JAKARTA (01/05/2026)

Taking care of one’s appearance is something nearly everyone pays attention to men and women alike. Looking good is the key to confidence, improving performance, and projecting a more professional image. Interestingly, people have vastly different preferences when it comes to what “looking good” actually means.

Some maintain their physique through exercise, others invest in health and beauty products to keep their skin and body in top condition, and many venture into the world of fashion. It’s no wonder the fashion industry is constantly transforming, pushing creators and businesses to be more innovative than ever. Beyond clothing and bags, accessories have become a major part of personal style, and among the most coveted is gold.

Gold has long been synonymous with luxury and royalty, and that association remains just as strong today. Gold accessories have continuously evolved to match the trends of every era. However, for Muslims, the rules surrounding gold accessories are quite selective: permissible for women, but forbidden for men.

What’s particularly interesting is that this prohibition only applies to men. Is this statement truly accurate? Let’s explore the matter in depth.

Islamic Evidence on Gold for Men and Women

The legal foundation regarding the use of gold in Islam comes from authentic Prophetic traditions (hadith). One of the most frequently cited is narrated by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah:

إِنَّ هَذَيْنِ حَرَامٌ عَلَى ذُكُورِ أُمَّتِي حِلٌّ لِإِنَاثِهِمْ

“Indeed, these two things (gold and silk) are forbidden for the males of my ummah and lawful for the females.” (HR. Abu Dawud, No. 4057 & Ibn Majah, No. 3595)

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explicitly used the word haram (forbidden) for men and halal (permissible) for women.

This is further supported by another hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, reported by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas radhiyallahu ‘anhu:

نَهَى عَنْ خَاتَمِ الذَّهَبِ

“He (the Prophet ﷺ) prohibited the wearing of gold rings.” (HR. Muslim, No. 2090)

The hadith goes on to describe how the Prophet ﷺ once saw a man wearing a gold ring, removed it, and threw it away — saying that the man had placed a burning ember from Hell on his own hand. This stark imagery underscores the seriousness of the prohibition.

Based on these evidences, the majority of Islamic scholars (jumhur ulama) are in agreement that wearing gold accessories such as  rings, bracelets, necklaces, and similar ornaments is forbidden (haram) for Muslim men. Some scholars have argued that the prohibition only applies when gold directly touches the skin, but this remains a matter of scholarly disagreement (ikhtilaf) and does not carry sufficient grounding to be widely adopted as a ruling.

Why Is Gold Forbidden for Men in Islam?

The prohibition is not rooted in religious obligation alone — it also carries meaningful social and ethical dimensions within an Islamic worldview.

1. Maintaining the Distinction Between Men and Women (Tasyabbuh)

Islam draws a clear line between male and female identity in terms of adornment and appearance. One key principle is the prohibition of tasyabbuh, the imitation of one gender by the other. Gold and silk have historically been associated with feminine ornamentation. When men wear them, they engage in a form of gender mimicry that Islam explicitly prohibits, as clearly articulated in the hadith above.

2. Avoiding a Lavish Lifestyle (Israf)

Gold is synonymous with wealth and extravagance. Islam strongly encourages simplicity and warns against excessive indulgence. Allah SWT says in the Quran, Surah Al-Furqan, verse 67:

وَالَّذِيْنَ اِذَآ اَنْفَقُوْا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوْا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوْا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذٰلِكَ قَوَامًا

“And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate.” (QS. Al-Furqan: 67)

Wearing gold as a status symbol risks nurturing arrogance and an attachment to material wealth traits that contradict Islamic values of humility and simplicity.

Medical Perspective: The Science Behind the Prohibition

Beyond religious reasoning, there is a growing body of scientific discussion that offers an intriguing perspective on why gold may be particularly harmful to men.

Gold jewelry and gold-based products contain gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which under certain conditions can penetrate the skin and enter the body’s systems, including the respiratory, digestive, and even neurological systems. Unlike many substances, these nanoparticles do not dissolve in the body; instead, they tend to accumulate in tissues and organs over time.

