permissible for him to wear it next to his skin, for silk is soft, smooth, and cool—qualities that soothe the itch and put it out. For this reason the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf and al-Zubayr permission to wear silk because they were suffering from itching.

Likewise, if the silk is no more than four fingerbreadths in width, it is unobjectionable, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) allowed that. For example, if a man has a cloak whose opening is laced with silk threads or embroidered in silk that does not exceed four fingerbreadths, there is no harm in it.

Similarly, if a garment is a blend of silk and cotton, or silk and wool, and the predominant fiber is cotton or wool—that is, more than the silk—then it too is permissible.

These are three cases. The fourth is the battlefield: when the two lines—the Muslims and the unbelievers—meet, it is permissible for a man to wear silk garments, because doing so infuriates the unbelievers, and anything that angers them is desirable.

Thus four situations are exempted: (1) a genuine need, such as itching, in which case the silk should be the layer that touches the body—and the rationale is clear; (2) when the silk is four fingerbreadths or less; (3) when the fabric is mixed and the dominant, visible part is other than silk;