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Is bestowing the title "Shaykh" upon bearded men, even if they are young, considered part of the forbidden commendation (tazkiyah)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

There is no objection to using the term "Shaykh" for a young man with a beard, because the word means someone who possesses status or dignity. Undoubtedly, religious status is the greatest means by which the standing of a religiously committed person is elevated, in accordance with Allah's saying: "Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do," and His saying: "Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." And growing a beard is one of the signs of commitment and adherence to Islamic law.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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