Fatwa ID: 06910

Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain

Question:

Any good explanation on the 4 finger exception to silk for men

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Silk has been prohibited for men to wear in this world as silk will be the cloth in which men are clothed with in Jannah.

The Prophet ﷺ on one occasion held up a piece of silk in His right hand and then held gold in His left and said: “these two have been made prohibited upon the men of my Ummah.” [Sunan Abi Dāwūd: Hadith 4057] [1]

Any garment (shirt, trouser, scarf, etc.) which has silk equivalent to the width of four fingers (regardless of length) will be permissible to wear. [Radd ul-Muhtār: vol. 6, pg. 351] [2]

This ruling only applies to the usage of pure silk. However, manufactured or artificial silk does not fall under the purview of this ruling.

Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.

Written by Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1]عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زُرَيْرٍ يَعْنِي الْغَافِقِيَّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، يَقُولُ: إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَخَذَ حَرِيرًا فَجَعَلَهُ فِي يَمِينِهِ، وَأَخَذَ ذَهَبًا فَجَعَلَهُ فِي شِمَالِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «إِنَّ هَذَيْنِ حَرَامٌ عَلَى ذُكُورِ أُمَّتِي»

[2]قَوْلُهُ إلَّا قَدْرَ أَرْبَعِ أَصَابِعَ إلَخْ