When does gold become forbidden for women?
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The questioner : We return to a message from a listener of the program, an Egyptian from the Arab Republic of Egypt. He says in this question: When does gold become forbidden for women, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Gold is not forbidden for women; rather, it is among the things Allah has made lawful for them. Allah the Exalted said in His Book:[Az-Zukhruf 43:18] meaning the woman. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding gold and silk: So she may wear whatever jewelry she wishes, unless it is forbidden in itself or by its description. What is forbidden in itself is, for example, if the jewelry is in the shape of an animal, such as a snake or a lion, or the like. This is not permissible, because wearing an image or anything containing an image is forbidden. It is authentically narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sunan Abi Dawud 4155Sahih (Al-Albani).
If a woman is afflicted with jewelry in the shape of an animal image, she can take it to the goldsmiths to have them change this image, either by manufacturing it into another shape or by cutting off the head of this image so that it has no head. If the head of an image is removed, it becomes lawful, as it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that Jibril said to him:.
As for jewelry that is forbidden by its description, it is when it reaches the limit of extravagance. If it goes to the limit of extravagance, it becomes forbidden, because every permissible thing that a person takes to the limit of extravagance becomes forbidden, due to the saying of the Exalted regarding eating and drinking:[Al-A'raf 7:31] And the negation of Allah’s love for the extravagant necessitates the dislike of their action and that it is not permissible, because it is exposed to the removal of the love of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, from its doer, from the doer of extravagance.
There is something forbidden regarding the acquisition of jewelry, which is if the jewelry is stolen or looted or the like. This is also forbidden. So the original ruling regarding a woman’s jewelry is that she is permitted whatever she wishes of gold, except in three cases: what is forbidden in itself, what is forbidden by its description, or what is forbidden by its acquisition. What is forbidden in itself, as we mentioned earlier, is what is in a forbidden image, such as being in the shape of an animal or a human or the like. What is forbidden by its description is when it reaches the limit of extravagance. And what is forbidden by its acquisition is when it is acquired through a forbidden means, such as theft, looting, usurpation, or the like.
The Shaykh : Gold is not forbidden for women; rather, it is among the things Allah has made lawful for them. Allah the Exalted said in His Book:
So is one brought up in ornaments while being during conflict unevident [attributed to Allah]?
أومن ينشؤ في الحلية وهو في الخصام غير مبينIt is made lawful for the women of my Ummah and forbidden for the men.
حل لإناث أمتي حرام على ذكورهاThe angels do not enter the house which contains a picture.
إن الملائكة لا تدخل بيتا فيه صورةIf a woman is afflicted with jewelry in the shape of an animal image, she can take it to the goldsmiths to have them change this image, either by manufacturing it into another shape or by cutting off the head of this image so that it has no head. If the head of an image is removed, it becomes lawful, as it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that Jibril said to him:
Pass by the head of the statue and cut it off so that it is like a tree
مر برأس التمثال فليقطع حتى يكون كهيئة الشجرةAs for jewelry that is forbidden by its description, it is when it reaches the limit of extravagance. If it goes to the limit of extravagance, it becomes forbidden, because every permissible thing that a person takes to the limit of extravagance becomes forbidden, due to the saying of the Exalted regarding eating and drinking:
and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.
وكلوا واشربوا ولا تسرفوا إنه لا يحب المسرفينThere is something forbidden regarding the acquisition of jewelry, which is if the jewelry is stolen or looted or the like. This is also forbidden. So the original ruling regarding a woman’s jewelry is that she is permitted whatever she wishes of gold, except in three cases: what is forbidden in itself, what is forbidden by its description, or what is forbidden by its acquisition. What is forbidden in itself, as we mentioned earlier, is what is in a forbidden image, such as being in the shape of an animal or a human or the like. What is forbidden by its description is when it reaches the limit of extravagance. And what is forbidden by its acquisition is when it is acquired through a forbidden means, such as theft, looting, usurpation, or the like.