Why Wearing Cotton Silk is Not Haram For Men in Islam
C.J Ahmed-07.05.2023
Cotton silk is a mixed fabric consisting both silk and coton and wearing such cloting is not haram for men because it is mixed.
Narrated 'Umar (rali):
“Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade the wearing of silk except the space of two or three or four fingers. “(Muslim)
Narrated Abu 'Uthman al-Nahdi:
'Umar wrote to 'Utbah b. Farqad that the Prophet (sal) forbade (wearing) silk except so-and-so, and so-and-so, to the extent of two, three, or four fingers.(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
Men Wearing silk
The below hadiths prove that the prophet (sal) only disliked men wearing gold and it was not necessarily haram.
Uqba b. 'Amir said:
‘A silk gown was presented to Allah's Messenger (sal) and he wore it and observed prayer in it and then returned and put it off so violently as if he despised it. He then said: It does not befit the Godfearing persons.” (Sahih Muslim)
I this hadith, the prophet (sal) wore the silk dress and later he disliked wearing is and threw it away. This proves that it is not forbidden but highly disliked for men to wear silk.
'Ali bin Abu Talib reported that Allah's Messenger (sal) gave me to wear a garment in the form of silk cloak. I went out wearing it, but saw signs of anger on his face, so I tore it and distributed it amongst my women. (Sahih Muslim)
If wearing silk was haram for men, then the prophet (sal) would not have given it to Ali (rali) to wear it.
Explanation of Hadiths Which Prohibit Men Wearing Silk
There are haiths which state that men are forbidden from wearing silk.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet (sal) said, “Whoever wears silk in this world shall not wear it in the Hereafter." (Bukhari and Muslim)
What needs to be understood it that some scholars declared wearing silk for men was prohibited based on the above hadiths. Even if we agree for the sake of argument that wearing silk is haram for men, still men can wear it if it is for embroidery or small scale purposes.
Narrated 'Umar (rali):
“Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade the wearing of silk except the space of two or three or four fingers. “(Muslim)
Narrated Abu 'Uthman al-Nahdi:
'Umar wrote to 'Utbah b. Farqad that the Prophet (sal) forbade (wearing) silk except so-and-so, and so-and-so, to the extent of two, three, or four fingers.(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
It is a Sunnah to choose the easier path out of the two options and even in the issue of fiqh, choosing the easier path is what is good. Aisha (rali) narrated:
"Whenever Allah's Messenger (sal) was given the choice of one of two matters, he would choose the easier of the two, as long as it was not sinful to do so" (Bukhari)
Under necessity, wearing silk is halal for men as well.
"Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
Anas bin Malik reported that 'Abd al-Rahman b. Auf and Zu'bair. b. 'Awwam complained to Allah's Messenger (sa) about lice; he granted them concession to wear shirts of silk (Muslim)
The easier option is to wear silk as it is disliked due to the pragmatic issues one will face in his day to day life.
As an opinion of the Hanafi madhhab, in Raddul Muhtar Page-513, Volume-9 it states that if the silk content of a garment is less than 50% in comparison to the other materials, then it will be permissible to wear the garment without any detestability. Wearing mixed silk clothes such as cotton silk is not haram for men.
Cotton silk is a mixed fabric consisting both silk and coton and wearing such cloting is not haram for men because it is mixed.
Narrated 'Umar (rali):
“Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade the wearing of silk except the space of two or three or four fingers. “(Muslim)
Narrated Abu 'Uthman al-Nahdi:
'Umar wrote to 'Utbah b. Farqad that the Prophet (sal) forbade (wearing) silk except so-and-so, and so-and-so, to the extent of two, three, or four fingers.(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
Men Wearing silk
The below hadiths prove that the prophet (sal) only disliked men wearing gold and it was not necessarily haram.
Uqba b. 'Amir said:
‘A silk gown was presented to Allah's Messenger (sal) and he wore it and observed prayer in it and then returned and put it off so violently as if he despised it. He then said: It does not befit the Godfearing persons.” (Sahih Muslim)
I this hadith, the prophet (sal) wore the silk dress and later he disliked wearing is and threw it away. This proves that it is not forbidden but highly disliked for men to wear silk.
'Ali bin Abu Talib reported that Allah's Messenger (sal) gave me to wear a garment in the form of silk cloak. I went out wearing it, but saw signs of anger on his face, so I tore it and distributed it amongst my women. (Sahih Muslim)
If wearing silk was haram for men, then the prophet (sal) would not have given it to Ali (rali) to wear it.
Explanation of Hadiths Which Prohibit Men Wearing Silk
There are haiths which state that men are forbidden from wearing silk.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet (sal) said, “Whoever wears silk in this world shall not wear it in the Hereafter." (Bukhari and Muslim)
What needs to be understood it that some scholars declared wearing silk for men was prohibited based on the above hadiths. Even if we agree for the sake of argument that wearing silk is haram for men, still men can wear it if it is for embroidery or small scale purposes.
Narrated 'Umar (rali):
“Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade the wearing of silk except the space of two or three or four fingers. “(Muslim)
Narrated Abu 'Uthman al-Nahdi:
'Umar wrote to 'Utbah b. Farqad that the Prophet (sal) forbade (wearing) silk except so-and-so, and so-and-so, to the extent of two, three, or four fingers.(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
It is a Sunnah to choose the easier path out of the two options and even in the issue of fiqh, choosing the easier path is what is good. Aisha (rali) narrated:
"Whenever Allah's Messenger (sal) was given the choice of one of two matters, he would choose the easier of the two, as long as it was not sinful to do so" (Bukhari)
Under necessity, wearing silk is halal for men as well.
"Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
Anas bin Malik reported that 'Abd al-Rahman b. Auf and Zu'bair. b. 'Awwam complained to Allah's Messenger (sa) about lice; he granted them concession to wear shirts of silk (Muslim)
The easier option is to wear silk as it is disliked due to the pragmatic issues one will face in his day to day life.
As an opinion of the Hanafi madhhab, in Raddul Muhtar Page-513, Volume-9 it states that if the silk content of a garment is less than 50% in comparison to the other materials, then it will be permissible to wear the garment without any detestability. Wearing mixed silk clothes such as cotton silk is not haram for men.