Prohibition of Silk
Total Hadiths 111
What Islam Teaches About the Prohibition of Silk: Authentic Hadiths
These authentic narrations detail the strict prohibition of silk clothing for men in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) explicitly stated that wearing silk garments in this world prevents a person from receiving their share of rewards in the Hereafter. When prominent companions like Umar bin Al-Khattab and Ali bin Abi Talib were presented with silken cloaks, the Prophet (ﷺ) clarified that these garments were not meant for men to wear. Ali immediately distributed the cloth among women, as according to Islamic scholars, silk is permissible for females. When people marvelled at a beautiful gift made of thick silken cloth, the Prophet (ﷺ) reminded them of eternal rewards, stating that the standard handkerchiefs of Sa'd bin Mu'adh in Paradise are far superior to any worldly silk.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ، عَنْ أَشْعَثَ بْنِ أَبِي الشَّعْثَاءِ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ، قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ عَنِ الدِّيبَاجِ وَالْحَرِيرِ وَالإِسْتَبْرَقِ .
It was narrated that Bara’ bin ‘Azib said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade brocade, silk, and embroidered brocade.”
[1] The early scholars used such term to indicate a prohibition, but one that is not as firm as what they would say is prohibited, due to various reasons. This was explained in the translation of Sunan At-Tirmidhi .Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 3589In-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 40English translation : Vol. 4, Book 32, Hadith 3589
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، عَنْ أَشْعَثَ بْنِ أَبِي الشَّعْثَاءِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَشْعَثُ، حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ سُوَيْدِ، بْنِ مُقَرِّنٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِسَبْعٍ وَنَهَانَا عَنْ سَبْعٍ أَمَرَنَا بِعِيَادَةِ الْمَرِيضِ وَاتِّبَاعِ الْجَنَازَةِ وَتَشْمِيتِ الْعَاطِسِ وَإِبْرَارِ الْقَسَمِ أَوِ الْمُقْسِمِ وَنَصْرِ الْمَظْلُومِ وَإِجَابَةِ الدَّاعِي وَإِفْشَاءِ السَّلاَمِ . وَنَهَانَا عَنْ خَوَاتِيمَ أَوْ عَنْ تَخَتُّمٍ بِالذَّهَبِ وَعَنْ شُرْبٍ بِالْفِضَّةِ وَعَنِ الْمَيَاثِرِ وَعَنِ الْقَسِّيِّ وَعَنْ لُبْسِ الْحَرِيرِ وَالإِسْتَبْرَقِ وَالدِّيبَاجِ .
Mu'awiya b. Suwaid b. Muqarrin reporxed: I visited al-Bara' b. 'Azib and heard him say: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) commanded us to do seven things and forbade us to do seven (things). He commanded us to visit the sick, to follow the funeral procession, to answer the sneezer, to fulfil the vow, to help the poor, to accept the invitation and to greet everybody, and he forbade us to wear rings or gold rings, to drink in silver (vessels), and to use the saddle cloth made of red silk, and to wear garments made of Qassi material, or garments made of silk or brocade and velvet.
[1] A type of camel saddle cloth or cushion made of silk. [2] Qasi : Garments made of fabric with stripes of silk woven into it, or a type of garment from an area in Egypt with a similar name. [3] Two types of silk one of which is often called brocade and is thicker than the other.Reference : Sahih Muslim 2066aIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5129
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الْعَتَكِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَشْعَثَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ إِلاَّ قَوْلَهُ وَإِبْرَارِ الْقَسَمِ أَوِ الْمُقْسِمِ . فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ هَذَا الْحَرْفَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ وَجَعَلَ مَكَانَهُ وَإِنْشَادِ الضَّالِّ .
This hadith has been reported on the authority of Ash'ath b. Sulaim with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight change of wording that he made no mention of: " to fulfil the vows" but substituted these words:" finding of the lost articles".
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2066bIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 5USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5130
وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْمُقَدَّمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ، عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِنَحْوِ حَدِيثِ مَالِكٍ .
