4766 - Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali narrated to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us, Ma'mar informed us, from Qatadah, from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, [narrated] similar to it, saying: "Their distinguishing mark is shaving and leaving the hair unkempt. So when you see them, kill them."

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= It was also recorded by Ahmad in his "Musnad" (13338), and al-Bayhaqi in "al-Sunan" 8/171 via the chain of Abu al-Mughirah, and al-Bayhaqi 8/171 via the chain of al-Walid ibn Mazid, and al-Hakim in "al-Mustadrak" 2/148 via the chain of Bishr ibn Bakr — all three of them from al-Awza'i, with the same chain.

It was also recorded by Abu Ya'la (2963) from Suwayd ibn Sa'id, from al-Walid ibn Muslim, with the same chain. He did not mention Abu Sa'id al-Khudri in it.

It was also recorded by al-Hakim in "al-Mustadrak" 2/147-148, and al-Bayhaqi in "al-Dala'il" 6/430 via the chain of Muhammad ibn Kathir al-Misisi, and al-Ajuri in "al-Shari'ah" p. 25 via the chain of Yazid ibn Yusuf — both of them from al-Awza'i, with the same chain.

It was also recorded in abbreviated form by Abu Ya'la (3908) via the chain of Mubarak ibn Sahaym, from 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Suhayb, from Anas. And Mubarak is abandoned [in hadith].

And refer to the hadith of Abu Sa'id that preceded this one.

And the hadith of Anas that follows after this one.

His saying: "Their distinguishing mark" — al-Nawawi said in "Sharh Muslim" 7/148: Al-sima means the mark, and it has three forms: the shortened form [sima], which is the most eloquent and is what came in the Qur'an; the lengthened form [sima']; and the third is al-simyā' with an added ya' along with lengthening, and no other form.

What is meant by "shaving" is shaving the heads. Some people used this as evidence for the disapproval of shaving the head, but there is no indication of that in it. Rather, it is merely a distinguishing mark for them, and a distinguishing mark may be something forbidden or something permissible, just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Their sign is a black man, one of whose upper arms is like a woman's breast." And it is known that this is not forbidden. It is established in "Sunan Abi Dawud" with a chain meeting the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw a boy who had shaved part of his head, and he said: "Shave it all or leave it all." This is explicit in permitting the shaving of the head and admits no other interpretation. Our companions said: Shaving the head is permissible in all circumstances, but if maintaining it with oil and combing is burdensome for him, then shaving it is recommended; and if it is not burdensome, then leaving it is recommended.