Can Muslim men shave their neck and cheeks?
Yes for the neck, but mostly no for the cheeks. Most scholars treat the cheeks as part of the beard, so they should be left, while the hair on the neck below the jawbone can be cleaned up. A few stray hairs high on the cheek line are a gray area where scholars differ.
What counts as "the beard"?
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do the opposite of what the pagans do. Keep the beards and cut the moustaches short" (Sahih al-Bukhari 5892). In Arabic the beard is lihyah, which scholars describe as the hair growing on the chin and the jaws, and for most this includes the cheeks. The same narration says that Ibn Umar held his beard in his fist and trimmed whatever stuck out beyond it. So trimming for length and neatness is accepted, but removing whole areas is another matter. See Can Muslim men have a goatee or a styled beard?
The neck
Hair on the neck below the jawbone is not treated as part of the beard by many scholars. Cleaning it for neatness is therefore allowed, in the same way you'd tidy any body hair. Some scholars are stricter and say hair growing directly under the chin as a continuation of the beard should stay. A good middle path is to remove hair clearly on the neck itself, below the jaw, and leave the area under the chin natural.
The cheeks and the cheek line
The cheeks are where most of the debate is. Hair on the cheeks that joins the beard is generally treated as part of it, so shaving it to create a goatee, a chin strap or sharp lines is shaving part of the beard. That is why most scholars advise against it.
- Natural line: leave the cheek hair as it grows, without carving a high, sharp line.
- Stray hairs: a few hairs far up the cheek, near the eyes, are treated by many scholars as outside the beard, so removing them is allowed. Others say leave them.
- Sideburns: scholars differ over whether the hair in front of the ears counts as head hair or beard, so don't shave it away to make the beard look smaller.
What to ask your barber
Barbers love a "line-up," which means a sharp cut-in on the cheeks and neck. You can stay on the safe side by saying:
- "Clean the neck below the jaw."
- "Leave the cheeks natural, with a soft line and no sharp edges."
- "Trim the mustache and even out the length."
If you're not sure how far the beard should go, ask a local imam from your school of thought, as the boundary is a matter of differing opinion. For the bigger question, see Is growing a beard mandatory in Islam?
To think about length, see How long should a Muslim man's beard be?
- The beard covers the chin, the jaws and, for most scholars, the cheeks.
- Cleaning the neck below the jawbone is allowed by many scholars.
- Avoid shaving the cheeks to make a goatee or sharp lines.
- Stray hairs high on the cheek are a matter of differing opinion.
People also ask
Can Muslim men use hair gel, wax or spray?
Yes, Muslim men can use hair gel, wax and spray. Check labels for animal ingredients and rinse thick product out so water reaches the scalp for ghusl.
Read the full answer →Can Muslim men use beard growth products or minoxidil?
Yes, Muslim men can use beard growth products and minoxidil as treatment if safe and halal. Islam encourages medical care, but a thin beard is no sin.
Read the full answer →Can Muslim men put henna on their hands?
It depends. Muslim men may use henna on hair and beard, which is sunnah, but many scholars discourage decorative henna on the hands as women's adornment.
Read the full answer →Can Muslim men have gold teeth or crowns?
Muslim men can have gold teeth or crowns only when there is a real dental need. Gold grills and caps worn for looks are not allowed for men.
Read the full answer →Can Muslim men get laser hair removal?
Mostly yes for body hair, but no for the beard and eyebrows. Laser hair removal is allowed by many scholars where removing the hair is allowed.
Read the full answer →