Shaikh Abdul-Muhsin Al-Abbaad was asked the following question:

Question:

What is the ruling on shaving the chest hair?

Answer:

I do not know of anything that encourages it or prohibits it. I do not know. If he shaved it to remove it, sometimes it grows stronger than before. This is because shaving will produce hair that is stronger than what is present. In terms of the strength, if the intent is shaving to remove it, it will produce hair stronger than what was there. I do not know of anything about taking from it or leaving it.

Question:

Likewise about taking from the hair on the remaining parts of the body other than the places prohibited?

Answer:

As for the places which it has been reported about like the pubic area and the armpits, (then is from) that (which) is what is reported in the Sunnah. The Sunnah came about that and that. As for other than it, I do not know anything on it. The origin is permissibility. This is because I do not know of a prohibition on it, except if it is taking from the eyebrows or the beard. This is what is severely prohibited.

[Sharh Ibn Majah no. 259]

Translator’s Note: Some of the Salaf used to shave their chest hair. For example, Abdullah Ibn Umar radiallahu anhumma.

Proof:

عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ مَاهَكٍ ، قَالَ : رَأَيْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ حَلَقَ رَأْسَهُ عَلَى الْمَرْوَةِ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْحَلاقِ : ” إِنَّ شَعْرِي كَثِيرٌ وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ آذَانِي وَلَسْتُ أَطَّلِي أَفَتَحْلِقُهُ ؟ ” قَالَ : نَعَمْ ، قَالَ : فَقَامَ ، فَجَعَلَ يَحْلِقُ صَدْرَهُ وَاشْرَأَبَّ النَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْهِ ، فَقَالَ : ” يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ هَذَا لَيْسَ بِسُنَّةٍ وَلَكِنَّ شَعْرِي كَانَ يُؤْذِينِي

“Yusuf ibn Maahak said, “I saw Ibn Umar radiallahu anhumma shave his head at Marw. Then he said to the barber, “Verily my hair is a lot and it harms/annoys me and I do not oil [my hair/skin]. So can you shave it? He said, “Yes. He said, “so he stood and began shaving his chest.” The people turned toward him and looked. So Ibn Umar said,  “Oh people, this is not a Sunnah, however my hair annoys/harms me”

[Reported by Ibn Sa’d ibn his Tabaqaat (4/155) and the chain is Saheeh]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan