Testimony of a person who does not keep a beard

Q. Is it true that according to the Shariah the testimony of a person who does not keep a beard is not valid?

A. A person must be honest and upright for his testimony (Shahaadah) to be valid. The testimony of an individual who is not upright and trustworthy is not valid especially when the interest of others is threatened. In Islam, a person is considered upright and trustworthy when he practices his religion (Deen). It is only those people who have lost all feeling of shame and modesty that abandons the Deen. Such people (having lost all shame), can commit any sin. The "'Adaalah" (credibility) is therefore a "sine qua non" condition / a prerequisite for a testimony to be acceptable. From the Islamic point of view, credibility ("Adaalah") means the total abandonment of major sins, the non-persistence in committing minor sins and the abstention from unworthy actions or behaviours.

Keeping a beard is a "Sunnah Mu'akkadah". Some 'Ulama even say that it is "Wajib". However, shaving the beard is such an act (sin) that is continuous and visible all the time. Having the courage to remain in an "anti-Sunnah" outfit and in a state of sin 24 hours a day reveals impudence; this makes a witness untrustworthy i.e. he is disqualified. Shaving the beard therefore disqualifies a witness. This is why, according to the Shariah, the testimony of a person who does not have a beard is not valid.

[English version of "Le témoignage d'une personne qui ne porte pas de barbe" – Al Haadi – Vol. 1 No. 7]