Syria: FSA Fatwa Prohibits Shaving Lice Infested Beards or Killing the "Believer Lice Growing in Blessed Beards"

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Translated from the original Arabic by Ahlul Bayt News Agency


The following fatwa was issued in August 2013 by a Shari'ah Court in rebel-held Aleppo, Syria. It prohibits the shaving of lice-infested beards or attempting to kill the "believer lice growing in blessed beards", with a punishment of 50 lashes for those who disobey.

This fatwa seems to contradict the hadith that state Prophet Muhammad allowed women to pick the lice from his head (See: Sunan Abu Dawud 19:3074 & Sahih Bukhari 9:87:130).

Sharia Authority in Aleppo
By the name of God most merciful most gracious
Circulation number (12)

Thanks to God and prayers and greetings to our master Muhammad and his family and companions, then..

The Sharia Authority in Aleppo has prohibited the killing of lice that appears in the Muslim beard, as some of the Muslim brothers who have released [grown] their beards in accordance with prophet Muhammad PBuH Sunnah [prophet's doctrine], blessed lice has appeared in their beards, and that’s because of their lack of bathing due to the water non-availability all the time on the Jihad [holy war] fronts, and they have limited to ablution before their prayers (may God accept it), thus their beards became moist and thick, which made of it (in God’s will) a natural place for lice to live in.

The Sharia Authority in Aleppo recommends the Mujahideen [holy fighters] brothers to dye their beards with Henna, like our prophet Muhammad PBuH, the thing that would reduce the itching caused by the lice, and to maintain this lice that would have not appeared in those blessed beards, if it was not from God’s Muslim believing creatures.

Who disobeys this Sharia fatwa [advisory opinion] which has been confirmed right by a number of the senior scholars in Aleppo, will be punished with 50 lashes by Sharia, and other measures will be taken against him in the Shaira Court in Aleppo.

And God was behind our intent.

9 Shawwal 1434 Hijri
16 August 2013 Christian

Sharia Authority Presidency
[Seal] Sheikh Abu Muhammad

[Signature]