Yes. A Muslim man may not wear gold jewellery: a gold ring, chain or bracelet, or a watch whose case or strap is made of gold. The prohibition concerns wearing gold, not owning it. White gold is still gold, since it is an alloy containing gold, while silver is a permitted alternative for men. Women may wear gold; whether zakat is due on their jewellery depends on the school followed.
What the hadith says about gold for men
Al-Barā’ ibn ‘Āzib reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ “forbade us from rings—or from wearing rings—of gold”, and from wearing silk (al-Bukhari and Muslim, authentic hadith). ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib also reported that the Prophet ﷺ held silk in one hand and gold in the other and declared both forbidden to the men of his community and permitted to its women (Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah, authentic hadith).
Ibn ‘Umar described the Prophet ﷺ having a gold ring made, then taking it off on the pulpit, throwing it away and saying: “By Allah! I will never wear it.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim, authentic hadith) The Companions then threw away their own rings. A gold ring is therefore not permitted to a man, however small it is.
Gold rings, watches and chains: how the ruling applies
The ruling covers every piece of gold jewellery worn by men: rings, chains, bracelets and earrings. A watch is not exempt because it tells time: if its case or strap is made of gold, wearing it falls under the same prohibition. For the arguments scholars have discussed on watches, see IslamQA’s discussion of whether Muslim men may wear gold watches.
Check what the item is actually made of. A gold colour does not prove that an item contains gold, and a watch may combine several materials. Gold-plated items are a separate question on which scholars differ; ask a qualified scholar before wearing one. When the composition is unclear, ask the seller for the material specification rather than relying on the colour or the product name.
Is white gold really gold, and can men wear silver?
White gold is an alloy of gold with other metals that give it a pale colour; it is not another name for silver or platinum. A karat mark shows the proportion of gold: 18-karat gold is 18 parts gold out of 24, and 14-karat gold 14 parts out of 24. Its colour does not make it permissible for a man.
Silver is permitted for men, including for rings: the Prophet ﷺ himself wore a silver ring after discarding the gold one. A silver-coloured item is not necessarily silver, so check its material too.
Gold for women and the question of zakat
The prohibition concerns men; women may wear gold jewellery. Scholars differ on zakat (the obligatory alms) on jewellery worn as personal adornment: the Hanafis require it once the gold reaches the minimum amount (nisab) and a lunar year has passed, while the Malikis, Shafi‘is and Hanbalis exempt jewellery worn in a permitted way, though not gold kept for saving or investment. For a broader explanation of how zakah applies to savings and other assets, see the related guide; the Zakat Calculator can then work out the amount.
In short: men may not wear gold, whether as a ring, a chain or a gold watch, and white gold counts as gold; silver is the permitted alternative. Women may wear gold, and whether zakat is due on their jewellery depends on the school they follow.
Sources quoted
Every quotation was checked word for word against the Quran and hadith texts in our database.
- Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim — authentic
- Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim — authentic
The Al Muslim Plus editorial team · reviewed on November 9, 2026