I currently work for a company that has a clean shaven policy, I am a white muslim with a beard. Help/Advice?

Question

Hi, for the sake of safeguarding information I wont't be giving the name of the company i work out but I work in a call centre office environment, behind a desk making outbound calls, emails and administration work, I am not customer facing. I am in the sales department, and next door is the sales support department.

I started the job a few months ago and said that I am a muslim on the employee form, I had a very small beard when starting, could even be considered stubble, it was number 4 on my beard trimmer. Since time has gone on, my deen and imaan has increased and i've decided to grow my beard more for the sake of Allah swt. I am not going for the fistlength, but it is now considered a beard.

This has been noticed by my direct manager and colleagues and i have been asked to trim it as per it was when i started in the company. I am not going to do this but wondered if anyone knows the UK laws? This would not be a health and safety hazard and I always clean and keep my beard tidy.

There is another employee in the same building and a different department who is a muslim with a larger beard than I. I am very much against confrontation and often get angry and defensive as I am a white revert so feel I am treated differently by white colleagues compared to an asian muslim. But In sha Allah Allah swt will help me to approach this situation with wisdom and stick up for my rights.

Does anyone have any advice or know the UK laws surrounding this? It is not a health and safety issue, i am not customer facing, and there are two other muslims with beards at work, one shorter than mine and one longer but he works in another department.

Thank you. Jazakallah.

Answer 1

If you were made aware of the policy before you took the job,then you have no choice but to comply with the instruction to trim the beard.



If you were not informed at the beginning then they cannot ask you to trim your beard.



I am told of requirements on each job that i am looking at.

I have priced work for Jewish people,who will not allow work on saturdays,nor will they allow any pork products to be brought onto the site.It is my choice if i accept the "rules" or refuse them and look for work elsewhere.



@ Noub,what i said is that i am made aware of the restrictions imposed on me,before i take the job.

If the asker was made aware of the restrictions before he took the job,then he has no claim.

You cannot take a job that says a neatly trimmed beard is acceptable,then try to change the terms of employment.

Answer 2

Clean Shaven Policy

Answer 3

I'd check with the Citizens Advice Bureau on this one. I believe it would depend if the law recognises having a beard as a Muslim as a religious right and by asking you to trim it they are forcing you to go against your religion.

Answer 4

Sounds like they had that policy before you were hired. If that is the case, then you agreed to it when you accepted the job offer. I don't feel it's discrimination when they ask you to comply with the rules you agreed to when you accepted employment there.



Regarding the other employee in a different department; that department may have a different set of rules in regards to dress code & personal appearance (that is the case at my place of employment). Try to find out if that is so. If that other department also has a clean shaven policy, then I would suggest you file a complaint with your supervisor or human resources department.

Answer 5

Bricklayer is not correct. Although, in some cases his generalized policy understanding may be correct, it is not correct here. Think about it like this. If you were told by the company we do not hire certain people from specific religion and later you converted to it, would it matter. Giving notice that we discriminate does not make it lawful.



The key points you make is that you have no contact with people. (In any event, many have beard in the general population)



Second, it is not a hygiene issue because you are not in a food industry and no concern of a lose hair getting into food.



Third, they have not interfered with the other person and singling you out, this is disparate treatment. All, must be treated equally, unless a lawful exemption is made.



Notify them, you are doing this because of your faith and require an exemption from the policy. Note the point above.



Now, as to your interpretation, however, I do not believe Islam requires people to grow a beard. It is your conduct that matters. Beard or a piece of cloth (veil) does not take you to heaven, it is your deed and charities that does. Quran only!



Edit: The case that the Bricklayer cited actually would support the point in favor of having a beard. The case cited clearly states that the other person who was allowed to keep a beard kept his beard and noted he kept it tidy. (Was not a hygiene issue)



The person who was discharged was because of poor performance, not because of his beard or lack of it. Evidently, the person was not able to show he was fired because of a beard. Either way, this case is not a precedent setting case.

Answer 6

if this "beard" policy was in your employment contract, then you have no room to complain..

Either you shave or you look for another job..



also.. the beard issue is not in the Quran.. Allah didnt say it.. it is a hadeeth and sunnah, but not set in stone.... The hadeeths originated when they wanted muslim men to stand apart from non muslims who shaved.. Well now that issue is totally mute.. Look how many non muslims grow beards these days.. Just look at hollywood.. So its not a stand out issue now.. And your faith is in your heart, not your hair.. Allah created some races of men that dont grow facial hair at all.. Is the beard issue for them?.. NO..

Islam is reasonable..

Answer 7

If I applied for a job in a bank and had long hair, they have a right to tell me to keep it short if I wanted to have the job.



I suppose that is 'discrimination', too ? What do YOU think ?



Nothing to do with religious faith. Faith comes from the heart and brain; not from what you look like and any sensible god would approve of / agree to that.



Imitating how Mohammed looked is just simply b0ll0cks.



John

Answer 8

It's classed as discrimination if they force you to shave your beard. I understand if you were a firefighter you would have to for the mask to fit your face

Answer 9

Allah does not care if you have a beard or not. It is your actions that matter, not how you dress or look.

Answer 10

DISCRIMINATION STRAIGHT UP



http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/discrimination_e/discrimination_discrimination_because_of_race_religion_or_belief_e/discrimination_because_of_religion_or_belief.htm#what_is_discrimination_because_of_religion_or_belief

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Bricklayer - Its not the same as you chosing not to work for clients, that is choosing your clients. This on the other hand is active discrimination against a religious belief, which does not affect his job role.



Work places must make way for religious beliefs, and prevent discrimination. It is illegal to discriminate against workers.



@ Asker - if I were you I would start documenting things. Speak to your manager and tell him the situation that it is a religious thing that does not affect the job, especially since you are a tele-sales person.



If anything goes wrong (you get fired etc) then you can take it to court

Answer 11

It's discrimination if they make you shave the beard. Keep the beard, and explain to them that it's part of your faith and they should understand inshAllah.

Answer 12

Sue them for being dirty little islamophobes and get a new job.



edit: Don't listen to Mintee, he is a reformist who twists what Islam teaches. Keeping the beard is mandatory.