Fatwa ID: 02544

Answered by: Maulana Muhammad Afzal Hussain

Question

Can we wear waist coats that have some sort of silky lining on inner side. What is the ruling on wearing artificial silk by men?

Answer

Narrated by Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, "Whoever wears silk in this world, shall not wear it in the Hereafter."(Bukhari: 5832)

Narrated Abu 'Uthman: While we were at Azerbaijan, Umar wrote to us: "Allah's Messenger forbade wearing silk except this much. Then the Prophet approximated his two fingers (index and middle fingers) (to illustrate that) to us." Zuhair (the sub narrator) raised up his middle and index fingers. (Bukhari: 5829. Muslim: 5369)

Ahnaaf’s position regarding wearing silk: It is allowed for woman and prohibited for a man. If the silk is mixed with other materials like cotton, wool, polyester or nylon etc. then if the amount of silk is not more than a span of hand, it would be allowed for man to wear it. [See: Kanzud Daqaaiq with the Commentary of Shaykh Izaz Ali, Chapter of Clothes, Vol: 2, Page: 435, Publisher: Idaratul Quran wal-Uloom al-Islamiyyah Karachi, Pakistan]

However, the artificially manufactured silk is also available nowadays. Men are not under any prohibition to use it.

Only Allah Knows Best

Written by Maulana Muhammad Afzal Hussain   

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham