For those that are on the ruling that leaving the beards is optional, for those that feels, it is merely a sunnah, you can either do it or leave it, first of all let me quote the following hadiths:

☀Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said “I have no connection with one who shaves, shouts and tears his clothing e.g. in grief or affication.” – Reported by Abu Darda (R.A.) in Muslim, Hadith no. 501
☀Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) says: “Trim closely the moustache, and let the beard flow (Grow).” – Narrated Ibn Umar (R.A.) in Muslim, Hadith no. 498
☀Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Anyone who shaves has no claim to the mercy of Allah” – Reported by Ibn Abbas (R.A.)
☀Abu Hurayrah ” reported that the ruler of Yemen,appointed by the Persian emperor Kisra, sent two envoys to the Messenger !. When they came into his presence, he noticed that they had shaved their beards and let their moustaches grow big. Hating their ugly appearance, he turned his face away and said,
“Woe be to you, who told you to do so?” They replied: “Our lord (Kisra) did!”
The Messenger ! responded: “But my Lord, exalted and glorified be He, has commanded me to spare my beard and trim my moustaches.” [Recorded by Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, Ibn Sa’d, and Ibn Bishran. Verified to be hasan (good) by al-Albani (Fiqh us-Sirah by al-Ghazali p. 359)]

� All the great scholars of Islamic jurisprudence, hanafi, shafi'i, maliki, and ahmad, are all on the ruling that it is haram to shave the beards, and it is very compulsory to spare it.

�The false evidence some people rely on which makes them believe that beards is optional is, they say that, islam is based on five pillars, which are known to everyone i think. They say that what is compulsory in islam is five daily prayers, fasting in the month of ramadan, zakat, and hajj to whom it is due. Sparing beards is not listed among the 5 pillars, this is pure ignorance, they ignorantly leave the first pillar, which is testimony "la'ilaha illallah, Muhammadur rasulullah" this kalma has a very wide meaning, which we all need to study, it has seven conditions. The kalma has two components
1. There is no diety worthy of worship save Allah.
2. Muhammad (s.a.w) is his messenger.
I will just say little about it, the second component implies unconditional obedience to the prophet, if at all you agree to worship Allah, then you must follow the prophet, whatever, as seen from many verses of the qur'an e.g
☀O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you.” (Quran 4:59)
☀O ye who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away from him when ye hear (him speak).” (Quran 8:20)
☀“Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exempler for him who hopes in Allah and the Final Day, and who remembers Allah.” (Quran 33:21)

Therefore sparing beards is compulsory even from the 5pillars of Islam. Because obedience to the prophet is compulsory, when the prophet said it, he didnt made it optional, it was an order. Lets not give in to modernity, whatever ruling which holds during the time of the prophet and his companions also holds now, and will continue to hold till the end of time,

In conclusion, sparing the beards is compulsory, and shaving it is haram, the prophet said as i said earlier
"Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: Anyone who shaves has no claim to the mercy of Allah” – Reported by Ibn Abbas (R.A.)"

Ma'assalam......

oh God save humanity.