What Kinds of Jewelry and Body Piercings Are Permissible for Men?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question

What kinds of jewelry are permissible for men to wear? Are body piercings permissible for men?

Answer

I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.

The basis of jewelry and the like is that it is a form of beautification and adornment, hence permitted for women as this is the basis for them.

On the contrary, it is not permitted for men as it is not considered religiously manly to adorn oneself with jewelry, particularly as it is legally considered a trait of women. There are also some implications of imitation therein.

We know this from the traditions (hadith) of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), in Abu Dawud and elsewhere, in which he stated that gold and silk is unlawful for the men of his community (ummah), yet permitted for the women.

However, the jurists (fuqaha) made an exception for a silver ring, with respect to the man, as the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) wore one. For details, please see: On Which Hand and Finger Should a Man Wear his Silver Ring?

Please also see: Is Body Piercing Allowed for Men? and: Ear & Nose Piercings For Women and: Are Men Allowed to Wear Rings Made from Gold and Other Materials?

And Allah alone gives success.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorized the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan, and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.