What is the ruling on possessing gold and silver vessels not for eating and drinking, but merely for possession?
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The questioner : He says: What is the ruling on possessing gold and silver vessels not for eating and drinking, but merely for possession?
The Shaykh : It is not permissible.
The questioner : With evidence?
The Shaykh : The evidence, without a doubt, is known to the scholars of knowledge. When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade eating from gold and silver vessels, that implies that it is not permissible to handle these vessels or decorate one's home with them, as mentioned in the question: not to eat and drink from them, but handling them opens the way to eating and drinking from them. So here it is said: The prohibition of drinking from gold and silver vessels from the legal perspective is forbidden in itself, whereas the prohibition of possessing gold and silver vessels without drinking or eating from them is forbidden for the sake of something else; meaning this is forbidden for the sake of something else, not in itself. An example is that the Wise Lawgiver forbade intoxicants, and that no matter how little the drink of intoxicants is, such that if one took a small spoon and dipped it in the intoxicant and did this, it would not affect him, but this is forbidden; even though it does not affect him. Why? Because this drop may lead to a second, third, and fourth drop until one falls into addiction to intoxicants. Therefore, the forbidden things in the Shari'ah are divided into two categories, and this is a rule that every student of knowledge who wants to understand the religion correctly should be mindful of.
The forbidden things in Islam are of two types: forbidden in itself, and forbidden for the sake of something else. The forbidden for the sake of something else is not necessarily explicitly stated in the text; what is explicitly stated is the forbidden in itself. So if you know that something is forbidden in itself, then everything that leads to that forbidden in itself remains forbidden, not in itself, but for the sake of something else. Therefore, the Messenger (peace be upon him) detailed this in the famous hadith; he said (peace and blessings be upon him): It is forbidden—excuse me— the handshake, the handshake of a man with a woman, meaning the handshake and touching, . So if a man looks at a woman with a sudden glance, it is an excuse; therefore, when he was asked about this sudden glance, he said: . And he said in the hadith of Ali in the Sunan and others: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 6:1184. Why is the second one on me? The woman is walking there, so I looked at her with the second glance. What did it do to her? Nothing, and she has no knowledge of my glance. What did it do to me? Nothing, except that I fulfilled the desire of my eye so that something would settle in my heart.
But does this second glance lead the one looking to fall into the major sin? It may, and usually it does not, but the Lawgiver, in the precision of legislation, forbids the thing that is permissible, which is looking, for fear that it leads to what is forbidden. So this type, like the prohibition of looking and listening, is called forbidden for the sake of something else, not in itself; because looking, listening, and seeing are among the blessings of Allah upon us, but if you look at what is forbidden, it is feared that the matter will lead to a major sin, as you heard in the previous hadith. Therefore, one of the poets said, to realize the meaning of the previous hadith with beautiful poetry, he said:
"A glance" at a foreign woman
"A glance, then a smile, then a greeting *** Then speech, then an appointment, then a meeting"
Thus evil comes; therefore, the old Arab poet said:
"And most of the fire is from the one who underestimates the sparks." A matchstick like this creates this fire that consumes the country and what is in it. Therefore, the Wise Lawgiver made the forbidden things into two categories, so let no one say: What is wrong if I buy gold and silver vessels and put them in the house and I do not drink from them? Do not say this; because this is the key to evil. And how do you know? This is like using the radio, for example, or using the television, especially. How do you know, you who say: I bring the television and use it for lawful and useful scientific scenes or curricula, how do you know that behind you, and after you in the course of life, this television will not be used in disobedience to Allah in your house? And lastly, how do you know, when you bring gold and silver vessels, that these vessels will not be used in your absence for food and drink? Especially after your death. Cut off the root of evil by standing with the text where it commands you not to handle a means that leads you to committing what Allah has forbidden. Therefore, they say in our region in Syria: "Stay away from evil and sing to it." Stay away from evil and sing, how is that possible since you are far from evil? And similarly: "The one who wants not to see disgusting dreams does not sleep between the graves." And so on. All this speech is taken from the guidance of the Messenger (peace be upon him).
Other than that?
The questioner : ... does he perform wudu on the basis that he will pray 'Asr?
Another questioner : We have an issue where he said: If someone other than me did an action there.
The questioner : Meaning, we complete this question.
The questioner : Meaning, for example, if a pen does not lead to ... but, for example, it has such and such, does the prohibition apply to it?
The Shaykh : No, this falls under whether the user of this gold is male or female? If it is female, then gold is permissible for her except for what is excluded. But if the user of this gold is male, and the gold is actually gold, and has its value, and is not a coating or something similar; then it is not permissible to use gold, unlike women.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, is the pen considered from the jewelry—meaning—for women?
The Shaykh : No, if it is from the jewelry; because it is not solid gold. If the pen is all gold; then it is permissible for women, not for men ... or is there something?
The questioner : Is the permissible for women only the jewelry that a woman adorns herself with in front of women for adornment?
The Shaykh : Nothing else.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Nothing else, imagine, meaning.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, everything is permissible except what is a necklace ... meaning the solid gold is only forbidden for women, plus gold and silver vessels.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible.
The questioner : With evidence?
