Question:

Is wearing a silk tie permissible? [Question Published as Received]

The Fatwa

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Answer

The Fiqh of The Answer

The Fuqahā’ (jurists), have established that men are prohibited from wearing clothing made entirely from pure silk. This includes various articles of clothing such as shirts, trousers, blazers, suits, or any other items made solely from genuine silk. The prohibition stems from several Aḥādīth, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in which he expressly forbade men from donning silk garments.

However, within the nuanced legal framework of the Shariah, there exist certain exceptions to this rule. Ibn Abidin (d.1252 AH) explains that an item with a silk design measuring less than four finger-widths is deemed permissible. It may be worth nothing that this particular allowance can also be traced back to narrations of Ḥadīth.

Further illustrating the conditional acceptability of silk, Ibn Abīdīn (d.1252 AH) provides an example of a cap adorned with silk embroidery. He explicates that if the silk pattern on the cap exceeds four finger-widths, it is considered haram, or forbidden. Conversely, if the pattern is smaller than four finger-widths, it falls within permissible boundaries. He further emphasizes that even if the total silk design across the cap exceeds four finger-widths, it remains forbidden. This highlights the emphasis placed not merely on the presence of silk, but also on the size of the silk embellishment on a single piece of clothing.

Expounding upon this principle,  Imam Kasani (d.587 AH) clarifies, explaining that a minimal presence of silk in an item is excused. The binā’ of this Mas’alah is on minimal silk being Tābīʿ (ancillary). There are several Furūʿ that indicate to the idea of ancillary, supplementary, and subordinate matters being overlooked and excused. When silk forms less than four finger-widths, it is deemed ancillary and supplementary. Consideration is given to the primary and main material in clothing.  

In light of these interpretations, if a tie is crafted purely from silk, wearing such a tie would contravene the clothing principles of shariah and would therefore, not be considered permissible.

And Almighty Allah Alone Knows Best

Maulana Ammar Y Badat
Trainee Mufti

Reviewed and approved by
Mufti Faraz Adam
Darul Iftaa Muadh ibn Jabal
www.darulfiqh.com 

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(قَوْلُهُ إلَّا قَدْرَ أَرْبَعِ أَصَابِعَ إلَخْ) لِمَا صَحَّ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا – إنَّمَا «نَهَى النَّبِيُّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – عَنْ الثَّوْبِ الْمُصْمَتِ مِنْ الْحَرِيرِ» فَأَمَّا الْعَلَمُ وَسَدَى الثَّوْبِ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَالْمُصْمَتُ الْخَالِصُ، وَلِخَبَرِ مُسْلِمٍ «نَهَى النَّبِيُّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – عَنْ لُبْسِ الْحَرِيرِ إلَّا مَوْضِعَ أُصْبُعٍ أَوْ أُصْبُعَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثٍ أَوْ أَرْبَعٍ»

وَبِهِ يُعْلَمُ حُكْمُ الْعَرَقِيَّةِ الْمُسَمَّاةِ بِالطَّاقِيَّةِ، فَإِذَا كَانَتْ مُنَقَّشَةً بِالْحَرِيرِ وَكَانَ أَحَدُ نُقُوشِهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَرْبَعِ أَصَابِعَ لَا تَحِلُّ وَإِنْ كَانَ أَقَلَّ تَحِلُّ، وَإِنْ زَادَ مَجْمُوعُ نُقُوشِهَا عَلَى أَرْبَعِ أَصَابِعَ بِنَاءً عَلَى مَا مَرَّ مِنْ أَنَّ ظَاهِرَ الْمَذْهَبِ عَدَمُ جَمْعِ الْمُتَفَرِّقِ. (حاشية ابن عابدين) 

هَذَا إذَا كَانَ الْحَرِيرُ كَثِيرًا فَإِنْ كَانَ قَلِيلًا كَأَعْلَامِ الثِّيَابِ وَالْعَمَائِمِ قَدْرَ أَرْبَعَةِ أَصَابِعَ فَمَا دُونَهَا لَا يُكْرَهُ وَكَذَا الْعَلَمُ الْمَنْسُوجُ بِالذَّهَبِ لِأَنَّهُ تَابِعٌ وَالْعِبْرَةُ لِلْمَتْبُوعِ أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّ لَابِسَهُ لَا يُسَمَّى لَابِسَ الْحَرِيرِ وَالذَّهَبِ وَكَذَا جَرَتْ الْعَادَةُ بِتَعَمُّمِ الْعَمَائِمِ وَلُبْسِ الثِّيَابِ الْمُعَلَّمَةِ بِهَذَا الْقَدْرِ فِي سَائِرِ الْأَعْصَارِ مِنْ غَيْرِ نَكِيرٍ فَيَكُونُ إجْمَاعًا وَكَذَا الثَّوْبُ وَالْقَلَنْسُوَةُ الَّذِي جُعِلَ عَلَى أَطْرَافِهَا حَرِيرٌ لَا يُكْرَهُ إذَا كَانَ قَدْرَ أَرْبَعَةِ أَصَابِعَ فَمَا دُونَهَا لِمَا قُلْنَا.

وَرُوِيَ «أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – لَبِسَ فَرْوَةً وَعَلَى أَطْرَافِهَا حَرِيرٌ» وَعَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ أَنَّهُ لَا يَسَعُ ذَلِكَ فِي الْقَلَنْسُوَةِ وَإِنْ كَانَ أَقَلَّ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةِ أَصَابِعَ وَإِنَّمَا رَخَّصَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – إذَا كَانَ فِي عَرْضِ الثَّوْبِ وَذَكَرَ فِي نَوَادِرِ هِشَامٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – أَنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ تِكَّةُ الدِّيبَاجِ وَالْإِبْرَيْسَمِ لِأَنَّهُ اسْتِعْمَالُ الْحَرِيرِ مَقْصُودًا لَا بِطَرِيقِ التَّبَعِيَّةِ فَيُكْرَهُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ بِخِلَافِ الْعَلَمِ وَنَحْوِهِ هَذَا الَّذِي ذَكَرْنَا حُكْمُ لُبْسِ الْحَرِيرِ. (بدائع الصنائع) 

قال: “لا يحل للرجال لبس الحرير ويحل للنساء”؛ لأن النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام نهى عن لبس الحرير والديباج وقال: “إنما يلبسه من لا خلاق له في الآخرة” وإنما حل للنساء بحديث آخر، وهو ما رواه عدة من الصحابة رضي الله عنهم منهم علي رضي الله عنه: “أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم خرج وبإحدى يديه حرير وبالأخرى ذهب وقال: “هذان محرمان على ذكور أمتي حلال لإناثهم” ويروى “حل لإناثهم“.

قال: “إلا أن القليل عفو وهو مقدار ثلاثة أصابع أو أربعة كالأعلام والمكفوف بالحرير” لما روي أنه عليه الصلاة والسلام: “نهى عن لبس الحرير إلا موضع إصبعين أو ثلاثة أو أربعة” أراد الأعلام. وعنه عليه الصلاة والسلام: “أنه كان يلبس جبة مكفوفة بالحرير. (الهداية)