Can Muslim men wear jewelry

Answer 1

Silver jewelry for men Question Can a male Muslim wear silver chains, rings, or bracelets? Answered by the Fatwa Department Research Committee - chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî The ruling about a man wearing silver jewelry depends on two factors, both of which are culturally sensitive. Firstly, if the man lives in a society where silver jewelry is considered appropriate only for women or is considered an indication of effeminate tendencies, then it will be unlawful for a Muslim man to wear any kind of silver jewelry while living in such a society. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah curses men who emulate women and women who emulate men." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (5885)] Secondly, if the man lives in a society wherein the use of silver jewelry for men is specifically associated with a particular religious group, then it will be unlawful for a Muslim man living in that society to wear such jewelry. A Muslim is forbidden to wear the clothing specifically associated with a certain non-Muslim religious group. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." [Sunan Abî Dâwûd (4031)] On the other hand, if a Muslim man lives in a society where certain forms of silver jewelry are considered acceptable adornment for men and are not specifically identifiable with the followers of a certain religion, then we see no reason why Islamic Law would prohibit Muslims men living within such a society from wearing those particular forms of silver jewelry that are deemed by local custom to be suitable for men. It is true that some scholars of the past have considered jewelry of all sorts to be unlawful to men, except for what is specifically stated by the texts, including a gold tooth or a gold nose out of necessity, and a silver finger ring. However, with respect to silver and other non-gold jewelry, most scholarly objections have been based on the scholars considering all such jewelry to be appropriate only for women. We maintain that in the absence of specific texts proscribing silver jewelry for men, the matter of its appropriateness for men should properly be referred to the customs and culture of the people. In Islamic jurisprudence, if the legal ruling is contingent on cultural considerations (`urf), then the fatwâ will be relevant only within the cultural context for which it was intended. Custom plays a role in matters of Islamic Law where a general ruling is given without the details being precisely defined. This is the case for "women's dress" and "non-Muslim dress". Both are prohibited to Muslim men by clear texts. However, the definition of what constitutes women's dress or non-Muslim dress varies from society to society and from era to era, according to local custom. Among the evidence for the recognition of custom in Islamic Law is the following hadith related by `A'ishah: Hind, the mother of Mu`âwiyah, said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Abû Sufyân (Hind's husband) is a tight-fisted man. Is there anything wrong if I take money from him secretly?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Take for yourself and your children to suffice your needs according to what is customary." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî] Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî, in his commentary on Sahîh al-Bukhârî, makes the following comment about this incident: "He referred her to customary usage in a matter that was not precisely defined in Islamic Law." [Fath al-Bârî (4/407)] And Allah knows best.