What makes this especially relevant is a key biological difference: the female body has a natural mechanism for expelling accumulated substances through the menstrual cycle each month. The male body, however, lacks this equivalent process. In order of that, the gold nanoparticles that enter a man’s body have a higher likelihood of remaining and accumulating.

The potential health implications that researchers and Islamic science scholars have pointed to include:

1. Impact on Male Reproductive Health

Studies have suggested that gold nanoparticles can affect sperm motility (movement) and the structural integrity of sperm chromatin. The accumulation of heavy metal-like particles near reproductive organs may pose a risk to male fertility over time.

2. Effects on Blood Cell Composition

Some literature in the field of Islamic science has noted that prolonged skin contact with gold may influence blood composition, including possible abnormal increases in white blood cell (leukocyte) counts. These claims remain under scientific investigation and have not yet been conclusively established in large-scale clinical settings.

It bears emphasizing that in Islam, the prohibition on gold for men is ultimately grounded in the command of Allah and His Prophet ﷺ not contingent on scientific proof. However, the alignment between religious prescription and emerging scientific findings continues to be a compelling point of reflection.

Exceptions: When Is Gold Permissible for Men?

While the default ruling is prohibition, Islamic jurisprudence allows for exceptions based on the principle of dharurah (urgent necessity):

1. Medical Treatments: If a medical procedure requires the use of gold (e.g., gold nanoparticles used in cancer therapy, or gold-based dental implants), this is permissible when there is a genuine medical need and no viable alternative. This aligns directly with the rukhsah established in MUI Fatwa No. 47/2018.
2. Skincare with Gold Ingredients: As clarified by MUI Fatwa No. 47/2018, gold-infused skincare products are not permissible for men for general use. The exception applies strictly to therapeutic or medical-grade contexts, not routine cosmetic use for beautification.

The governing principle is: there must be a genuine necessity (dharurah), a clear benefit, and usage must not exceed what is required.

Conclusion

Islam explicitly prohibits Muslim men from using gold as adornment, as established by authentic Prophetic traditions. This prohibition is far from arbitrary, it is grounded in the wisdom of preserving masculine identity, discouraging extravagance, and, as modern science increasingly suggests, protecting men’s health from the long-term effects of gold nanoparticle accumulation that the male body cannot naturally expel.

MUI Fatwa No. 47 Year 2018 extends this classical ruling into the modern world, clarifying that the prohibition applies not only to gold jewelry but also to gold particles found in contemporary skincare and cosmetic products. The only exception remains situations of genuine medical necessity.

What was commanded by religion centuries ago continues to find resonance in scientific understanding today. For Muslim men, this is yet another reminder that every divine commandment carries wisdom, whether we fully understand it or not.

Written by: Alhayya Maritza

REFERENCES

Aini, E. S., Farhanah, N. A., Delilah, G. G. A., Hannah, N., & Darmalaksana, W. (2021, July). Takhrij and Syarah Hadith of Chemistry: The Bad Effects of Wearing Gold on Men’s Health. In Gunung Djati Conference Series (Vol. 5, pp. 50-56). 

Larese Filon, F., Crosera, M., Adami, G., Bovenzi, M., Rossi, F., & Maina, G. (2011). Human skin penetration of gold nanoparticles through intact and damaged skin. Nanotoxicology, 5(4), 493-501. 

MUI Fatwa No. 47 Year 2018 On the Use of Gold Particles in Cosmetic Products for Men (Issued: October 17, 2018 / 11 Safar 1440 H)

Nasution, A., & Is, F. (2025). Larangan Pemakaian Emas Bagi Laki Laki (Studi Hadis Dalam Tinjauan Sains). Kutubkhanah, 25(1), 128-139. 

Nazar, M., Talebi, A. R., Sharifabad, M. H., Abbasi, A., Khoradmehr, A., & Danafar, A. H. (2016). Acute and chronic effects of gold nanoparticles on sperm parameters and chromatin structure in Mice. International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine, 14(10), 637. 

Rahmi, Y. (2026). Penggunaan Pin Emas Bagi Laki-Laki Perspektif Hadis. Al-Afkar: Jurnal Pemikiran dan Pendidikan Islam, 2(1), 32-44.