Angels playing with the beard
Q. Is the following narration correct to quote?
It is reported that Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam saw a man with a little hair/beard (on his chin) and he smiled. The man then stood up to shave his beard/little hair (feeling ashamed of having little hair on his chin) …Then Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam informed him that he saw angels playing with his beard.
In another report Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said that the reason I smiled was because I saw an angel assigned to guard every hair.
(Question published as received)
A. There is no basis found to the above narration in any of the books of Ahadith. Hence, it is not suitable to quote or narrate without a valid basis or source.
The angels of Allah have been assigned by Allah to protect human beings as a whole without any mention of being assigned specifically to protect the hair/beard on the chin of a person. Allah Ta’ala says: "For every one (among you), there are angels rotating with one another, in front of him and behind him, who guards him under the command of Allah." (Surah Ra’d, Verse 11)
Ibn Katheer writes, there are four angels at night and four angels during the day. Two angels record the deeds, one angel on the right records the good deeds and one angel on the left records the bad deeds. The two other angels guard and protect a person, one angel protects one from the front and one angel protects one from the back. So, there are four angels by day and four angels by night, rotating with one another. (4/437)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ismaeel Bassa
Confirmation:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
(The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.)
Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians