What Does “Do Not Go Beyond a Mithqal” Mean in the Hadith?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

I wonder what the last part of the hadith mean, more precisely “but do not complete a mithqal”?

The man said, “O Messenger of Allah, what can I take as a ring?” He replied, “From silver, but do not complete a mithqal.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

The end of this Prophetic narration, “and do not go beyond a mithqal,” refers to the weight of silver used in the ring. A Mithqal is 4.5 grams of silver. Exceeding this weight of silver in a silver ring is impermissible in the Hanafi School. [‘Ala’ al-Din ‘Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-‘Ala’iyya]

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.