Is it prescribed to differ from the disbelievers in ordinary matters, such as wearing watches and the like?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. We understood from the last statement of the Shaykh of Islam that there are two categories: one of imitation and one of differing. He made the default ruling for imitation to be prohibition, and differing is on different levels, meaning...
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Some scholars say that if there is no command to imitate in a matter, then at least it is recommended to differ in it. For example, wearing a watch on the left hand; we differ from them by wearing it on the right.
The Shaykh : No, no, this is not correct. This is not correct. They also do not wear it as an act of worship, but they wear it because the left hand is generally not used much, unlike the right hand. This is from one aspect. From another aspect, watches in the past, when they were wound, could only be wound from the right side, with the right hand. This does not involve imitation. Otherwise, we would also say that cars should not be driven on the side where they are driven, or that one should not drive them, because they drive them like that. And if a car comes with the steering wheel on the right, one should not drive it, for example.
The questioner : From what does not involve harm, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : No, it is not permissible. It is not correct.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Some scholars say that if there is no command to imitate in a matter, then at least it is recommended to differ in it. For example, wearing a watch on the left hand; we differ from them by wearing it on the right.
The Shaykh : No, no, this is not correct. This is not correct. They also do not wear it as an act of worship, but they wear it because the left hand is generally not used much, unlike the right hand. This is from one aspect. From another aspect, watches in the past, when they were wound, could only be wound from the right side, with the right hand. This does not involve imitation. Otherwise, we would also say that cars should not be driven on the side where they are driven, or that one should not drive them, because they drive them like that. And if a car comes with the steering wheel on the right, one should not drive it, for example.
The questioner : From what does not involve harm, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : No, it is not permissible. It is not correct.