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wa alaykumus salaam wa rahmatullah

The trimming and shortening of the moustache has been emphatically mentioned in many narrations of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Trimming the moustaches is done by cutting them level with the upper lip. This has been reported from five of the sahabah [Recorded by at-Tabarani, al-Bayhaqi, and others]. Trimming the moustaches should be done at least once every forty days.

The Hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) mention two things:
1) Some state, “Shorten your moustaches.”
2) Others state, “Remove your moustaches.” (See: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

Thus, all the four Schools (Hanbali, Maliki, Hanafi and Shafi’i) agree on the fact that it is not allowed to leave the moustache to grow long. However, the scholars differ as to whether it is better to shorten the moustache or remove it and shave it altogether.

The relied upon opinion in the Hanafi School is that, it is even better to remove one’s moustache, though the Sunnah is achieved by shortening the it such that it no longer covers the upper lip.

Imam Ibn Abidin (ra) states that the opinion of shaving off the moustache being a Sunnah, was chosen by many scholars. (Radd al-Muhtar)

Imam al-Tahawi said that it is a Sunnah to shave the moustache, and it is better than shortening it, affirming that this is the position of Abu Hanifa and both his main students (raa). (See: Tahawi, Sharh Ma’ani al-Athaar, 4.229)

He also reported, with his authentic chains of transmission, that this was from the practice of great Companions, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abu Hurayra, Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree, Anas ibn Malik, and others (raa). (ibid.)

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (ra) used to shave his moustache, thus the Hanbali position is also similar to that of the Hanafis.

The Maliki School states that the moustache should not be completely removed, rather only shortened. Imaam Malik (ra) stated: "This (i.e. shaving the moustache) is a bid ah that has appeared among the people ... my opinion in regard to a person who completely shaves his moustache is that he should be beaten." [Recorded by al-Bayhaqi (1:151)]

It has also been narrated that Imaam Malik (ra) had a big moustache. When questioned about that, he reported that when Hadhrat ‘Umar (R.A) got angry, 'he would roll his moustache and blow'. [Recorded by at-Tabarani in al-Kabir]

The Shafi’is also hold a similar view.

Allah knows best. (by Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam, with a slight addition)

Regarding the sides of the moustache, Imam Ghazali (ra) has written: There is no problem in keeping the hair on either sides of the moustache. Hadrat 'Umar (ra) and others kept it." (Ihyaa Uloomud-Deen)