Question Summary:
I wanted to ask that are we allowed to cut the beard’s hair that have extended beyond the jawbone at the side of the face i.e the root of the hair is within the jawbone but the hair have grown…

Question Detail:

I wanted to ask that are we allowed to cut the beard's hair that have extended beyond the jawbone at the side of the face i.e the root of the hair is within the jawbone but the hair have grown is such a manner that they have gone beyond the jawbone and because of this the beard is a bit untidy and not straight. I wouldn't know that they are bigger than the fist's size or not because they are sideways (just near and below the ear) and not at the bottom. So can I shorten them/cut them to make the beard tidier.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Since the roots of the hair in your query are within the area of the jawbone, it will not be permissible for you to remove the hair that is beyond the jawbone if it is shorter than the span of your fist. It is, however, permissible and in fact better for you to trim the beard on the entire radius of the face to the extent of a fist (i.e. the hair on the side should also be trimmed). (Aap ke masaail aur unka hal, 7/108 Maktabah Ludhwaniyyah, Fatawaa Raheemiyyah 10/105 Dar al isa’at, Imdad al ahkam 4/346 Maktabah Darul uloom Karachi, Fatawaa Mahmoodiyyah 19/397-412 Jamia Farouqiyyah, Kifaayatul mufti 9/174-178 Dar al isha’at) It the beard is still untidy, you could apply oil etc to keep it straight. If this does not work, we still advise that you undergo a hair straightening surgery. We know people who undertook this surgery and it proved to be quite successful.
In conclusion, we stress that you should not let Shaytaan get the better of you and cause you to shave or trim your beard. The more the sacrifice is on your part the more the reward would be.
           
تبيين الحقائق شرح كنز الدقائق - ( 4 /  122)
وقد جاءت السنة بمنعه عنه في الإحرام ولا يفعل ذلك لتطويل اللحية إذا كانت بقدر المسنون وهي القبضة وما زاد على ذلك يقص لما روي أنه عليه الصلاة والسلام كان يأخذ من اللحية من طولها وعرضها أورده أبو عيسى رحمه الله وقال من سعادة الرجل خفة لحيته وكان عبد الله بن عمر يقبض على لحيته ويقطع ما زاد على القبضة
 
درر الحكام شرح غرر الأحكام - ( 2 /  488)
 ولا يفعل لتطويل اللحية إذا كانت بقدر المسنون وهو القبضة كما في البرهان والقبضة بضم القاف قال في النهاية وما وراء ذلك يجب قطعه هكذا عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه كان يأخذ من اللحية من طولها وعرضها وأما الأخذ من اللحية ، وهي دون القبضة كما يفعله بعض المغاربة ومخنثة الرجال فلم يبحه أحد وأخذ كلها فعل مجوس الأعاجم واليهود والهنود وبعض أجناس الإفرنج كما في الفتح
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ismail Moosa,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah