“Permissible” is the title of an act that no punishment is achieved for doing it, and “forbidden” is the title of an act that a punishment is achieved for doing it and with this description, there is no semantic difference between “to not be permissible” and “to be forbidden”, except that it may be the phrase "to be forbidden” is more conclusive, to the extent that it is possible to will “extreme reluctance” from the phrase "to not be permissible", but it is not possible from the phrase “to be forbidden”.

However, as explained in the above answer, shaving the beard is not permissible if it causes the resemblance to non-Muslims and non-believers who often do it and consider it as their desired culture, in the sense that it is forbidden and a punishment is achieved for doing it; because God has prohibited the resemblance to disbelievers and has said: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا﴾[1]; “O you who believed! Do not be like those who became infidel” and has prohibited the resemblance to sinners and has said: ﴿وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ۚ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ﴾[2]; “And do not be like those who forgot God, then they forgot themselves, they are the very sinners” and has deemed the resemblance to them impermissible and has said: ﴿إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِثْلُهُمْ﴾[3]; “You will be like them at that time” and has reproached some ones because of the resemblance to them and has said: ﴿يُضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ ۚ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ ۚ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ﴾[4]; “They say like the words of those who disbelieved before! May God kill them! How do they deviate?!” and has deemed the least inclination toward them to be the cause of punishment and has said: ﴿وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنْصَرُونَ﴾[5]; “And do not have inclination toward those who oppressed, that the fire seizes you and there are no guardians for you except for God, then you are not helped” and it is clear that the generality and application of these blessed verses include any resemblance to disbelievers and sinners in deeds that do not have any intellectual or religious necessity. Accordingly, Muslims should not abandon their rituals and traditions by which they are known in the world for the pleasure of disbelievers and sinners, and should not turn to rituals and traditions of disbelievers and sinners.

Of course, as explained in the answer above, there is nothing wrong with shortening the beard in such a way that it is not considered the resemblance to non-Muslims and non-believers, such as shortening it to the extent that by custom it is considered growing the beard, rather shortening it to the extent that by custom it is not considered the resemblance to ascetics and ISIS, is obligatory.

Growing or shaving the beard inherently has no law in Islam; because according to the rule, human is in control of his body and can do anything that is not harmful to it, but growing the beard and refraining from shaving it, due to the persistence of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, his household and his companions and then all of his followers and the followers of his followers and jurists and righteous people of regions over the centuries, has become one of the most prominent Islamic traditions and symbols of Muslims in the world. Contrary to your Honor’s supposition, growing the beard is still one of the Islamic traditions and symbols of Muslims in the world, and some of them -whether from among the Shia or the Sunni- who are committed to Islam, observe it; as shaving the beard is clearly the habit of non-Muslims and the habit of Muslims who are less committed to Islam and typically do so under the influence of non-Muslims’ culture and with the intention of resembling them -who consider it as a symbol of modernity- and accordingly, from this aspect they are considered sinful, and it is clear the resemblance to sinners is forbidden, regardless of the resemblance to non-Muslims; as God has said: ﴿وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ۚ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ﴾[1]; “And do not be like those who forgot God, then they forgot themselves, they are the very sinners”; in the meaning that they forgot the laws of God, then God made them to forgot their identity.

Of course, it is clear that sins in Islam have different degrees, and some of which are greater than some others, and shaving the beard is not a major sin, but is a minor sin that is far less than lying, insulting, slandering, hypocrisy, following oppressors and fleecing, and it is not considered sin until it has reached the level of habit, and it is not a violation of justice, but if it reaches the level of habit, it is considered sin and violates justice, to the extent that the testimony of the person who do it is invalid, and following him in the Prayer has problem. Although it is certainly not enough to grow the beard for justice, and many Muslims who grow the beard are sinners, rather the greatest sin among them arises from corrupt scholars whose beards are long and whose piety is short, so that with an Islamist appearance lead Muslims to infidelity, however, it is necessary to keep the symbols of Muslims and to stay away from the symbols of infidels, and one cannot prefer the resemblance to the infidels to the resemblance to this group of Muslims.

For more information in this regard, see “Six saying from his Honor about the merit of growing the beard and its laws”.

If Muslim’s beard grows to the extent that it makes a distinction between him and non-Muslims and non-believers, it is obligatory for him to let it grow, even if it is not complete and integrated; because the intention of growing the beard is not beauty, rather it is non-resemblance to non-Muslims and non-believers and therefore, it is also necessary for those who do not become more beautiful with it, but if it grows to the extent that it does not make any distinction between him and non-Muslims and non-believers, there is nothing wrong with shaving it; because it is useless to let it grow in such an assumption.