because adorning the pommel of a sword with silver strengthens jihad in the way of Allah. When the disbelievers see the swords of the Muslims in such a state, they hold them in high regard and say, “They possess financial strength.”

The ornamentation of the belt and the like

His statement: “The ornamentation of the belt.”

The belt is that which is fastened around the waist. Thus, labourers engaged in ploughing and gathering firewood wear belts: in one respect, they brace and strengthen them, and in another, they hold up their garments. Such a belt may be adorned with silver, because the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, did so. This supports the view held by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him: namely, that the basic ruling regarding adornment with silver is permissibility, so long as it does not reach the level of extravagance.

His statement: “And the like.”

That is, things similar to those mentioned.

Al-Rawd states: “Such as the ornamentation of the cuirass, helmet, khuff, leg-guard, and sword-baldric” (1), because these resemble the belt. If this is permissible for a belt, then these are likewise permissible. Moreover, this also provokes the disbelievers. From this we derive that the principle, “Preventing harms takes precedence over procuring benefits,” is not unrestricted. Rather, this applies when the two are equal, or when the harms outweigh the benefits. But when the benefits outweigh the harms, the harms are overlooked in view of those benefits. For this reason, the Sacred Law permitted certain transactions involving usury on account of a benefit, such as the sale of arāyā.