Can a Man Use Gold Utensils? (Shafi’i)

Answered by Shaykh Farid Dingle

Question: Assalamu alaykum

Can a man use something else that is made partially or entirely of gold?

Answer: Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh,

In the Shafi’i school, it is permissible to use gold or silver or silver utensils – such as clips or pens – if they are merely coated with a very thin layer of gold or silver — as is the case with most pen nibs or the like. The criterion for being thin is that were you to give it to a gold-/silversmith, they would not be able to melt off and collect any gold or silver. [Bushra al-Karim]

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Farid Dingle

Shaykh Farid Dingle grew up in a convert family in Herefordshire, UK. In 2007, he moved to Jordan to pursue traditional studies. Shaykh Farid continues to live in Amman, Jordan with his wife and kids. In addition to continuing his studies he teaches Arabic and several of the Islamic sciences.

Shaykh Farid began his journey in sacred knowledge with intensives in the UK and Jordan (2004) in Shafi’i fiqh and Arabic. After years of studying Arabic grammar, Shafi’i fiqh, hadith, legal methodology (usul al-fiqh) and tafsir, Sh. Farid began specializing in Arabic language and literature. Sh. Farid studied Pre-Islamic poetry, Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, and Andalusian literature. He holds a BA in Arabic Language and Literature and continues exploring the language of the Islamic tradition.

In addition to his interest in the Arabic language Shaykh Farid actively researches matters related to jurisprudence (fiqh) which he studied with Shaykh Hamza Karamali, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, and continues with Shaykh Amjad Rasheed.