191 – The eighth ḥadīth: Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a gold ring on a man’s hand. He removed it, threw it away, and said, “Would one of you deliberately pick up a burning coal from the Fire and put it on his hand?” After the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had gone, someone said to the man, “Take your ring; you can still make use of it.” He replied, “By Allah, I will never take it again after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has cast it aside.” Narrated by Muslim.

Explanation
The compiler (may Allah have mercy on him) placed this ḥadīth in the chapter “Commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong” because it shows an evil being removed by hand. It is forbidden and blameworthy for a man to wear gold; the Prophet ﷺ said of gold and silk that they are lawful for the women of my community and forbidden for its men.

Accordingly, a man may not wear a gold ring, a gold necklace, clothing with gold buttons, or anything else of gold; he must avoid gold altogether. Gold is worn only by those who seek adornment and beautification—like a woman who beautifies herself for her husband so that he will desire her. Allah the Exalted says, “Is then one who is brought up amid adornments and, when engaged in dispute, is unable to put the case clearly?” (al-Zukhruf 43:18), referring to women. Women are reared upon adornment and grow accustomed to it; “unable to put the case clearly” means they become tongue-tied and unable to articulate well.

In any case, people use gold as an ornament for their spouses, and the man—