What is the Islamic ruling on Jewellery for men?

What is the Islamic ruling on Jewellery for men?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

Men are only permitted to wear silver rings. They should consist of less than one mithqāl of silver as mentioned in a ḥadīth (Sunan Abū Dāwūd, 4223; Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 1785; Sunan al-Nasāʾī, 5195; Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, 5488; Tuḥfah al-Mulūk, p. 229). One mithqāl is 4.86g (Aḥsan al-Fatāwā, 8: 70).

Other forms of jewellery are not permitted for men, as mentioned by Imam Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Shaybānī (d. 189/805) in al-Muwaṭṭaʾ (3: 376[1]; also see Radd al-Muḥtār, 6: 358; Fatāwā Raḥimiyyah, 10: 158). This includes silver and gold chains, gold rings and jewellery from other metals. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Wearing silk and gold are unlawful for the men of my nation, but lawful for the women” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 1720). It is the unanimous position of scholars that gold is prohibited for men (Ikmāl al-Muʿlim, 6: 603; Fatḥ al-Bārī, 10: 317). The reasons for the prohibition include imitation with women who beautify themselves with jewellery (Sharḥ Ibn Baṭṭāl, 5: 216; al-Tamhīd, 17: 99).

In relation to silver rings, one should bear in mind that it is preferable for men not to wear them unless there is a need to do so, as the Prophet ﷺ used a ring of silver to stamp his letters. Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī (d. 852/1449) writes in Fatḥ al-Bārī (10: 325) whilst affirming the permissibility of wearing a silver ring: “Wearing it for a person not in a position of authority [who would require it to stamp] is not desirable, as it is a type of beautification, and it is more appropriate for men to avoid it.” Similarly, Imam Zayn al-Dīn al-Rāzī al-Ḥanafī (d. circa 666/1267-8) writes in Tuḥfah al-Mulūk (p. 229), “And it is preferable for those people besides a judge and a ruler who do not need to stamp to avoid it” (also see Radd al-Muḥtār, 6: 361).

Allah knows best

Yusuf Shabbir

24 Jumādā al-Thāniyah 1427 / 20 July 2006

Footnotes

[1]  أخبرنا مالك أخبرنا عبد الله بن دينار عن ابن عمر قال: اتخذ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خاتما من ذهب، فقام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: إني كنت ألبس هذا الخاتم، فنبذه، وقال: والله لا ألبسه أبدا، قال: فنبذ الناس خواتيمهم، قال محمد: وبهذا نأخذ، لا ينبغي للرجل أن يتختم بذهب ولا حديد ولا صفر ولا يتختم إلا بالفضة، فأما النساء فلا بأس بتختم الذهب لهن، وقال الفقیه أبو اللیث في بستان العارفین: لما جاز للسلطان جاز لغیره ، والمذهب الترک أفضل لغیر القاضي والسلطان۔