Is It Permissible to Wear a Shirt with Six-Pointed Stars?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

Is it permissible to wear a shirt with small six-pointed stars if my intention is not to promote another religion?

Answer

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

If the six-pointed stars on your shirt are not clearly recognized as religious symbols in your context and your intention is not to imitate or promote a religion other than Islam, it would be permissible to wear the shirt. Nonetheless, if you are in doubt or the symbol could reasonably be misunderstood, avoiding it would be more cautious and praiseworthy.

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt. Verily, truth brings peace of mind and falsehood sows doubt.” [Tirmidhi]

Considerations

Wearing symbols commonly associated with other religions or ideologies, such as the six-pointed star, which is widely linked to Judaism, requires careful consideration. The decisive factor is the meaning conveyed by the symbol and whether it constitutes imitation (tashabbuh) of non-Muslim religious identity, which is generally impermissible.

Suppose the six-pointed stars on the shirt are small, decorative, inconspicuous, and not clearly presented in a religious context, nor intended or generally understood as a symbol of another religion. Then wearing the shirt would be permitted, and Allah knows best.

The key here is twofold: one’s intention and the common perception of the symbol within the relevant context. It is important to note that it is not the shape itself that is prohibited, but the association and what the symbol communicates. Sacred Law prohibits deliberate imitation of disbelievers in religious matters.

Allah Most High says,

“And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire touch you…” [Quran, 11:113]

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.