Chika
We keep hearing so many things being branded religious. Even if the prophet PBUH have said do something. There were a number of incidents where he would backtrack and say, do it however you people like it done.
If someone was to prove scientifically that it's harmful to grow a beard in that fashion (especially when we know that it will be a fertile grounds for bacteria when food crumbs get trapped inside it).
Yeah, the prophet went out of his way to look clean, smell clean and dress cleanly. Some of these guys with chipped feet and disgusting toes make you wonder where they got that from!

KJ
It doesn't make anyone closer to anything. These days, people are just doing it as a fashion statement .. nothing more

Hareega
LOL! Yeah, I've seen those too, they would put ZZ-TOP to shame.
You hit the nail on the head, that's exactly what I was trying to say. They're sending a message that "I'm more religious than you, therefore I'm better than you"
I do remember them in Jordan, they weren't that many few years ago, but it has gotten worse, WAY worse since then! And they've managed to get here, and start polluting the western view of Arabs in general as generally unsanitory, bushy looking

Naryat
You're totally right, Islam, has no uniform!
Again, the very definition of sunnah needs a lot of clarification, and I think it's VERY difficult to distinguish between what is sunnah, and what the Prophet said and people took as holy after him, when he actually didn't mean much with it.
So Imagine the Dishdasheh in the streets of America!! YA 7ABEEBI!

Hani
I shave once or twice a week, I've not that hairy to begin with (although I have a full beard and a full moustache) But I'm blessed with hair where it needs to be, On my head! No where else :)

Garfan
I do live and let live, I'm trying to make the world a better place so that I can better dominate it! :)

MD
There is no contradiction in my position.
First, there's nothing wrong with self criticism. That's not what Wafaa Sultan does. She curses Muslims as being Subhuman Animals who don't think and promote terrorism. Which are all lies. She also gives examples that "others" are better ...etc. When the fact is that no one is better than anyone else.
Finally, she takes a bunch of sugar-coated-lies-for-western-consumption and uses them to instigate hate and fear from Arabs and Muslims in the west. Which is exactly what Ayan Hirsy Ali is also doing. They take an exception and dub it as the rule! And that's why I don't like her position.

Now, As I said above, the distinction between Sunna, and what Muhammad PBUH has done without actually meaning it to be followed requires more research into the matter. Many have decided to just take everything and that in it's own is a huge mistake!
Just the fact that Muhammad had the vision to say: "You know more about the matters of your world" is enough to open the door to people to actually, do exactly that. Find out about things, and decide what's best. Not from a religious point of view, but from a practical one.

So I don't think it's part of Sunnah, In fact, I think it was an Arabic way of contradicting what others are doing. For very practical reasons.
Consider this:
During the heat of battle, if everyone Arabs and otherwise all look the same, how would you fight? The Romans had uniforms for thier professional soldiers but the rest of the world didn't. So here's what you can do.
All Muslims are to have beards and no moustache. Unlike Persians who had Moustaches and no beards. Or the Jews who had beards AND moustaches ...etc. This way, people can know which team they're on by a single glance!
Makes sense?
Now, does this make it a Shariah Sunna that needs to be followed at all times and places!? Absolutely not!

But again, this is my personal opinion and analysis of the matter.