عَرْضِهَا وَطُولِهَا فَرَوَاهُ الترمذي باسناد ضعيف. (المجموع شرح المهذب)

As for the Hadith of Amr bin Shu’ayb narrated from his father, from his grandfather that the Prophet ﷺ would cut his beard, from its breadth and its length, it was narrated from al-Tirmidhi with a weak chain. (Imam Yahya bin Sharaf al-Nawawi, al-Majmoo).

Although weak Hadith are used for certain aspects of the Deen, they cannot contradict stronger narrations. The narrations mentioning certain Sahabah shortening their beards are stronger.

Stronger Hadith

عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ: كَانَ عَلِيٌّ يَأْخُذُ مِنْ لِحْيَتِهِ مِمَّا يَلِي وَجْهَهُ

(Sayidina) Ali used to shorten his beard. That which was adjacent to his face. (Musanaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 25480).

حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَالِمٍ الْمُقَفَّعَ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يَقْبِضُ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ، فَيَقْطَعُ مَا زَادَ عَلَى الْكَفِّ

Marwan ibn Salim al-Muqaffa’ said, I saw Ibn Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) take hold of his beard and cut that which exceeded a handful. (Sunan Abi Dawood, 2357).

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (24.06.23)