Search In Fatwa

Using or Wearing Golden Colored Items That Are Not Made from Real Gold

Question

I heard that men are not allowed to wear gold and silver (I am a male), I am not rich so I doubt that any of my clothes contain gold or silver but what about regarding everyday object like taps which look silver (though aren’t made of it). Also I have a hoodie which has a golden coloured zip (but it isn’t made from gold I’m told) will it be permissible to wear? Also what about a piece of coloured metal (such as black) which wears away and shows a silver colour (but is not made from silver) will it be permissible to keep.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

As for gold, there is no doubt that it is impermissible for men to wear gold ornaments as evidenced by the authentic Sunnah texts. For instance, it was narrated on the authority of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) took silk and held it in his right hand and took gold and held it in his left hand and then said: “Both (gold and silk) were deemed forbidden for the males of my nation.” [Ahmad, Abu Dawood, and others]

Moreover, Abu Moosa Al-Ash’ari  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Gold and silk were deemed unlawful for the males of my nation and lawful for the females of my nation.” [At-Tirmithi]

There is no disagreement among Muslim scholars regarding the prohibition of wearing gold for men. An-Nawawi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said in Al-Majmoo': “Wearing gold ornaments is prohibited for men according to the consensus of Muslim scholars based on the authentic Hadeeths in this regard.” [End of quote]

As for silver, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) wore a silver ring, and therefore the jurists stated that it is permissible for men to wear silver rings, even though they differed regarding other (silver) adornments. However, they generally agreed on the permissibility of wearing a silver ring for men.

Al-Mawsoo‘ah Al-Fiqhiyyah (the Kuwaiti Fiqh Encyclopedia) reads:

In general, jurists agreed on the permissibility of wearing silver rings for men, and on the permissibility of using a silver nose or tooth, and the permissibility of decorating weapons with silver ornaments. The different schools of Fiqh delineated the relevant provisions in this regard.” [End of quote – Abridged]

As for fake gold or silver rings (only the color of gold or silver, but not the elements), there is nothing wrong with wearing such rings because it is just a color and not real gold or silver, and therefore, wearing such rings is not deemed forbidden for men.

Allah knows best.

Related Fatwa