drink it. Likewise, if he can find no garment to protect him from the cold or from weapons, or to cover his nakedness, except a silk garment woven with gold or silver, he is permitted to wear it. Necessity permits eating carrion, blood, and pork, as established by the explicit texts of the Quran and Sunnah and the consensus of the Muslim community, even though prohibitions concerning food are more stringent than those concerning clothing. This is because the effect of noxious substances when they mix and mingle with the body is greater than their effect through being worn or touching its surface. Thus, ritually impure substances that one is forbidden to have in contact with oneself are also forbidden to eat, whereas poisons and similar harmful substances may be forbidden to consume without being ritually impure or forbidden to touch.

Furthermore, the prohibition of something because its very nature is foul is more stringent than its prohibition because it involves extravagance, ostentation, or arrogance. The latter prohibition applies only to the extent that entails these things, and exceptions are permitted where there is a need. Thus, women are permitted to wear gold and silk because of their need for adornment, while this is forbidden to men. Men are, however, permitted a small amount, such as a decorative band and similar things established in the Sunnah. For this reason, the correct one of the two opinions within the school of Ahmad and others permits using this latter category for medical treatment, but not the former, as in the report:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, permitted al-Zubayr and Talhah to wear silk because of an itching condition they both suffered from.”

He forbade medicinal treatment with wine, saying:

“It is a disease, not a remedy.”

He also forbade impure remedies, and forbade killing frogs for medicinal use, saying:

“Their croaking is glorification of Allah.”

He also said:

“Allah has not placed the cure for my community in what He has forbidden them.”

For this reason, his permission for the people of ʿUraynah to treat themselves with camels’ urine and milk has been cited as evidence that these are not among the repugnant substances that are forbidden and ritually impure, because he forbade medicinal treatment with the like of