What is the ruling on possessing gold and silver vessels for purposes other than eating and drinking, with evidence?
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The questioner : 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 of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade eating from gold and silver vessels, it implies that it is not permissible to handle these vessels or decorate one's home with them, as mentioned in the question. It is not for eating and drinking, but handling them opens the way to eating and drinking from them. Therefore, it is said that the prohibition of drinking from gold and silver vessels, from a legal perspective, is forbidden in itself. As for the prohibition of possessing gold and silver vessels without eating and drinking from them, it is forbidden for the sake of something else, because this is forbidden for the sake of something else, not in itself. An example is that the Wise Lawgiver forbade intoxicants, and whatever the amount of intoxicant is, even if it is small, such that if one took a small spoon and dipped it in the intoxicant and did this! This does not affect him, but it is forbidden even though it does not affect him, because that drop he drank may be followed by a second, third, and fourth, until he falls into addiction to intoxicants. Therefore, the prohibitions 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 must know.
The prohibitions in Islam are of two types: forbidden in itself and forbidden for the sake of something else. What is forbidden for the sake of something else is not necessarily explicitly stated in the texts; rather, what is explicitly stated is what is forbidden in itself. So if you know that something is forbidden in itself, then everything that leads to following that thing which is forbidden in itself remains forbidden, not in itself, but for the sake of something else. Therefore, the Messenger (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) detailed this in the famous hadith. He (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) said: So if a man looks at a woman with a sudden glance, it is excused. Therefore, when he was asked about this sudden glance, he said, "Avert your gaze." And in the hadith of Ali in the Sunan, he said: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 6:1184 Why is the second one upon me? Because the woman walks among people, so I looked at her with the second glance. What happened to her? Nothing, and she has no knowledge of my glance. What happened to me from her? Nothing, except that I fulfilled the desire of the eye so that something would settle in my heart.
But does this second glance lead the one looking to fall into the major sin...? Slander, and usually it does not, but the Lawgiver, in the precision of legislation, forbids what is permissible, which is looking, lest it lead to what is forbidden. This represents the prohibition of looking and listening, which is called forbidden for the sake of something else, not in itself, because hearing 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 what exceeds one's ability, as we mentioned in the previous hadith. Therefore, one of the poets said, to realize the meaning of the previous hadith with beautiful poetry: "A glance, then a smile, then speech, then a greeting, then an appointment, then a meeting", and the old Arab poet said:
"And most of the fire comes from the small sparks", so the small fire consumes a country and those in it. Therefore, the Wise Lawgiver made the prohibitions into two categories. So let no one say, "What is the harm in possessing gold and silver vessels and placing them in the house and not using them?" Let him not say this, because it is difficult to refrain from this. This is like using the television, where you say, "I use it for lawful scenes and useful scientific curricula." What makes you know that behind you, and you are in the midst of life, that this television will not be used in disobedience to Allah in your house? And in the end, what makes you know that when you bring gold and silver vessels, that you will use these vessels in your unawareness for food and drink, especially after your death? Cut off the source 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, it is said among us in the Levant: "Stay away from evil and sing to it" ... This is all the speech taken from the hadith of the Messenger (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him), is it not?
The questioner : ... performs ablution on the basis that he will pray 'Asr? ... .
The Shaykh : It enters into what is used ... except what is excluded. But if it is ... used for this gold, and it is mentioned ... and the gold ... then it is not permissible to use ... unlike women.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No ... because it is not shaved, because if it were ... .
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Meaning, the forbidden gold is only the gold rings, in addition to gold and silver vessels.
The questioner : Performs ablution on the basis after the prayer ... ?
The Shaykh : ... .
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 of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade eating from gold and silver vessels, it implies that it is not permissible to handle these vessels or decorate one's home with them, as mentioned in the question. It is not for eating and drinking, but handling them opens the way to eating and drinking from them. Therefore, it is said that the prohibition of drinking from gold and silver vessels, from a legal perspective, is forbidden in itself. As for the prohibition of possessing gold and silver vessels without eating and drinking from them, it is forbidden for the sake of something else, because this is forbidden for the sake of something else, not in itself. An example is that the Wise Lawgiver forbade intoxicants, and whatever the amount of intoxicant is, even if it is small, such that if one took a small spoon and dipped it in the intoxicant and did this! This does not affect him, but it is forbidden even though it does not affect him, because that drop he drank may be followed by a second, third, and fourth, until he falls into addiction to intoxicants. Therefore, the prohibitions 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 must know.
The prohibitions in Islam are of two types: forbidden in itself and forbidden for the sake of something else. What is forbidden for the sake of something else is not necessarily explicitly stated in the texts; rather, what is explicitly stated is what is forbidden in itself. So if you know that something is forbidden in itself, then everything that leads to following that thing which is forbidden in itself remains forbidden, not in itself, but for the sake of something else. Therefore, the Messenger (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) detailed this in the famous hadith. He (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) said:
It is written for the son of Adam his share of zina, and he will attain it inevitably. The eye commits zina, and its zina is looking. The ear commits zina, and its zina is listening. The hand commits zina, and its zina is touching ... and the foot commits zina, and its zina is walking. And the mouth commits zina, and its zina is kissing. And the private part confirms all of this or denies it.
كتب على ابن ابن آدم حظه من الزنا مدرك ذلك لا محالة العين تزني وزناها النظر والأذن تزني وزناهما السمع واليد تزني وزناها البطش ... والرجل تزني وزناهما المشي و الفم يزني و زناه القبل والفرج يصدق ذلك كله أو يكذبهThe first glance 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...? Slander, and usually it does not, but the Lawgiver, in the precision of legislation, forbids what is permissible, which is looking, lest it lead to what is forbidden. This represents the prohibition of looking and listening, which is called forbidden for the sake of something else, not in itself, because hearing 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 what exceeds one's ability, as we mentioned in the previous hadith. Therefore, one of the poets said, to realize the meaning of the previous hadith with beautiful poetry: "A glance, then a smile, then speech, then a greeting, then an appointment, then a meeting", and the old Arab poet said:
"And most of the fire comes from the small sparks", so the small fire consumes a country and those in it. Therefore, the Wise Lawgiver made the prohibitions into two categories. So let no one say, "What is the harm in possessing gold and silver vessels and placing them in the house and not using them?" Let him not say this, because it is difficult to refrain from this. This is like using the television, where you say, "I use it for lawful scenes and useful scientific curricula." What makes you know that behind you, and you are in the midst of life, that this television will not be used in disobedience to Allah in your house? And in the end, what makes you know that when you bring gold and silver vessels, that you will use these vessels in your unawareness for food and drink, especially after your death? Cut off the source 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, it is said among us in the Levant: "Stay away from evil and sing to it" ... This is all the speech taken from the hadith of the Messenger (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him), is it not?
The questioner : ... performs ablution on the basis that he will pray 'Asr? ... .
The Shaykh : It enters into what is used ... except what is excluded. But if it is ... used for this gold, and it is mentioned ... and the gold ... then it is not permissible to use ... unlike women.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No ... because it is not shaved, because if it were ... .
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Meaning, the forbidden gold is only the gold rings, in addition to gold and silver vessels.
The questioner : Performs ablution on the basis after the prayer ... ?
The Shaykh : ... .