- That they were abrogated: the Prophet ﷺ initially prohibited wearing circular gold jewelry, then later permitted it. Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz wrote a refutation of the view that circular gold jewelry is forbidden, and Shaykh Ismāʿīl al-Anṣārī likewise wrote a treatise on the matter.
The second issue: In al-Rawḍ, he says: “It is permissible for both of them”—that is, for males and females—“to adorn themselves with gemstones and the like,” such as diamonds; “but it is disliked for either of them to wear a ring of iron, brass, copper, or lead.”
His statement, “It is permissible for both of them ...”: the evidence for its permissibility is the generality of Allah’s saying:
“He is the One Who created for you all that is on the earth.” [al-Baqarah 2:29]
The lām in His saying, “for you,” denotes purpose, which is more fitting than saying that it denotes permissibility. If something was created for our sake, then it must be permissible for us, since purpose implies permissibility. It also indicates Allah’s mercy toward His creation, in that He created for our benefit the various advantages found on the earth.
However, in Allah’s saying:
“But if you repent, then you may retain your principal.” [al-Baqarah 2:279]
this lām undoubtedly denotes permissibility; that is, your principal is permissible for you.
His statement in al-Rawḍ, “It is permissible for both of them ... to adorn themselves with gemstones,” is conditional in the case of men: they must not adorn themselves in a manner resembling women’s adornment, because men resembling women is forbidden.
His statement in al-Rawḍ, “but it is disliked for either of them to wear a ring of iron”: this is a matter concerning which the scholars differ.
Some scholars say that it is permissible, due to the Prophet’s ﷺ saying: “Seek it, even if only a ring of iron.” The hadith is recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim (1).