What is the ruling on adopting the opinion that shaving the beard is permissible while being convinced of it, and what is the ruling on ridiculing scholars who shave their beards and describing them as lenient and lacking in religious commitment?

It is not permissible to completely shave the beard, according to the majority of scholars, and indeed, agreement on this matter has been narrated.

As for the common person who follows a scholar (muqallid), if someone he trusts in their religiosity and knowledge issues a fatwa permitting the shaving of the beard, then there is no blame upon him, due to the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "Whoever is given a fatwa without knowledge, its sin is upon the one who gave the fatwa."

However, mocking someone who shaves their beard is not permissible, due to the saying of Allah the Almighty: "O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them." The duty is to offer advice and argue in the best manner.