Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “The