Ruling on wearing gold and silk for children

Praise be to Allah.

The majority of scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) are of the view that it is forbidden for boys to wear gold, because of the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning gold and silk: “These two things are forbidden to the males of my ummah.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (3535) and an-Nasaa’i (5054); classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him). 

The text speaks of the prohibition of gold and silk for males, and boys are included in this word. Moreover there is the fear that dressing a boy in gold and silk when he is small will lead to him getting used to it, and after that it will be difficult for him to give it up when he grows up. 

It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (21/284): The Hanafis and Hanbalis, and some of the Shaafa‘is, are of the view that it is haraam for males to wear gold, whether they are young or old, except in cases of necessity. 

The Maalikis are of the view that it is permissible for a boy to wear gold, although it is makrooh (disliked). 

The Shaafa‘is – according to the more correct opinion – are of the view that it is permissible in general. According to another view, it is permissible before the age of two years and it is prohibited after that. Al-Baghawi was certain of the soundness of this view. End quote. 

Shaykh Mansoor al-Bahooti (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is haraam for a boy to wear that which is forbidden for men, such as clothes made of silk, or interwoven with gold or silver, or anything plated with either of them, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “… and they are haraam for the males (of my ummah).” It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to take it off boys and leave it for girls. Narrated by Abu Dawood.

End quote from Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘ (1/283). 

The view we favour is the view of those who disallow the wearing of gold and silk, and other things that are forbidden for males, lest they get used to something that is haraam and continue wearing it when they grow up; and also because of the general meaning of this prohibition for males. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about dressing boys in silk on Eids and other occasions; is it permissible for the guardian of an orphan to dress him in silk or not? If he does that, is he sinning or not? Likewise, is adorning their hats with gold permissible or not? 

He replied: Praise be to Allah. The guardian of an orphan is not allowed to dress him in silk, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions, just as he is not allowed to give him wine to drink or give him dead meat (meat that was not slaughtered in the prescribed manner) to eat. With regard to that which is forbidden to adult men, guardians should also keep it away from boys. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab tore off a silk garment that he saw on the son of az-Zubayr and said: Do not dress them in silk. The same applies to that which is forbidden to men of gold. 

With regard to the guardian being accused of miserliness, that may be warded off by dressing the child in permissible clothing that will serve as adornment on Eid and other occasions, such as Alexandrian suits and other things that can serve the purpose of adornment, and will ward off accusations of miserliness, and on which there is no prohibition.

End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 30/19 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible for little boys to wear gold or not, if they are younger than two years? 

He replied: It is not permissible for males to wear gold at all, even if they are younger than two years. Gold is permissible for females and is prohibited for males, whether it is rings, watches or anything else. It is not permissible to put gold on a little boy, just as it is not permissible for a grown man to wear it. Rather gold is for women only.

End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb

http://binbaz.org.sa/mat/18438

But if a boy wears gold or silk, the sin thereof is borne by the one who put it on him, because a little boy is not accountable. 

Abu Bakr al-Kaasaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If the one who is wearing it is small, then the sin is on the one who put it on him, not on him, because he is not the one to whom the prohibition is addressed. By the same token, if he is given wine and he drinks it, the sin is on the one who gave it to him and is not on him.

End quote from Badaa’i‘ as-Sanaa’i‘, 5/132 

And Allah knows best.