What does the Torah say about facial hair?

Author: Prof. Grady Ernser DDS  |  Last update: Sunday, September 14, 2025

Judaism prohibits shaving with a razor on the basis of a rabbinic interpretation of Leviticus 19:27, which states, "Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard." The Mishnah interprets this as a prohibition on using a razor on the beard.

What does the Quran say about facial hair?

It is haram to shave your beard because of the general application of texts that forbid resembling the unbelievers. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Trim your moustaches and let your beards grow.”

What does facial hair symbolize in the Bible?

In the Bible, beards often symbolize wisdom, dignity, and masculinity, reflecting a man's status, maturity, and adherence to cultural and religious traditions.

What does the Torah say about hair?

Only the hair-covering of a married woman is considered a law from the Torah, based on our Torah verse regarding the sota (Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 72a; The Bach, Even Haezer 21).

What religion doesn't allow facial hair?

Religions such as Orthodox Judaism, Rastafarianism, and Sikhism all prohibit haircuts, the removal of facial hair, or a combination of the two due to beliefs that hair is sacred or a gift from God.

What Does the BIBLE Say about SHAVING Your Beard? (Answered!)

Can Jews have facial hair?

In Kabbalah

The Zohar, one of the primary sources of Kabbalah, attributes holiness to the beard and strongly discourages its removal, declaring that even the shortening of a beard by scissors is a great sin.

Is it a sin to remove facial hair?

These religions include Orthodox Judaism, Rastafarianism, and Sikhism. These religions prohibit haircuts and the removal of facial hair as they believe hair to be a gift from God. Other branches of Judaism state that men must not only grow beards but are forbidden to remove any portion of their sideburns at any time.

Where in the Bible does it say not a hair on your head?

Luke 21:18 in Other Translations

18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish! 18 Even so, every detail of your body and soul - even the hairs of your head! - is in my care; nothing of you will be lost.

What did the Prophet say about hair?

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: He who has hair should honour it.

Is showing hair a sin in Christianity?

Denominations that teach that women should wear head coverings at all times additionally base this doctrine on Saint Paul's dictum that Christians are to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), Saint Paul's teaching that women being unveiled is dishonourable, and as a reflection of the created order.

Does the Bible say no facial hair?

Indeed, if God thought that it was a sin to shave your beard in general, He wouldn't have given clear commandments to shave in the instances addressed above. That being said, it is certainly not a sin to shave your beard.

What kind of facial hair did Jesus have?

Scholars have also suggested that it is likely Jesus had short hair and a beard, in accordance with Jewish practices of the time and the appearance of philosophers. The earliest depictions of Jesus from the Roman catacombs depict him as free of facial hair.

Did Moses have a long beard?

Moses is usually depicted as having a long white beard and either rays of light around his head or a pair of horns on his forehead, the result of a misunderstanding of the Latin translation of the Bible, where cornutam ("horned") also means rays of light.

What did the Prophet say about pubic hair?

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "There are five acts which conform to the pure nature: Circumcision, removing of the pubic hair, clipping the nails, plucking the underarm hair and trimming the moustache." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Can Muslims get tattoos?

According to the Islamic Medicine Academy, natural non-permanent (such as henna) tattoos are permitted in Islam while permanent or semi-permanent tattoos are forbidden and Mohammed encouraged females to use color on their hands (by using natural medium such as henna) while males can only use henna on their hair.

Is it a sin not to have a beard in Islam?

1. It is obligatory to maintain a beard, and to shave it off completely would be deemed sinful. 2. It is highly recommended to maintain a beard, and to trim or shave it off completely is considered highly disliked and would thus be a shunned practice.

What did the Prophet say about facial hair?

Muslims learn about the Prophet's views on facial hair not from the Koran, but through hadith - or sayings - attributed to Muhammad. One such hadith, in a collection by Muslim scholar Muhammad al-Bukhari centuries ago, stipulates: "Cut the moustaches short and leave the beard."

What does hair represent to God?

The long untouched hair was therefore considered as the emblem of personal devotion (or devotedness) to the God of all strength. Thus it was an easy step to the thought that in the hair was the seat of strength of a Samson (Judges 16:17,20).

Why is hair hidden in Islam?

What is the purpose of the hijab? The hijab is about observing modesty and according to Islamic law should begin from the age of puberty. In Islam's sacred book, the Qur'an, two verses talk about the notion of hijab and how modesty should be observed by both Muslim men and women.

What does God say about bald heads?

40 “A man who has lost his hair and is bald is clean. 41 If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. 42 But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is a defiling disease breaking out on his head or forehead.

Who in the Bible had beautiful hair?

Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot. He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds!

What does the Bible say about Jesus hair?

In this verse John describes Jesus as having hair like white wool and snow. The prophet Daniel wrote that he saw the Ancient of Days, describing Him as having hair that resembled wool (Daniel 7:9).

Why you should not pluck facial hair?

Moles, acne, and ingrown hairs

If the goal of tweezing or plucking facial hair is to make your face cleaner, tweezing can cause the opposite effect. In some cases, as the skin near the hair follicles become more inflamed, this can cause moles and acne to flare up – and potentially lead to ingrown hairs.

Why you shouldn't shave your facial hair?

Shaving might exfoliate their skin and supposedly keep it soft, but if you're already using a washcloth, face brush or exfoliator on top, that's serious scrubbing already. Shaving is not only inflammatory (causing sensitivity), but it also makes the skin look more papery and thin.

What does facial hair symbolize?

In many ancient civilizations, facial hair symbolized wisdom, virility, and social status. For example, in ancient Greece, a full beard was a mark of honor and masculinity, while in Rome, the style and grooming of one's facial hair conveyed one's rank and authority.

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