Dought & clear - Differing from the mushrikeen with regard to the beard.

I know that we are supposed to let our beards grow in order to be
different from the mushrikeen, but nowadays they let their beards grow
too. What is your opinion?
Praise be to Allaah.
It is waajib (obligatory) to let the beard grow, and shaving it is
haraam (forbidden). Imaam Ahmad, al-Bukhaari, Muslim and others
narrated from Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him and his
father) that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Be different from the mushrikeen: let your beards grow and trim
your moutsaches." Ahmad and Muslim reported from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Cut your moustaches and let your beards
grow: be different from the Magians." Persisting in shaving one's
beard is a major sin (kabeerah); the one who does this should be
advised against it, and his action should be denounced, especially if
he is in a position of religious leadership.
The idea of being different from the Magians and other mushrikeen does
not mean being different from them in every single thing, particularly
if they happen to be doing something righteous or good in accordance
with the fitrah (natural inclinations of man). What is meant is that
weshould be different fromthem in matters where they have gone astray
and deviated from the truth and the dictates of the fitrah, and gone
against the way of the Prophets and Messengers by shaving their
beards. We should differ from them in this case by letting our beards
grow and cuttingour moustaches, following the guidance of the Prophets
and Messengers, and in accordance with the fitrah. It is proven that
the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Ten things are part of the fitrah: cuttingthe moustache,
letting the beard grow, cleaning the teeth with a siwaak, rinsing the
nose with water, cuttingone's nails, washing between the
finger-joints, plucking the armpit hairs, shaving thepubic hair and
cleaning one's private parts with water." (Reported by Ahmad, Muslim
and the four authors ofSunan, from the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah, may
Allaah be pleased with her).Even ifthe kaafiroon start letting their
beards grow, this does not mean that the Muslims are allowed to shave
theirs, because as we have stated above, the idea is not to be
different from them in everything, only in the things in which they
have deviated from the truth and from the fitrah.