This hadith has been narrated by Ibn Umar through another chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2068bIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 17USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5142
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، مَوْلَى أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ خَالَ وَلَدِ عَطَاءٍ قَالَ أَرْسَلَتْنِي أَسْمَاءُ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ فَقَالَتْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تُحَرِّمُ أَشْيَاءَ ثَلاَثَةً الْعَلَمَ فِي الثَّوْبِ وَمِيثَرَةَ الأُرْجُوَانِ وَصَوْمَ رَجَبٍ كُلِّهِ . فَقَالَ لِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ فَكَيْفَ بِمَنْ يَصُومُ الأَبَدَ وَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنَ الْعَلَمِ فِي الثَّوْبِ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّمَا يَلْبَسُ الْحَرِيرَ مَنْ لاَ خَلاَقَ لَهُ " . فَخِفْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْعَلَمُ مِنْهُ وَأَمَّا مِيثَرَةُ الأُرْجُوَانِ فَهَذِهِ مِيثَرَةُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَإِذَا هِيَ أُرْجُوَانٌ . فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى أَسْمَاءَ فَخَبَّرْتُهَا فَقَالَتْ هَذِهِ جُبَّةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَأَخْرَجَتْ إِلَىَّ جُبَّةَ طَيَالَسَةٍ كِسْرَوَانِيَّةً لَهَا لِبْنَةُ دِيبَاجٍ وَفَرْجَيْهَا مَكْفُوفَيْنِ بِالدِّيبَاجِ فَقَالَتْ هَذِهِ كَانَتْ عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ حَتَّى قُبِضَتْ فَلَمَّا قُبِضَتْ قَبَضْتُهَا وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَلْبَسُهَا فَنَحْنُ نَغْسِلُهَا لِلْمَرْضَى يُسْتَشْفَى بِهَا .
Abdullah. the freed slave of Asma' (the daughter of Abu Bakr). the maternal uncle of the son of 'Ata, reported: Asma' sent me to 'Abdullah b. 'Umar saying: The news has reached me that you prohibit the use of three things: the striped robe. saddle cloth made of red silk. and the fasting in the holy month of Rajab. 'Abdullah said to me: So far as what you say about fasting in the month of Rajab, how about one who observes continuous fasting? -and so far as what you say about the striped garment, I heard Umar b. Khatab say that he had heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ): He who wears silk garment has no share for him (in the Hereafter), and I am afraid it may not be that striped garment; and so far as the red saddle clotb is concerned that is the saddle cloth of Abdullah and it is red. I went back to Asma' and informed her. whereupon she said: Here is the cloak of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). and she brought out to me that cloak made of Persian cloth with a hem of brocade, and its sleeves bordered with brocade and said: This wall Allah's Messenger's cloak with 'A'isha until she died, and when she died. I got possession of it. The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) used to wear that, and we waslied it for the sick and sought cure thereby.
[1] Saddle cloths made of bright red clothReference : Sahih Muslim 2069aIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 24USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5149
حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ غِيَاثٍ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عَاصِمٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْحَرِيرِ بِمِثْلِهِ .
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of 'Asim.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2069dIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 27USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5152
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ فَرْقَدٍ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ جَرِيرٍ .
The previous hadith is narrated likewise through another chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2069fIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 29USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5153
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو غَسَّانَ الْمِسْمَعِيُّ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ - حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ قَوْلَ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ .
This hadith has been reported on the authority of Qatada but there is no mention of the words of Abd Uthman.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2069hIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 31USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5155
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الرُّزِّيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Qatada with the same chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2069jIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 33USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5157
حَدَّثَنَاهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي عَوْنٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ فِي حَدِيثِ مُعَاذٍ فَأَمَرَنِي فَأَطَرْتُهَا بَيْنَ نِسَائِي . وَفِي حَدِيثِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ فَأَطَرْتُهَا بَيْنَ نِسَائِي . وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فَأَمَرَنِي.
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Muhammad b. Ja'far but with a slight variation of wording.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2071bIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 36USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5160
