Why may men not wear gold in Islam?

Gold is above all an ornament, and a man has no need of such adornment. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) forbade gold and silk to men and permitted both to women.

Gold has always been worn mainly as an ornament. Its purpose is to adorn and to make the wearer look beautiful and precious. In the Islamic understanding, this kind of adornment suits women. Men have a different role in life, and their dignity does not lie in glittering jewellery.

That is why the prohibition does not concern gold alone. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) also forbade men to wear silk. Silk is soft and delicate, and it too belongs to the way women like to dress and adorn themselves. This is why the two hadith above mention gold and silk together.

Behind this lies the idea that men and women were created differently and that each should keep their own character. When men adorn themselves with gold and silk as women do, they gradually lose something of their manly nature. The prohibition therefore protects the natural character of both sexes.

For women, gold is expressly permitted, and so is silk. So the point is not that gold is bad in itself. The point is what suits whom. Here a Muslim follows the example of the Holy Prophet (saw), as the verses above teach, and also finds good sense in it.