Can Muslim men wear gold or silk?

The short answer

No. The Prophet ﷺ declared gold and silk forbidden for the men of his ummah and permitted for its women. Men may wear a silver ring, as the Prophet ﷺ did, and silk is allowed for a man only for a medical need.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Explanation

The Prophet ﷺ once held silk in his right hand and gold in his left and said, "both of these are prohibited to the males of my community" 1. Another narration states the full rule: gold and silk are permitted for the females of this ummah and forbidden to its males 2.

The warning about silk is strong: "None wears silk in this world, but he who will have no share in the Hereafter" 3. He also forbade wearing silk and drinking and eating from gold and silver vessels, "for such things are for the unbelievers in this worldly life and for us in the Hereafter" 4. In other words, these are luxuries that believers are promised in Paradise.

So what can men wear? The Prophet ﷺ had a silver ring made, engraved with "Muhammad Allah's Messenger", and Anas remembered its white glitter on his hand 5. A silver ring is therefore Sunnah-approved, and other metals such as steel or titanium are treated by most scholars as permissible too.

The rules also have mercy in them. The Prophet ﷺ allowed Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf and Az-Zubair to wear silk shirts because of a skin disease that made them itch 6. And the ban concerns wearing: when Umar was given a silk cloak, the Prophet ﷺ told him he had given it to him to sell or give away, not to wear 7.

If you own gold jewellery as a man, you do not need to throw it away. Sell it, give it to a female relative, or keep it as savings, and choose silver instead.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 4057
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    The Prophet ﷺ held silk and gold and said both are prohibited to the males of his community.

    Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: The Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) took silk and held it in his right hand, and took gold and held it in his left hand and said: both of these are prohibited to the males of my community

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي أَفْلَحَ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زُرَيْرٍ، - يَعْنِي الْغَافِقِيَّ - أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، - رضى الله عنه - يَقُولُ إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخَذَ حَرِيرًا فَجَعَلَهُ فِي يَمِينِهِ وَأَخَذَ ذَهَبًا فَجَعَلَهُ فِي شِمَالِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ هَذَيْنِ حَرَامٌ عَلَى ذُكُورِ أُمَّتِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  2. 2
    Hadith Sunan an-Nasa'i 5148
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    Gold and silk are permitted for the women of the ummah and forbidden to its men.

    It was narrated from Abu Musa that :The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "Gold and silk have been permitted for the females of my Ummah, and forbidden to the males

    العربية

    أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ الدِّرْهَمِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ أُحِلَّ الذَّهَبُ وَالْحَرِيرُ لإِنَاثِ أُمَّتِي وَحُرِّمَ عَلَى ذُكُورِهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5835
    Sahih Bukhari

    Whoever wears silk in this world has no share in the Hereafter.

    Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra):Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "None wears silk in this world, but he who will have no share in the Hereafter

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حِطَّانَ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ عَنِ الْحَرِيرِ، فَقَالَتِ ائْتِ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَلْهُ‏.‏ قَالَ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ سَلِ ابْنَ عُمَرَ‏.‏ قَالَ فَسَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ فَقَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو حَفْصٍ ـ يَعْنِي عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّمَا يَلْبَسُ الْحَرِيرَ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَنْ لاَ خَلاَقَ لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ صَدَقَ وَمَا كَذَبَ أَبُو حَفْصٍ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَجَاءٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَرْبٌ عَنْ يَحْيَى حَدَّثَنِي عِمْرَانُ‏.‏ وَقَصَّ الْحَدِيثَ‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5426
    Sahih Bukhari

    Do not wear silk or drink from gold and silver vessels; they are for us in the Hereafter.

    Narrated `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila:We were sitting in the company of Hudhaifa who asked for water and a Magian brought him water. But when he placed the cup in his hand, he threw it at him and said, "Had I not forbidden him to do so more than once or twice?" He wanted to say, "I would not have done so," adding, "but I heard the Prophet saying, "Do not wear silk or Dibaja, and do not drink in silver or golden vessels, and do not eat in plates of such metals, for such things are for the unbelievers in this worldly life and for us in the Hereafter

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَيْفُ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي لَيْلَى، أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عِنْدَ حُذَيْفَةَ فَاسْتَسْقَى فَسَقَاهُ مَجُوسِيٌّ‏.‏ فَلَمَّا وَضَعَ الْقَدَحَ فِي يَدِهِ رَمَاهُ بِهِ وَقَالَ لَوْلاَ أَنِّي نَهَيْتُهُ غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ وَلاَ مَرَّتَيْنِ‏.‏ كَأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَمْ أَفْعَلْ هَذَا، وَلَكِنِّي سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَلْبَسُوا الْحَرِيرَ وَلاَ الدِّيبَاجَ وَلاَ تَشْرَبُوا فِي آنِيَةِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ، وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوا فِي صِحَافِهَا، فَإِنَّهَا لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَنَا فِي الآخِرَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 65
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ had a silver ring made and wore it.

    Narrated Anas bin Malik:Once the Prophet (ﷺ) wrote a letter or had an idea of writing a letter. The Prophet (ﷺ) was told that they (rulers) would not read letters unless they were sealed. So the Prophet (ﷺ) got a silver ring made with "Muhammad Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)" engraved on it. As if I were just observing its white glitter in the hand of the Prophet

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ كَتَبَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كِتَابًا ـ أَوْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ ـ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَابًا إِلاَّ مَخْتُومًا‏.‏ فَاتَّخَذَ خَاتَمًا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ نَقْشُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏.‏ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَيَاضِهِ فِي يَدِهِ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لِقَتَادَةَ مَنْ قَالَ نَقْشُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَنَسٌ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2919
    Sahih Bukhari

    Two Companions were allowed silk shirts because of a skin disease.

    Narrated Anas:The Prophet (ﷺ) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair to wear silken shirts because they had a skin disease causing itching

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْمِقْدَامِ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، أَنَّ أَنَسًا، حَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَخَّصَ لِعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ وَالزُّبَيْرِ فِي قَمِيصٍ مِنْ حَرِيرٍ، مِنْ حِكَّةٍ كَانَتْ بِهِمَا‏.‏

  7. 7
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2619
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ gave Umar a silk cloak to sell or give away, not to wear.

    Narrated Ibn `Umar:`Umar saw a silken cloak over a man for sale and requested the Prophet (ﷺ) to buy it in order to wear it on Fridays and while meeting delegates. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "This is worn by the one who will have no share in the Hereafter." Later on Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got some silken cloaks similar to that one, and he sent one to `Umar. `Umar said to the Prophet (ﷺ) "How can I wear it, while you said about it what you said?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I have not given it to you to wear, but to sell or to give to someone else." So, `Umar sent it to his brother at Mecca before he embraced Islam

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ رَأَى عُمَرُ حُلَّةً عَلَى رَجُلٍ تُبَاعُ فَقَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ابْتَعْ هَذِهِ الْحُلَّةَ تَلْبَسْهَا يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَإِذَا جَاءَكَ الْوَفْدُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّمَا يَلْبَسُ هَذَا مَنْ لاَ خَلاَقَ لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْهَا بِحُلَلٍ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى عُمَرَ مِنْهَا بِحُلَّةٍ‏.‏ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ كَيْفَ أَلْبَسُهَا وَقَدْ قُلْتَ فِيهَا مَا قُلْتَ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنِّي لَمْ أَكْسُكَهَا لِتَلْبَسَهَا، تَبِيعُهَا أَوْ تَكْسُوهَا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَرْسَلَ بِهَا عُمَرُ إِلَى أَخٍ لَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْلِمَ‏.‏

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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