Is Silk Haram? (Why Is Silk Haram For Men?)
Silk is haram (prohibited) for Muslim men while Muslim women are allowed to wear it. There are clear hadiths from the Prophet (peace be upon him) which forbade Muslim men to wear silk clothes.
Many Muslims argue why is silk haram or forbidden in Islam so I have gathered all the info in this article that needs enough evidence from Islam to prove that silk is indeed prohibited for men and allowed for Muslim women.
Why Is Silk Haram In Islam?
There are many hadiths where the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions silk by name and forbids Muslim men from wearing it, while Muslim women are allowed to wear it.
Keep in mind that forbidden in Islam is only pure silk that comes from the worm. Recently there is a product just like silk but it’s called synthetic silk. Now synthetic silk is produced by different elements except pure silk but it feels just like silk. Synthetic silk is halal.
The first hadith that proves silk is haram for men and allowed for women is narrated from Abu Musa:
[Sunan an-Nasa’i 5265]
The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: “Allah has permitted silk and gold to the females of my Ummah, and has forbidden them to the males.”
This hadith clearly mentions that Allah has permitted silk for women but has forbidden Muslim men from it.
There is a narration from Hazrat Ali (r.a) who is the fourth caliph of the Muslims and he narrates:
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5366]
“The Prophet (ﷺ) gave me a silk suit and I wore it, but when I noticed anger on his face, I cut it and distributed it among my women-folk.”
This incident happened when Prophet (peace be upon him) himself gifted a silk cloth to Hazrat Ali (r.a) and he made a dress out of it. Originally the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave him silk for his wives. So when Hazrat Ali (r.a) saw the anger on his face he distributed it among his wives. Again this shows that silk is allowed for women in Islam.
I want to include one more hadith again from the fourth caliph Hazrat Ali (r.a):
“The Prophet of Allah [SAW] took hold of some silk in his right hand and some gold in his left, then he said: ‘These two are forbidden for the males of my Ummah.'”
[Sunan an-Nasa’i 5144]
This incident is when the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself gave an example to the companions where he placed some silk in one hand and gold in another and told them that they are haram in Islam for Muslim men.
All the main points regarding silk are also covered in the following video:
This video describes that only pure silk is haram and Muslim men can wear synthetic silk if they like.
It was narrated that Bara’ bin ‘Azib said:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade brocade, silk, and embroidered brocade.”
[Sunan Ibn Majah 3589]
In general, silk is not haram but just not halal to be worn by Muslim men and advised not to by women. Silk can be used in other things which are not worn and silk is also not impure in Islam.
This is proven by the following hadith narrated by Hazrat Aishah(r.a):
that Jibril came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with her image upon a piece of green silk cloth, and he said: “This is your wife in the world, and in the Hereafter.”
[Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3880]
It is not permissible for a man to wear an item made of natural silk, regardless of how it looks or feels, and regardless of whether it is a shirt, pants, socks, a necktie, or anything else.
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Is Silk Haram For Women?
Silk is not haram for Muslim women but it is suggested to avoid wearing silk and gold. Although Muslim women are allowed to wear silk and no sin would be if they wear it but Prophet (peace be upon him) asked his wives not to wear it if they want it in the Hereafter.
Uqbah bin Amir narrated that:
The Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to tell his wives not to wear jewelry and silk. He said: “If you want the jewelry and silk of Paradise, then do not wear them in this world.”
[Sunan an-Nasa’i 5136]
Keep in mind that silk is allowed for women as Prophet’s daughter used to wear it.
It was narrated by Anas bin Malik:
He saw Umm Kalthum, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah [SAW], wearing a Burdah of Sira’ silk, and Sira’ is a fabric with stripes of silk.
[Sunan an-Nasa’i 5297]
It was narrated that Anas said:
“I saw Zainab the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wearing a shirt of Siyara’ silk.”
[Sunan Ibn Majah 3598]
For Muslim women, the ruling is that if they wear silk there is no sin on them but they won’t be wearing silk in the Hereafter.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, Whoever wears silk in this world shall not wear it in the Hereafter.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5832]
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When Is Silk Halal For Men?
Some male companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to wear silk and the Prophet allowed them to wear it cause they had skin illness and their skin was sensitive. Prophet made an exception and so silk is halal for Muslim men if there is a medical emergency.
Narrated Anas:
(Wearing of silk) was allowed to them (i.e. `AbdurRahman and Az-Zubair) because of the itching they suffered from.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2922]
Islamic scholars also allow Muslim men to wear silk that has a width of 2 fingers or some say 4 fingers and not more.
It was narrated from ʼUmar رضي الله عنه that:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) granted a concession allowing silk the width of two fingers.
[Musnad Ahmad 242]
Ibn ‘Abbas said:
It is only a garment wholly made of silk which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade, but there is no harm in the ornamented border and the wrap.
[Sunan Abi Dawud 4055]
Muslim men are allowed to have silk only for the borders of the cloth they wear and that can be up to the width of 2 fingers.
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Are Silk Bed Sheets Haram?
Yes, it is haram for a man to wear brocade or silk, or to lie down on it, or to cover himself with it, or to use it as a curtain or screen, or in any other way.
Can A Man Sleep On Silk?
A man is not permitted to wear natural silk, nor is he permitted to sit or sleep on it, nor is he permitted to cover himself in it.
Is Satin The Same As Silk?
No, they are not the same. The main difference, despite their similar appearance, is that satin is a weave and not a natural fiber fabric, whereas silk is a natural fiber fabric.
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Final Thoughts
Silk is haram for Muslim men in Islam but halal for Muslim women although advised not to wear it. Prophet (peace be upon him) told us that anyone who wears silk in this world won’t have silk in the Hereafter.
Muslims know that everything in the Hereafter is many times better than this world that’s why the Prophet (peace be upon him) compared the silk of this world with the Hereafter and we get to choose which one we wear.
Avoid pure silk but synthetic silk is allowed as it’s not pure and totally safe for men and women both.
And Allah Knows Best.
