To what extent are the narrations authentic which relate that 'Umar, Ibn Abi Layla, and 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz rejected the testimony of one who plucked his beard, and what is their chain of transmission? And is it true what was narrated about 'Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – that he saw a man who had let his beard grow long until it became large, so he began to pull it, then said: "Bring me two pairs of shears!" Then he ordered a man to cut off what was under his hand, then said: "Go and set your hair right or spoil it?"

Aba Talib al-Makki and al-Ghazali mentioned that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ibn Abi Layla, and 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz rejected the testimony of anyone who plucked his beard or his "fanik" (a part of the beard). However, this was not authenticated except by al-Jassas, who narrated from Bilal ibn Abi Burdah the rejection of the testimony of one who eats clay and plucks his beard, and from Ibn Jurayj that 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz rejected the testimony of a man who used to pluck his 'anfaqah (the hair under the lower lip) and shave his beard and the hair around his mustache. As for the ruling on the matter, Ibn 'Abidin mentioned that taking from the beard less than a fistful is forbidden and renders the doer a fasiq (transgressor). Ibn Farhun stated that the testimony of one who plucks his beard is a matter of differing opinions. Al-Mawardi mentioned that plucking the beard is an act of foolishness that warrants the rejection of testimony. The narration regarding 'Umar's stance on leaving the beard untouched has not been authenticated.