Permissibility of wearing a steel watch for Muslim men

29-11-2013 | IslamWeb

Question:

Can a man wear a hand watch which is of steel chain that covers the wrist,because I have heard that a man cannot wear any metal object except silver ring, plz answer this question do not refer me to another fatwa, I will be thankful to u.

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible for a man to wear whatever he wishes of metals except that which is Islamically forbidden, like gold for men, since in principle all things are permissible except wherever there is evidence that it is forbidden; Allaah says (what means): {It is He who created for you all of that which is on earth.}[Quran 2:29]

Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa’i  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them reported a Hadeeth on the prohibition of wearing an iron ring and that this is the adornment of the people of Hellfire, but this is a Dha’eef (weak) Hadeeth.

So, by default, it is permissible. This is supported by the Hadeeth of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) in which he said: "Take even an iron ring.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

An-Nawawi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said while commenting on this Hadeeth in Sharh Saheeh Muslim: “The Hadeeth is evidence that it is permissible to wear an iron ring. The Salaf (our righteous predecessors from among the Companions and the generations who came after them) differed in opinion about this, as cited by Al-Qaadhi. The Shaafi'i scholars have two opinions about its prohibition: the most correct opinion is that it is not reprehensible, as the Hadeeth about its prohibition is Dha’eef.

Allaah Knows best.

www.islamweb.net