ham@gator.cacs.usl.edu (Hameed Ahmed Mohammed) (05/31/91)
In the name of Allah most Gracious most Merciful.
GOLD and PURE SILK are HARAM for MEN
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Beautification and elegance are not merely permitted but are required by
Islam, and in general it repudiates any attempts to prohibit them.
Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which
He has brought forth for His servants, and the good
things of His providing? (7:32)
Islam has, however, prohibited two kinds of adornment for men, while
permitting them to women. These are, first, gold ornaments and second,
pure silk. 'Ali reported that the Prophet(peace be upon him) took some
silk in his right hand and some gold in his left, declaring,
"These two are 'haram' for the males among my followers."
'Umar reported that he heard the Prophet(peace be upon him) say,
" Do not wear silk, for those who wear it in this life shall not
wear it in the Hearafter."
On another occasion, referring to a silkin garment, he said,
"This is the dress of a man who has no character."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) once saw a gold ring on a man's hand. He
immediately took it from him and threw it down saying,
"Does a person pick up a piece of burning coal and hold it in
his hand?" After the Prophet(peace be on him) had left the place
someone asked the man,"Why do you not pick it up and benefit
from it?"He replied,"No,by Allah! I shall not pick it up after
the Messenger of Allah has thrown it away."
The same prohibition which applies to the gold ring likewise applies to
what we observe amomg conspicuous spenders i.e., the gold pen, gold watch
gold cigarette case and lighter, chains etc.
By means of these two prohibitions which concern men, Islam's aim is to
achieve certain noble educational and moral objectives.
Since it is the religion of jihad(striving) and strength, Islam must
safeguard the manly qualities of men from any show of weakness, passivity,
and lethargy. Allah has made the physique of the man different from that of
the woman, and it does not befit a man to wear clothes made of fine material
or to adorn his body with costly ornaments.
There is however a social aim underlying these prohibitions. The prohibition
of gold and silk to males is part of a broader Islamic program of combating
luxuriousmess in living. From the Quranic point of view, luxurious living
leads to weakness among nations and to their eventual downfall; the existence
of luxury is also an expression of social injustice, as only a few can afford
luxurious items at the expense of the deprived masses of people.
The Quran says,
"And when We intend that We should destroy a township, WE
permit its luxury loving people to commit wickedness therein.
Then the word is proved true against it, and We then destroy it
utterly". (17:16)
and again,
"And We did not send a warner to any township without its
luxury loving people saying,"Assuredly we are disbelievers
in that with which you have been sent." (34:34)
In keeping with the spirit of the Quran, the Prophe (peace be on him) forbade
Muslims any indulgence in conspicuous consumption.