What is the ruling on using a ring as a sign of an engagement?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, the ring among us has gone beyond being a form of imitation or adornment. It has become such that a man who wants to get married, you look at the girl's hand, and if you see that gold ring on it, that is it, she is taken... and if you do not find it, you know that she has not been proposed to yet.
The Shaykh : So it is a sign for a woman who is engaged?
The questioner : Yes, you know that she has not been proposed to.
The Shaykh : So it is a sign for a woman who is engaged?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is a sign for a woman who is engaged.
The Shaykh : And the suitor?
The questioner : Likewise, the suitor, the suitor is the one who proposes,
The Shaykh : So it means if we see a man with a ring on his hand, it means he is a suitor.
The questioner : Yes
The questioner : On the right hand he is a suitor, and on the left hand he is married.
The Shaykh : Yes, on the right hand he is a suitor.
The questioner : On the right hand he is a suitor, and on the left hand he is married.
The Shaykh : Married... the opposite...
The questioner : If he takes it off, it is a sign of...
The Shaykh : I remember some people have the wife's name written on the man's ring, and the man's name on the woman's ring. I warned one of them and said, "This is a corrupt belief." He said, "If I take it off, the woman will run away." Yes.
The questioner : This is their belief.
The Shaykh : This is a corrupt belief. This is the *tawilah* that was mentioned, and it came in the hadith that it is shirk (associating partners with Allah).
The questioner : So does it remain an imitation in this case, Shaykh? The original is that it is widespread among Muslims now, meaning you do not find anyone getting married without it.
The Shaykh : By Allah, I cannot say that it is haram (forbidden), but I see that leaving it off is better.
The questioner : Shaykh, even if there is a disagreement between them, she takes off the ring for him, the ring, and it is as if it is...
The Shaykh : Strange
The questioner : Yes, indeed
The Shaykh : It has become a belief, it has become accompanied by a belief.
The questioner : So it means divorce.
The Shaykh : Yes, annulment.
The questioner : Yes, annulment.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Helper in any case. If the ring is made of silver, we say it is permissible (mubah). Wearing it is not haram (forbidden). But is it recommended (sunnah) to wear a ring, or is it not? This is a matter of consideration. Except for one who needs it, such as needing to seal documents because he is an official. In that case, we say it is recommended (mustahabb) to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and to preserve the ring, because if he puts it in his pocket, it might be lost or stolen, or something like that. Yes.
The questioner : Have you heard about some gemstones in rings that drive away the Shayatins (devils)?
The Shaykh : No, I have not heard that.
The questioner : This exists.
The Shaykh : And this is a trial. They say that gemstones in rings drive away the Shayatins (devils). May Allah protect us. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Snakes, snakes, praise be to Allah, they are few. We do not need to use things that drive them away.
The questioner : There is a benefit mentioned by al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar regarding the categories of acceptance in authorization (ijazah).
The Shaykh : Yes, do you read it? What page?
The reader: I will read it, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The Shaykh : So it is a sign for a woman who is engaged?
The questioner : Yes, you know that she has not been proposed to.
The Shaykh : So it is a sign for a woman who is engaged?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is a sign for a woman who is engaged.
The Shaykh : And the suitor?
The questioner : Likewise, the suitor, the suitor is the one who proposes,
The Shaykh : So it means if we see a man with a ring on his hand, it means he is a suitor.
The questioner : Yes
The questioner : On the right hand he is a suitor, and on the left hand he is married.
The Shaykh : Yes, on the right hand he is a suitor.
The questioner : On the right hand he is a suitor, and on the left hand he is married.
The Shaykh : Married... the opposite...
The questioner : If he takes it off, it is a sign of...
The Shaykh : I remember some people have the wife's name written on the man's ring, and the man's name on the woman's ring. I warned one of them and said, "This is a corrupt belief." He said, "If I take it off, the woman will run away." Yes.
The questioner : This is their belief.
The Shaykh : This is a corrupt belief. This is the *tawilah* that was mentioned, and it came in the hadith that it is shirk (associating partners with Allah).
The questioner : So does it remain an imitation in this case, Shaykh? The original is that it is widespread among Muslims now, meaning you do not find anyone getting married without it.
The Shaykh : By Allah, I cannot say that it is haram (forbidden), but I see that leaving it off is better.
The questioner : Shaykh, even if there is a disagreement between them, she takes off the ring for him, the ring, and it is as if it is...
The Shaykh : Strange
The questioner : Yes, indeed
The Shaykh : It has become a belief, it has become accompanied by a belief.
The questioner : So it means divorce.
The Shaykh : Yes, annulment.
The questioner : Yes, annulment.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Helper in any case. If the ring is made of silver, we say it is permissible (mubah). Wearing it is not haram (forbidden). But is it recommended (sunnah) to wear a ring, or is it not? This is a matter of consideration. Except for one who needs it, such as needing to seal documents because he is an official. In that case, we say it is recommended (mustahabb) to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and to preserve the ring, because if he puts it in his pocket, it might be lost or stolen, or something like that. Yes.
The questioner : Have you heard about some gemstones in rings that drive away the Shayatins (devils)?
The Shaykh : No, I have not heard that.
The questioner : This exists.
The Shaykh : And this is a trial. They say that gemstones in rings drive away the Shayatins (devils). May Allah protect us. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Snakes, snakes, praise be to Allah, they are few. We do not need to use things that drive them away.
The questioner : There is a benefit mentioned by al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar regarding the categories of acceptance in authorization (ijazah).
The Shaykh : Yes, do you read it? What page?
The reader: I will read it, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Very well.