Doubts about the obligation to let the beard grow and answers to them
Question

                A number of Muslim scholars have issued fatwas stating that letting the beard grow is obligatory for every Muslim, and that the reason for that is so that they will not resemble the kuffaar, as is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in more than one hadeeth. 

But everyone can see on television that many of the Jews let their beards grow, so doesn’t that contradict the reason for letting the beard grow, and may alter the ruling and make it Sunnah only? 

Similarly, wasn’t the command to be different from the kuffaar by letting the beard grow due to the Muslims mixing with them at the time of the Islamic conquests, so the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to make us distinct from them. This no longer applies because Islam has prevailed over the Arab lands, praise be to Allaah.  Does this also make it only Sunnah?.
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    We have quoted the evidence that it is haraam to shave the 
    beard in the answer to question no. 1189. 

    Secondly: 

    With regard to the view that the reason for it being 
    obligatory to let the beard grow was in order to be different from the 
    mushrikeen, and that this reason no longer applies and so it is not 
    obligatory to let the beard grow – the answer to this is as follows: 

    1-The view that the reason no 
    longer applies is the view of one who ignores reality, because it may be 
    said: who are the majority among the mushrikeen – those who shave their 
    beards or those who let them grow? Undoubtedly the majority are those who 
    shave their beards .

    2-Moreover, being different from 
    the mushrikeen is not the only reason, so we cannot say that the ruling no 
    longer applies because the reason for it is no longer there, because there 
    are other reasons, such as the fact that shaving the beard is an imitation 
    of women, and changing the creation of Allaah, and that letting the beard 
    grow is one of the sunnahs of the fitrah and is the way of the Messengers.

    Even if we assume that “being different from the mushrikeen” 
    no longer applies as a reason, the shar’i ruling remains in effect because 
    of the other reasons. 

    Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have 
    mercy on him) was asked about what some people say about the reason for 
    letting the beard grow being to be different from the Magians and Christians 
    as it says in the hadeeth, and that this is a reason that no longer applies 
    nowadays, because they let their beards grow. 

    He replied: 

    We may answer this in several ways: 

    1-Letting the beard grow is not 
    only for the sake of being different, rather it is also part of the fitrah 
    as is proven in Saheeh Muslim, as letting the beard grow is part of 
    the fitrah with which Allaah has created mankind, so that they regard as 
    beautiful that which is in accordance with it and regard as ugly that which 
    goes against it. 

    2-The Jews, Christians and 
    Magians nowadays do not all let their beards grow, and not even a quarter of 
    them do that, rather the majority of them shave their beards as is quite 
    obvious.

    3-If a ruling is established in 
    sharee’ah for a reason that no longer applies, and this ruling is in 
    accordance with the fitrah or is one of the symbols of Islam, then it 
    remains even if the reason no longer applies. Do you not see that raml 
    (walking at a fast pace) in tawaaf was originally intended so that the 
    Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions 
    could demonstrate physical strength in front of the mushrikeen who said: 
    There have come to you people who have been weakened by the fever of 
    Yathrib. This reason no longer applies, but the ruling remains in effect, 
    because the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did 
    raml in the Farewell Pilgrimage.  

    To conclude: What is required of the believer, if Allaah and 
    His Messenger have enjoined something, is to say: We hear and obey, as 
    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are 
    called to Allaah (His Words, the Qur’aan) and His Messenger 
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), 
    to judge between them, is that they say: ‘We hear and we obey.’ And such are 
    the successful (who will live forever in Paradise)”

    [al-Noor 24:51]

    And they should not be like those who say: We hear and 
    disobey, or who give false reasons and baseless excuses. This is the 
    situation of one who does not submit truly to the command of Allaah and His 
    Messenger. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and 
    His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in 
    their decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed 
    strayed into a plain error”

    [al-Ahzaab 33:36] 

    “But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they 
    make you (O Muhammad (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) judge in 
    all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your 
    decisions, and accept (them) with full submission”

    [al-Nisa’ 4:65]

    I do not know how the one who says such things will be able 
    to face his Lord on the Day of Resurrection. We must hear and obey and heed 
    the command of Allaah and His Messenger in all cases. End quote. 

    Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen 
    (11/129-130). 

    And he also said (may Allaah have mercy on him): Letting the 
    beard grow is the way of the Messengers. Allaah says of Haroon that he said 
    to his brother Moosa (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my 
    head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: ‘You have caused a division 
    among the Children of Israel, and you have not respected my word!’”

    [Ta-Ha 20:94]

    The last and best of the Messengers, Muhammad  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him), let his beard grow, as did the caliphs who 
    came after him, and his companions and the leaders and common folk of the 
    Muslims in all but the most recent period, when many of them have gone 
    against the way of their Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) and their righteous predecessors (may Allaah be pleased with them). But 
    this is the way of the Prophets and Messengers and their followers, and it 
    is part of the fitrah with which Allaah created people, as is proven in 
    Saheeh Muslim. Hence the correct view is that it is haraam to shave it, 
    as was the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have 
    mercy on him), because of the command of the Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) to let it grow. 

    As for saying that the reason for letting it grow is to be 
    different from the Jews and that this no longer applies, this is not 
    acceptable, because the reason is not only to be different from the Jews. 

    Rather what is proven in al-Saheehayn is: “Be 
    different from the mushrikeen” and in Saheeh Muslim it also says: “Be 
    different from the Magians.” Moreover, being different from these people is 
    not the only reason, rather there is another, greater reason, namely 
    following the guidance of the Messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) 
    by keeping the beard. 

    And the obligation to follow the fitrah. 

    And not changing the creation of Allaah in ways that Allaah 
    has not permitted. 

    All of these are reasons why it is obligatory to keep the 
    beard and let it grow, as well as being different from the enemies of 
    Allaah, such as the mushrikeen, Magians and Jews. 

    Moreover, the claim that the reason for letting the beard 
    grow no longer applies is not true, because most of the enemies of Allaah 
    today among the Jews and others shave their beards, as is well known to 
    anyone who has any knowledge of other nations and their actions. Even if we 
    assume that most of them today let their beards grow, this does not alter 
    the fact that it is prescribed in Islam to let the beard grow, because the 
    fact that the enemies of Islam imitate something that is prescribed for the 
    Muslims does not mean that it is no longer prescribed. Rather we should 
    adhere more closely to it because they are imitating us and following us, 
    and they are regarding it as something good and returning to the fitrah. End 
    quote. 

    Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen 
    (16/46-47). 

    And Allaah knows best.