The Shaykh : The evidence, without a doubt, is known to the scholars of knowledge. When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade eating from gold and silver vessels, that implies that it is not permissible to handle these vessels or decorate one's home with them, as mentioned in the question: not to eat and drink from them, but handling them opens the way to eating and drinking from them. So here it is said: The prohibition of drinking from gold and silver vessels from the legal perspective is forbidden in itself, whereas the prohibition of possessing gold and silver vessels without drinking or eating from them is forbidden for the sake of something else; meaning this is forbidden for the sake of something else, not in itself. An example is that the Wise Lawgiver forbade intoxicants, and that no matter how little the drink of intoxicants is, such that if one took a small spoon and dipped it in the intoxicant and did this, it would not affect him, but this is forbidden; even though it does not affect him. Why? Because this drop may lead to a second, third, and fourth drop until one falls into addiction to intoxicants. Therefore, the forbidden things in the Shari'ah are divided into two categories, and this is a rule that every student of knowledge who wants to understand the religion correctly should be mindful of.
The forbidden things in Islam are of two types: forbidden in itself, and forbidden for the sake of something else. The forbidden for the sake of something else is not necessarily explicitly stated in the text; what is explicitly stated is the forbidden in itself. So if you know that something is forbidden in itself, then everything that leads to that forbidden in itself remains forbidden, not in itself, but for the sake of something else. Therefore, the Messenger (peace be upon him) detailed this in the famous hadith; he said (peace and blessings be upon him): It is forbidden—excuse me—
The share of a son of Adam in adultery has been written for him; he will inevitably reach it. The eye commits adultery, and its adultery is looking; the ear commits adultery, and its adultery is listening; the hand commits adultery, and its adultery is touching.
كُتِبَ على ابن آدم حظُّه من الزنا ؛ فهو مُدركه لا محالة ، فالعين تزني وزناها النظر ، والأذن تزني وزناها السمع ، واليد تزني وزناها البطشThe hand commits zina, and its zina is touching.
واليد تزني وزناها البطشThe leg commits adultery, and its adultery is walking; the mouth commits adultery, and its adultery is kissing; and the private parts confirm all of that or deny it.
والرجل تزني وزناهما المشي ، والفم يزني وزناه القُبَل ، والفرج يصدِّق ذلك كله أو يكذِّبهAvert your gaze
اصرف بصركThe first look is for you, and the second is against you.
النظرة الأولى لك ، والثانية عليكBut does this second glance lead the one looking to fall into the major sin? It may, and usually it does not, but the Lawgiver, in the precision of legislation, forbids the thing that is permissible, which is looking, for fear that it leads to what is forbidden. So this type, like the prohibition of looking and listening, is called forbidden for the sake of something else, not in itself; because looking, listening, and seeing are among the blessings of Allah upon us, but if you look at what is forbidden, it is feared that the matter will lead to a major sin, as you heard in the previous hadith. Therefore, one of the poets said, to realize the meaning of the previous hadith with beautiful poetry, he said:
"A glance" at a foreign woman
"A glance, then a smile, then a greeting *** Then speech, then an appointment, then a meeting"
Thus evil comes; therefore, the old Arab poet said:
"And most of the fire is from the one who underestimates the sparks." A matchstick like this creates this fire that consumes the country and what is in it. Therefore, the Wise Lawgiver made the forbidden things into two categories, so let no one say: What is wrong if I buy gold and silver vessels and put them in the house and I do not drink from them? Do not say this; because this is the key to evil. And how do you know? This is like using the radio, for example, or using the television, especially. How do you know, you who say: I bring the television and use it for lawful and useful scientific scenes or curricula, how do you know that behind you, and after you in the course of life, this television will not be used in disobedience to Allah in your house? And lastly, how do you know, when you bring gold and silver vessels, that these vessels will not be used in your absence for food and drink? Especially after your death. Cut off the root of evil by standing with the text where it commands you not to handle a means that leads you to committing what Allah has forbidden. Therefore, they say in our region in Syria: "Stay away from evil and sing to it." Stay away from evil and sing, how is that possible since you are far from evil? And similarly: "The one who wants not to see disgusting dreams does not sleep between the graves." And so on. All this speech is taken from the guidance of the Messenger (peace be upon him).
Other than that?
The questioner : ... does he perform wudu on the basis that he will pray 'Asr?
Another questioner : We have an issue where he said: If someone other than me did an action there.
The questioner : Meaning, we complete this question.
The questioner : Meaning, for example, if a pen does not lead to ... but, for example, it has such and such, does the prohibition apply to it?
The Shaykh : No, this falls under whether the user of this gold is male or female? If it is female, then gold is permissible for her except for what is excluded. But if the user of this gold is male, and the gold is actually gold, and has its value, and is not a coating or something similar; then it is not permissible to use gold, unlike women.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, is the pen considered from the jewelry—meaning—for women?
The Shaykh : No, if it is from the jewelry; because it is not solid gold. If the pen is all gold; then it is permissible for women, not for men ... or is there something?
The questioner : Is the permissible for women only the jewelry that a woman adorns herself with in front of women for adornment?
The Shaykh : Nothing else.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Nothing else, imagine, meaning.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, everything is permissible except what is a necklace ... meaning the solid gold is only forbidden for women, plus gold and silver vessels.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: Yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.