What is the Shariah Ruling About Tying a String or Thread Around the Wrist, or Wearing a Bracelet or Chain by Men?

NOTE: It should be noted that the below answer is the English translation of the Fatwa issued by Jamia Uloom Islamia Allama Yusuf Banuri Town, Karachi, Pakistan.

Question

Nowadays, many young Muslims wear black thread around their wrists, some of them wear green or red threads also.  What is the Shariah ruling about this? Some people wear chains or bracelets around their wrists. What is the ruling about this?

Answer

• 1. Binding a thread or chain around the hand with the intention and belief of preventing any harm or hoping any gain or benefit is wrong.  Because the beneficent and the detrimental is only Allah Almighty, it is only Allah Who bestows goodness and saves from calamities. On the contrary, some jurists have considered it as an act of disbelief. In ancient times before Islam people used to tie threads around their neck or hands to save themselves from any trouble. These threads are called “Rateemah”. The jurists stated that it is forbidden, and some jurists even considered it as an act of disbelief.

” ثم رتیمۃ… ھی خیط کان یربط فی العنق أو فی الید فی الجاھلیۃ لدفع المضرة عن أنفسھم علی زعمھم ھو منہ عنہ وذکر فی حدود الیمان أنہ کفر ” (رد المحتار ، ج:۶، ص: ۳۶۳)۔

Doing this as a fashion or  dressing up is also not right.

• 2. It is not permissible for a man to use gold and iron ornaments. Men are only allowed to wear a silver ring , chains are not allowed to be worn.

It also has a resemblance to women; Because it is meant to be an adornment for women not for men, and the Holy Prophet (SAWS) cursed the men who imitate women.

(صحیح البخاری ، کتاب اللباس ، باب المتشبہون بالنساء والمتشبہات بالرجال ، حدیث نمبر : ٥٤٣٥)

• 3. Similarly, wearing a bracelet is a religious identity of some non-Muslims, and it is forbidden for us to imitate non-Muslims.

(Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitab al-Libas, Bab fi Lubs al-Shuhrah, Hadith No. 2)

Muslim youth should adorn themselves within the required limits of Shari’ah and they should not adopt every other trend and custom. Muslims should not get influenced by other people’s styles and trends. To be a role model for the entire world should be a distinctive characteristic of a Muslim.