Wearing a ring

Wearing a ring is putting a ring on a finger. Jurists assess it by the metal of the ring, where it is worn, its weight, the number of rings, the inscription and the stone. Gold is lawful for women and forbidden to men. Silver is lawful for women, and for men the schools differ in detail. ^{1 2 3}

Tkhtm is the verbal noun of takhatama, to put on a ring. The root khatm means a seal or an imprint, and the ring is named for its use in sealing. Several other words share the root with the same sense. ¹ Jurists distinguish wearing a ring from related words: adornment in general, which is wider; the fatkha, a ring worn on fingers or toes; the bracelet and the armlet on the arm and upper arm; and the belt. ^{1 4 2}

• Gold: all agree it is lawful for women and forbidden to men, based on a report that gold and silk are lawful to the females of the community and forbidden to its males. Jurists differ on a boy: the Malikis call it disliked, the Hanbalis forbid it, and some Shafi'is treat the boy like a woman. ^{2 3}
• Silver: all agree it is lawful for women. For men, the Hanafis permit it and treat it as a sunna for someone who needs it, such as a ruler or judge; the Malikis permit it and recommend it when meant as following the Prophet ﷺ; the Shafi'is and the Hanbalis permit it. ³
• Other materials: the Malikis allow leather, carnelian, tin and wood for men and women; the Hanbalis allow gems for both. ⁵
• Iron, brass and lead: the book reports the hadith of the man who came with a brass ring and then an iron ring and was refused each time. It records that Shafi'i authors differ on disliking such rings. ^{5 6}
• Grading note: the book cites Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut as holding that the brass-ring hadith may be used as a supporting report, and cites Abu Hatim al-Razi as saying its narrator is not to be relied on as proof. ⁵

• Women may wear it on any finger or toe; there is no dispute. ⁶
• Men: some Hanafis prefer the little finger of the left hand; some allow the right; Abu al-Layth treats both alike. The Malikis prefer the left little finger as a recommendation. The Shafi'is allow either little finger. The Hanbalis prefer the left little finger and dislike wearing it on the index or middle finger. ^{6 7}

• Weight: for the Hanafis the ring should not reach a mithqal. The Malikis allow silver up to two shar'i dirhams. The Shafi'is set no weight and refer to custom. The Hanbalis allow a mithqal or more if it is not beyond custom. ^{7 8}
• Number: the Malikis allow a man one ring only. The Shafi'is prefer the view that several rings are lawful unless they amount to extravagance. The Hanbalis allow more than one unless it goes beyond custom. ^{8 9}
• Inscription: all agree a ring may bear its owner's name. The Hanafis and Shafi'is allow the name of God or a formula of remembrance; the Hanbalis dislike a Qur'anic or other remembrance inscription and forbid the figure of a living creature. ^{8 9}
• Stone: the Hanafis allow carnelian, turquoise or ruby. The Malikis allow silver in the setting and hold that gold is forbidden even in small amount. The Shafi'is prefer the stone on the inner palm; the Hanbalis prefer the back of the hand. The Hanbalis allow a small gold stone on the ring, and their Qadi and Abu al-Khattab forbid it. ^{9 10}
• Manners: the Hanbalis dislike going to the toilet wearing a ring with remembrance written on it; the Shafi'is say to keep it in the sleeve on entering and on the right hand when cleaning. ⁹

• Ablution: most jurists require moving a tight ring while washing the hand if water is not known to reach beneath it; a loose ring need not be moved, though moving it is recommended. The Malikis do not require moving a permitted ring. ¹⁰
• Bathing: most jurists require the whole body to be washed, including under the ring; a tight ring that water cannot reach must be removed. The Malikis do not require moving it. ¹¹
• Dry ablution: the Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis require removing the ring so that dust reaches beneath it; the Hanafis require removing it or moving it. ¹¹
• Prayer: fidgeting with the ring is disliked like any fidgeting in prayer. ¹¹
• Pilgrim dress: the Hanafis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis allow the pilgrim in ihram to keep his ring. The Malikis forbid a man in ihram to wear a ring, even of silver weighing two dirhams, and require a ransom if it is worn long. ¹¹

• Zakat: the Malikis, the preferred Shafi'i view and the Hanbalis exempt permitted ornaments, including a woman's gold or silver ring and a man's silver ring, since they are used for permitted purposes. The Hanafis, and the less preferred Shafi'i view, levy zakat on a man's silver ring if it reaches the nisab, because silver was created to be a price. ¹²
• Burial: the dead person's ornaments, including a ring, are removed before burial, since burying them wastes property. For a martyr, the Hanafis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis remove the weapons, leather and everything not usually worn, and the ring is removed too. The hadith on the dead of Uhud is the basis; al-Shawkani notes doubt about its chain. The Malikis recommend burying a martyr with a ring of little value. ¹²