He is absolutely incorrect and misled in stating that..
Unfortunately such are the consequences of reading information about your religion from newly crowned "scholars" and not bothering to try anything yourself.
The result of this purely copy paste or youtube based religious learning is the same that you get when you use plagiarism to get through your studies.
The Quran, Hadiath and Sunnah of the prophet CANNOT be independent of each other in interpretation.. and the latter cannot conflict with each other.
sadly.. most spend their times reading from mis-represented translations of Scriptures (separately).. read selective events of the prophets life(separately) and end up with jumbled view that do not connect.
The Quran is a manual whose practical demonstration was the life of the prophet.
Trying to go about either without the other leads to such confusion.
Now on the nature of the beard..
The prophet had been clean shaven, kept long hair, put the best musk on.. as the times were.
That did not mean he wore the proverbial Dolce & gabbana of his times.. but he did not show up when invited looking haggard or smelling bad.
One keeps a beard because the prophet kept one, which he did to differentiate himself from the Pagans.. and because his uncles also kept one. His closest companions started keeping them as they loved their Prophet and wanted to emulate him in every way possible. After all.. dont people follow their TV and Movie idols of today?
There is no concrete, verifiable fact authenticated by
BOTH the Quran and hadiath that the beard is a must.
If the beard was a sure shot sign of supplication to god.. then many a Sikh is surely going to heaven just by that accord.
The issue of turning up your ankles.. this was first propagated as the rich of those days would let their robes flow and usually have a servant picking it up at the end to display their superiority( as happen in many royal weddings for tradition today).
The prophet forbade it initially for that reason..
Now for the practical side of it.. as I refuse to believe that the prophet would order anything against the Quran or Impractical.
An upturned garment will also not snag on the ankles during prostration in prayer. THis is not a sure shot rule but its better to be safe rather than trip and fall during prayer.. possibly into someone else.
http://www.google.com.pk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=martin%20lings%20muhammad%20ebook&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.islamicbulletin.com%2Fservices%2Fall_ebooks_p2.aspx&ei=7kMpT66dL8iUgwf2otSOBQ&usg=AFQjCNGIIjsYUQam_ff2soI90f0L_Iz8lA
I suggest reading about the prophet's life before trying to associate practices with him.
Martin ling has done a good job of using the closest and earliest sources to recreate the Prohpet's life.
He also lays to rest the myth that the Prophet ordered(Heaven forbid.. To associate such accusation with the person meant to be mercy for all mankind) the death of people at Makkah or anywhere else.
However, if one has been misled ..blinded to all but a selective spectrum.. then there is not much one can state to prove otherwise. Just like people who are color blind.. one cannot convince them that there is actually a color blue.
