Ruling of the Beard

Q: Dear sheikh whats the Hanbali view about the size of the beard and what about praying in congregation behind an imam who has no beard or short one and the rulings about this?

A: 

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الأنبياء والمرسلين، سيدنا ونبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين. وبعد:

Imam Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali (d. 763H) said: "The beard is to be left (untrimmed), and in accordance with the Madhhab (of Ahmad), so long as its length is not detestable (being exaggeratedly long). Hence, shaving it (to the skin) is Haram as mentioned by our Shaykh (Ibn Taymiyah). It is not considered disliked if one was to trim the excess hair that is a fist in length, also it is ok with trimming that which includes around the throat, and (all this mentioning of trimming to a fist length) was implemented by Ibn 'Omar."  [Kitab al-Furua', Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi, Beirut, 1st ed, (2002) V.1/P.74]

As for the ruling of praying behind someone with no beard (to the skin), will depend on the reason to why he shaves, if shaving it was due to a certain political enforcement as which is unfortunately apparent in some Muslim lands, or shaved it due to a medical reason, then the prayer behind such a person as an Imam is excusable (only in these cases and others that are similar due to necessity). As for the one that has no excuse and shaves it on a regular basis, then as the Madhhab states from the apparent words of Ibn Muflih above it is Haram, also, due to 

committing a prohibited action continuously is deemed a Fasiq in accordance with the Hanbali's, and furthermore, the prayer behind a Fasiq Imam is invalid in the Hanbali Madhhab too. Imam al-Buhouti (d. 1051H) said: "The Imamship of a Fasiq is invalid ... and a Fasiq is the one whom commits a major sin; thus, a major sin is that which is cosigned to a legal punishment in this life or has a warning for a punishment in the next life, and also (a Fasiq) is to be persistent in minor sins." [Kashaf al-Qinaa', DKI, Beirut, V.1/P.576-577]

Your question can be summarised in the following points:

1- The beard is more preferable to be left to flow and is permissible to trim any excess hair a fist in length. 

2- The Imamship of one who shaves his beard to the skin on a regular basis with no excuse is a Fasiq, and his prayer or praying behind him is not excepted (invalid according to the Hanbali's).

والله اعلم.

What is Tawakul (Reliance upon Allah)

 

Q: Salams sheikh what is tawkul?

A: 

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الأنبياء والمرسلين، سيدنا ونبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين. وبعد

Tawakul comes from the Arabic root word Wakl which linguistically means to entrust or to authorize someone. As for the Islamic terminology (Istilahi): Is to consign ones affairs to Allah, and to take from the means which Allah has created for him to peruse his request, and to be pleased with Allah's predestined outcome.

Hence this is what is evident in the Quran and Sunnah, Allah says: 

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

"Allah-there is no deity (truly worthy of worship) except Him, and upon Allah let the believers rely (Tawakaloun)." [64:13] 

As for the Sunnah,`Abdullah bin Hubairah said: I heard Abu Tameem al-Jaishani say: I heard `Umar bin al Khattab (رضي الله عنه) say: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “If you really put your trust in Allah, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds. Do you not see that they go out with empty stomachs and come back with full stomachs? " [Musnad Ahmad, 373. Book 2, Hadith 275]

Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (d. 795H) explains this Hadith: "Indeed know, that the fulfilment of Tawakul does not contradict one from striving for the connected motives in which Allah has predestined form His Sunnah that occurs within His creation. Verily Allah the All-Mighty commands us to take from all motives along with commanding one to put his faith in Allah, for indeed by striving to seek the motives is via the bodily limbs which is a form of obedience to Allah, and by having reliance in Allah via the heart is having true faith in it." [Jama' al-Ulum wal-Hukum, Dar Ibn Kathir, Beirut, 1st ed, (2008), Hadith: 49, P.916]

To summaries, Tawakul can be understood in the following points: 

1- To have Faith in Allah and relying upon Him that He is the One which provides, and with Him is the Power and Control of all affairs. Example asking Allah to grant you a Halal job and relying on that He will provide for you.

2- To take from those motives in which Allah provides one with to rely upon him, the example here, is one searching for a job in which he asked Allah for, by applying for work at several places until his predestined job is answered by Allah. For verily Allah has ordained this and is fulfilled by one obeying him through the means in which Allah provides him with.

3- To be pleased with Allah's outcome, this is a part of that which Allah has pre-ordained, this is whether it was a struggle in achieving one's task or whether it was achieved with ease, either way one must be pleased with Allah's decree which was achieved through His Grace. 

والله اعلم.

Is tanning spray on lotion permissible?

Q: Salams, quick question, is spray on tan haram for my wife to put on?

A: 

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الأنبياء والمرسلين، سيدنا ونبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين. وبعد

The origins of things that do not have any connection to specific rulings of Halal (legality) or Haram (prohibition) are deemed permissible, thus, this is what the Scholars of Usool state: "Al-Asl fil Ashya al-Ebaha/The origin to all matters is permissibility." Hence this is also known as Istishaab al-Haal, as Imam Hassan Ibn Shahab al-A'kbari al-Hanbali (d. 428H) said: "Istishaab al-Haal (Presumption of Continuity); is remaining upon its original ruling. meaning, evidence that the Fuqaha (Islamic Jurists) fear has no linked proof to it, therefore they cross-reference it through analytic proof which connects with something else."  [Sharah Risalatul-A'kbari fi Usool al-Fiqh, Dar al-Kunouz al-Ishbielliya, Riyadh (2007): P.165] 

Furthermore, it is not form the methodology of Ahmad to name things Haram unless they are clearly pronounced by the Shariah, rather he would avoid it. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said: "Imam Ahmad would not declare something to be Haram unless the Shariah explicitly stated it to be prohibited or detested, such as someone that permits something which deemed Haram, he would respond saying: 'I dislike it, or it is inappropriate, or I do not like it, etc'. therefore, one should not impulsively proclaim something is Haram, because they will be held accountable for it (one the day of judgment), and i is something which is not to be taken lightly." [Fatwa Ibn Uthaymeen]

Conclusively, it is permissible for anyone to use spray on tan lotion in the realms of their own home, the only thing that could be taken into consideration of it being Haram is if the tanning spray was permanent skin pigmentation which is considered changing Allah's creation and is a cursed action. Another reason is if one was to spend extravagantly on it, for verily this is also another prohibition of the Shariah which must be avoided. Also, if this was to be done in a beauty parlor where one was to expose their Awrah then this would also be impermissible and must be avoided too. Other than this there should be no harm in doing so, rather if this was done by a wife for beatification reasons for her husband or vice versa, it is a recommended praiseworthy act.

والله اعلم.