Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Is it allowed to wear expensive watches if they do not contain any gold,silver or diamonds.
We all carry a lot of things made out of leather but how do we know its not made from the leather of the haram animal what should be done in this case for example in a lot of shoes the leather of pig is used since it is cheap. 

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Answer:

Spendthrift excessive spending and swine skin

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Is it allowed to wear expensive watches if they do not contain any gold,silver or diamonds.
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 808 Narrated by Abu Musa Ash'ari

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘Wearing silk and gold has been made unlawful for the males of my Ummah and lawful for their females.’

The wearing or adorning of a believing man with gold is absolutely prohibited in Shariah; but it is lawful in Shariah if a believing woman choose to adorn herself with a gold/silver/diamond, etc. watch or a believing man chooses to adorn himself with a silver/diamond, etc. watch….if indeed they wish to do so.

Depending on how much resources the Lord has chosen to bless an individual with, what is extremely expensive for one might be ‘peanuts’ for another! Thus although it is not considered unlawful or illegal for a believer who is blessed with resources to wear a good watch if one wishes to do so….one should be careful and not overspend like a spendthrift, or wear it only as a means of show-off, or arrogantly display his riches, etc…..such intentions of opulent and arrogant display of one’s riches simply does not befit the character of a humble believer and are absolutely detestable to Allah Subhanah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verses 25-27:

25 Your Lord Knows best what is in your hearts: if ye do deeds of righteousness verily He is Most Forgiving to those who turn to Him again and again (in true penitence).

26 And render to the kindred their due rights as (also) to those in want and to the wayfarer: but squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.

27 Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the ‘Shaytaan’; and the ‘Shaytaan’ is unto his Lord ungrateful!

But if one wears a good watch, absolutely regardless of how expensive it may happen to be, because one likes it and has absolutely no intention to be a spendthrift, nor wears it to show off to others, nor wears it as a means to arrogantly display his opulence or riches or arrogance, etc. there is no harm.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 32-33:

32 Say: ‘Who hath forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah which He hath produced for his servants and the things clean and pure (which He hath provided) for sustenance?’ Say: ‘they are in the life of this world for those who believe, (and) purely for them on the Day of Judgment.’ Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who understand.

33 Say: ‘The things that my Lord hath indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allah for which he hath given no authority; and saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge.’

Your Question: We all carry a lot of things made out of leather but how do we know its not made from the leather of the haram animal what should be done in this case for example in a lot of shoes the leather of pig is used since it is cheap. 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Muminoon verses 21-22:

21 And in cattle (too) ye have an instructive example: from within their bodies We produce (milk) for you to drink; there are in them (besides) numerous (other) benefits for you; and of their (meat) ye eat;

22 And on them as well as in ships ye ride.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 36 Surah Yaa Seen verses 71-73:

71 See they not that it is We Who have created for them among the things which Our Hands have fashioned: cattle, which are under their dominion?

72 And that We have subjected them to their (use)? Of them some do carry them and some they eat:

73 And they have (other) profits from them (besides); and they get (milk) to drink. Will they not then be grateful?

The absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that amongst the ‘other’ benefits of animals as related in the Glorious Quran imply the usage of their skins, fur, wool, hair, etc.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.15

Purifying the skin of dead animals

Tanning purifies the skin and the fur of a dead animal. This is based on the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, in which the Prophet (saws) said, "If the animal's skin is tanned, it is purified."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Sunan of Abu-DawoodHadith 659 Narrated by Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to pray on a mat and on a tanned skin.

The scholars and jurists in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that the tanned skin of all animals (except the swine and the dog) is considered absolutely pure for the believers to wear or use as they will.

There is a difference of opinion amongst the scholars regarding the usage of swine and dog skins. Amongst the four major schools of thought Imam Maalik and Imam Abu Hanifah say the hadith regarding the purification of the skin when tanned (quoted above) is general without any exception; thus the tanned skin of even the swine or dog too would be considered pure. But Imam Hanbal and Imam Shafei are of the opinion that the swine and the dog have been declared ‘najis’ (absolutely impure) in its entirety, and thus even if its skin is tanned it would not be considered pure. But other than the skins of the swine and the dog, the tanned skin of every other animal (land, sea, or air) is absolutely pure and permissible for the believers to wear or use as they please. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.49 Narrated by An Numan bin Bashir

I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, 'Both legal (halaal) and illegal (haraam) things are clearly evident, but in between them there are doubtful (suspicious) things and most of the people have no knowledge about them. So whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these suspicious things is like a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else, and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king has a ‘Hima’ and the ‘Hima’ of Allah on the earth is His illegal (forbidden) things.’

In our humble opinion, because there is a difference of opinion regarding the permissibility of the usage of swine or dog skin, it would be best if the believers feared Allah, and abstained from its usage, less they indulge in something wherein there remains a doubt of transgressing the boundaries of Allah Subhanah.

It would be best and prudent that if one fears the shoes or leather items one is about to buy might be made of pig or dog skin, to clarify with the shop attendant about the origin of the leather item they wish purchase.

Perchance one finds out at a later date that one has been wearing shoes made of pig or dog skin, one should seek forgiveness from Allah Subhanah for their unintentional error and abstain from wearing those shoes again.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 6284 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Allah has overlooked my people's (unintentional) mistakes and forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do against their will."

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan