Thread: A prophet prohibits silk and gold for men!

A prophet prohibits silk and gold for men!


They asked: Why did the prophet of Islam prohibit silk and gold for men?!
They referred to three speeches:

1 – The speech mentioned in The Correct Bukhari, book of (Clothes), chapter (Golden Rings), no. 5414, Al Baraa Ibn Azeb (may Allah be pleased with him) said: the messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordered us to do seven things and forbade us to do seven other things. He forbade us to wear gold rings, silk, Dibaj, Istabriq, Qissy, Maithara, and to use a silver container. He (PBUH) ordered us to visit the patients, accompany the funeral processions, say to the sneezer "May Allah have mercy on you", reply to the greetings, accept the invitations, fulfill the swear of others, and victory the oppressed.


2 – The speech narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawood, and Al Nassaei in Mishkat Al Masabeeh, no. 4394, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the prophet (PBUH) held a piece of silk in his right hand, and held a piece of gold in his left hand, and said: "Both are prohibited for the males of my nation".


3 – Al Tirmithy's Sunan, book of (Clothes of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)), chapter (Silk and Gold), no. 1642, Obaidellah Ibn Omar narrated from Nafie, narrated from Saeed Ibn Abu Hend, narrated from Abu Musa Al Ashari that the messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Silk and gold are prohibited for the males of my nation, and are allowed to the females".

The reply to this misunderstanding:

First: Muhammad (PBUH) came with a dispensation (Islamic law) that cares for males and females, and the differentiation between both of them. This is proved by the following:
1 – The Correct Bukhari, no. 5435, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The messenger of Allah (PBUH) cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men.
2 – The Correct Jamea, no. 5103, the messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Allah cursed the effeminate (unmanly) men and the gynander (masculine) women",
3 – The messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordered men to grow their beards so that they become different from women in appearance. This is mentioned in The Correct Muslim, no. 381, Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the prophet (PBUH) ordered men to cut off their moustaches and to grow their beards.

4 – When the Quran praised the prophet's (PBUH) companions and who followed them, they were described as "men"; Allah, the Almighty, says: {Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration} (The Combined Forces:23).
Allah, the Almighty, also says: {They are men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah (alms). They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about} (The Light:37).
Allah, the Almighty, described them saying "men" not "males".
5 – The prophet (PBUH) used to command his companions to be strong (act in a manly way), and remind them that Allah's blessing won't last forever; he (PBUH) raised a generation that was the best through history, that is the generation of his (PBUH) companions. So, they became the best humans after the prophets; they led the world after destroying the empire of Persia and Roma. He (PBUH) declared that in the speech mentioned in The Correct Bukhari, no. 3378, Abdullah Ibn Masood narrated that the prophet (PBUH) said: ""The best people are those of my generation, and then those who will come after them (the next generation), and then those who will come after them (i.e. the next generation), and then after them, there will come people whose witness will precede their oaths, and whose oaths will precede their witness".

Second: In reply to their question: Why did the prophet of Islam prohibit silk and gold for men? I say: Muhammad (PBUH) didn't prohibit them by himself, but it was a revelation from Allah, the Almighty: {It is not but a revelation revealed} (The Star:4).
The meaning: The Quran and the prophet's speeches are a revelation from Allah, the Almighty to His prophet (PBUH). As for the reason behind the prohibition is that man's nature requires strength and toughness, and Islam aims for raising men in a strong way, away from any weakness, and also away from luxury looks, which Islam fights and considers as a kind of social injustice. In this way, a Muslim man shall be able to struggle and victory in life endeavors, and battle fields if needed. Similarly, Islam prohibited silk and gold for men, because they are considered as luxury looks, but they're allowed for women in consideration of their feminine nature, and their instinct for loving accessories.
In his book (Al Kabaer), AL Thahaby mentioned that wearing silk and gold for men is considered from the greatest sins.
Third: There's an important question here: Is it prohibited for men to wear silk and gold in all cases?
The answer: There's a rule in Islam that says: "necessities allows prohibitions", so there are some cases in which it's allowed for men to wear silk and gold, such as: dermal diseases, or the fighters in the battle field, that makes it easier not to be caught during the fight. This is proved in the following:
1 – The Correct Bukhari, no. 5391. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the prophet (PBUH) allowed Al Zubair and Abdulrahman to wear silk, as they had itches on their bodies.
2 – The Correct Ibn Majah's Sunan, no. 3592, Anas said that the prophet (PBUH) allowed Abdulrahman Ibn Awf and Al Zubair Ibn Al Awwam to wear silk while they were travelling, as they had itches on their bodies.
As for gold, it's allowed if there's a necessity to wear it. It's worth mentioning that the recent scientific researches proved that wearing gold for men causes sexual impotence. Thus, when Muhammad (PBUH) prohibits something, it's because of its harm. It's mentioned in The Correct Muslim, no. 3897, Abdullah Ibn Abbas narrated that the prophet (PBUH) saw a man wearing a golden ring, so he (PBUH) pulled it off and threw it away, saying: "One of you takes a live coal from hellfire, and puts it in his hand". Some people said to the person after the leave of the messenger of Allah (PBUH): "Take your ring and sell it. He said: "No, by Allah, I would never take it after the prophet (PBUH) had thrown it away".
Notice: The prophet's (PBUH) companions complete compliance to his order, their love to him, and their conviction that all his (PBUH) orders bring good to them…
In his interpretation, A Nawawy said: When the man was asked to take the ring and sell it, but he refused, this is excessive compliance to the prophet's (PBUH) order, avoiding his prohibitions, and not using weak pretexts. Besides, that man left the ring for any of the poor who can sell it and get benefit from its price, so he allowed anyone to take it. And if the man had took the ring, it wouldn't have been a sin to sell it, but he did that out of piety, and he wanted to leave it as a charity for a poor who needs its price, because the prophet (PBUH) didn't prohibit him from using it, he (PBUH) just prohibited wearing it.
Third: I really wonder how the objectors attack a prophet who orders his men followers not to wear silk and gold, as a kind of toughness, instead of being (feminine)…
I have some questions:

1 – Did their instinct reverse that made them see the toughness of a man as a defect?!
2 – Do they have in their Bible any texts like that speech that urges them to be real men?!
3 – Did they ever ask themselves what is the feeling of the poor persons they meet at work or at street when they see their hands full of golden rings, and their necks full of golden necklaces….is that a good manner?!

Written by: Akram Hassan Morsi
Translation: Ms. Islamic translation