Can men wear gold?

The ruling and its scope

Shaykh Ibn Baz was asked specifically about a man's gold ring and answered that it is not permitted, neither before marriage nor after it. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen stated the same in the widest terms: gold is forbidden to men whether it is a ring, buttons, a chain worn at the neck, or anything else of that kind. IslamWeb likewise holds that a man's gold ring is forbidden whether he wears it to show off or for any other reason, and whether it is called a wedding ring or not.

The prohibition is not limited to jewellery worn on the hand. Shaykh Ibn Baz was asked about watches plated with gold and answered that gold is not permitted to men — not in clothing, not in vessels, not in watches — and that if a watch is confirmed to be gold-plated it is not allowed. The Permanent Committee added that the prohibition extends to selling gold to men known to wear it, and that wearing gold is counted among the major sins.

Why the scholars hold this

The ruling rests on a body of explicit narrations. The strongest is the report of Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet ﷺ saw a gold ring on a man's hand, pulled it off and threw it down, saying:

"One of you takes a live coal of fire and puts it on his hand."— Sahih Muslim 2090, from Ibn Abbas

The man was later told to take his ring back and make use of it, and he refused, saying he would not take what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had thrown away. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen draws the point out: the Prophet ﷺ removed it simply because it was worn, which shows the prohibition attaches to the wearing itself.

The general principle is stated in the well-known narration that the Prophet ﷺ said of gold and silk:

"These two are forbidden to the males of my nation, permitted to their females."— reported by Ahmad and the authors of the Sunan, from Ali ibn Abi Talib

Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen also cites the verse in which Allah describes the one who is "brought up in ornaments" as unable to make himself clear in dispute, and explains the wisdom behind the difference: a woman needs adornment for her husband, while a man is complete in his manhood and has no need of it. He notes that the scholars' ruling is not suspended on our seeing the wisdom — the command of Allah and His Messenger is itself the reason a believer acts on.

Where the prohibition does not apply

• Medical necessity: if a man loses a tooth, he may replace it with gold. IslamWeb reports that al-Nawawi said this is agreed upon, and Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen cites the Prophet's ﷺ permission for a man whose nose was cut off in battle to take a nose of gold. He adds that a manufactured tooth would be better if it fits well.
• Silver and other metals: Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen notes that a man may wear silver within the limits set by the Shari'ah, and other metals too, so long as it does not reach extravagance.
• White gold: Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen's answer is that what is called "white gold" is not gold at all — gold is the red metal, and a name does not change a substance. But he warns that wearing it may still be forbidden on a different ground: extravagance, which applies to a poor man and not to a wealthy one.

The wedding ring in particular

Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen singles out the practice of exchanging rings inscribed with the spouse's name, where the couple believe the ring is a cause of lasting marriage. He calls this a corrupt belief with no reality behind it — many who exchanged rings have separated, and many who never heard of the practice have had the strongest of marriages. He adds that the practice appears to be taken from non-Muslims, which brings a further wrong, citing the Prophet's ﷺ words that whoever imitates a people is one of them. IslamWeb states the same ruling plainly: the gold ring is forbidden to a man whether it is called a wedding ring or anything else.

What to do

If you wear a gold ring, remove it and do not return to it, as the Companion refused to take back what the Prophet ﷺ had discarded. If you want a ring, silver is permitted. If you are choosing a watch or a pen, avoid gold plating. And if you have already worn gold, Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen's advice to those who adorn themselves with it is to turn back to Allah in repentance.

Key takeaways

• Gold is forbidden to men in every form — rings, chains, buttons, watches, plating — and permitted to women.
• The prohibition holds whether a man is married or not, and a "wedding ring" is no exception.
• Selling gold to a man you know will wear it is also forbidden, and wearing it is counted among the major sins.
• A gold tooth or nose taken for genuine need is permitted, by agreement of the scholars.
• Silver and other metals are allowed for men within the limits of the Shari'ah, without extravagance.

Further reading

• al-Nawawi, al-Majmu' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab
• Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari

And Allah knows best.