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Are Muslim Men Allowed to Wear Bracelets?

15-12-2012

Question 148059

There are bracelets that are made of rubber, fabric, leather, threads or metal; they may be coloured and have different designs on them, and they are worn for adornment only. They are not limited to women only according to the custom of his people; rather they may be worn by both men and women, as is the case in Egypt. Those who wear them may be sportsmen or football fans or others, and no one regards them as imitating women at all.

I hope that you will answer: is it halaal or haraam to wear these bracelets?.

Summary of answer:

Muslim men cannot wear bracelets, whether they are of the type mentioned in the question or other types, and whether they are made of leather, metal or anything else.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly: 

Ruling on men imitating women and women imitating men

Al-Bukhari (5435) narrated that Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men. 

According to a report also narrated by al-Bukhari (5436), the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed effeminate men and masculinized women and he said: “Expel them from your houses.” 

From the two hadiths quoted above, it is clear that it is haram for men to imitate women , and vice versa. The actions of effeminate men are also forbidden; they are men who are effeminate in mannerisms and appearance. 

Al-Mubarakfuri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“That is, men who resemble women in fashions , clothing, using henna on the hands and feet, voice, appearance, speech and all their movements.” (Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi)

Can Muslim men wear bracelets

Wearing bracelets, whether they are of the type mentioned in the question or other types, and whether they are made of leather, metal or anything else, is haram for men, because they come under the heading of women’s clothing and adornments. 

No man wears them except one in whom there is an inclination towards effeminacy and imitation of women. 

The matter is not as mentioned in the question, that the Egyptians do not regard this as resembling women; in fact most people with any decency and morals denounce that and do not want their sons to wear them. We do not know of anyone – in Egypt or in any other Muslim Arab society – who thinks that wearing this is acceptable among people of religious commitment and dignity. 

Shaykh Zakariyya al-Ansari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“A man may wear a silver ring to follow the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on the basis of scholarly consensus; in fact it is Sunnah to do so, as we have seen above. … But wearing bracelets and some other things such as bangles and necklaces is not permissible for him even if they are made of silver, because that is a kind of effeminacy that is not befitting for dignified men.” (Asna’l-Matalib, 1/379; see also al-Majmu‘ by an-Nawawi, 4/444) 

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“It is haram to imitate them (i.e., women) by wearing fashions that are unique to them, such as wearing bracelets, anklets and the like, unlike wearing rings.” (Al-Fatawa al-Kubra, 1/261) 

Men should choose adornments that are appropriate to their manliness and to the society in which they live; before all that, they should be acceptable according to Islamic teachings. 

Please also see the answer to question no.1980

And Allah knows best.

Clothing, adornment and images Bad behaviour
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