Can young boys wear gold?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prohibited men from wearing gold. However, with regard to children, no harm is recorded upon them until they reach the age of maturity.
أخبرنا يعقوب بن إبراهيم قال حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن مهدي قال حدثنا حماد بن سلمة عن حماد عن إبراهيم عن الأسود عن عائشة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال رفع القلم عن ثلاث عن النائم حتى يستيقظ وعن الصغير حتى يكبر وعن المجنون حتى يعقل أو يفيق
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“The pen is lifted (i.e., accountability is suspended) for three types of people:
- The one who is sleeping until they wake up.
- The child until they grow up.
- The insane person until they regain sanity or clarity.”
- Narrator: Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
- Sources: Sunan An-Nasa’i 3378, Abu Dawood 3822, Ibn Majah 2031
Explanation:
Children are classified into two categories:
- Infants and toddlers (who cannot comprehend anything):
- For children in this stage, prohibitions such as wearing gold or being unclothed are not considered wrong. This means wearing gold for children at this stage is not considered a violation.
- Children who can understand (those who have reached an age of discernment):
- Once children reach an age where they begin to comprehend laws and responsibilities, it becomes necessary to teach and train them regarding religious rulings, including the prohibition of gold for males.
حدثنا آدم حدثنا شعبة حدثنا محمد بن زياد قال سمعت أبا هريرة رضي الله عنه قال أخذ الحسن بن علي رضي الله عنهما تمرة من تمر الصدقة فجعلها في فيه فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كخ كخ ليطرحها ثم قال أما شعرت أنا لا نأكل الصدقة
When the grandson of the Prophet, Hasan ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both), picked up a date from the pile of charity and placed it in his mouth, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Kakh! Kakh! (Remove it!)” and instructed him to spit it out. He explained, “Do you not know that charity is not permissible for us (the family of Muhammad)?”
- Narrator: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him)
- Source: Sahih Bukhari 1491, 1485, 3072
Explanation:
Even though Hasan was a child, the Prophet (peace be upon him) corrected him. This shows that children capable of understanding should be trained in lawful and unlawful actions.
حدثنا علي بن عبد الله أخبرنا سفيان قال الوليد بن كثير أخبرني أنه سمع وهب بن كيسان أنه سمع عمر بن أبي سلمة يقول كنت غلاما في حجر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وكانت يدي تطيش في الصحفة فقال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يا غلام سم الله وكل بيمينك وكل مما يليك فما زالت تلك طعمتي بعد
‘Umar ibn Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
“I was a young boy under the care of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and my hand would wander around the plate while eating. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to me, ‘Young boy! Mention the name of Allah, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near to you.’ From that day, this became my eating habit.”
- Source: Sahih Bukhari 5376, 5377, 5378
Explanation:
This hadith emphasizes the importance of training children in good manners and lawful actions once they are capable of understanding.
Infants and toddlers:
- Wearing gold is not considered a violation for children in this stage, as they are not yet accountable.
- Children who can comprehend:
- Once children reach an age where they understand prohibitions, they should be trained in Islamic rulings. At this stage, wearing gold for boys should be avoided to align with the prohibition for males.
This approach balances understanding with gradual training as children grow in awareness and accountability.
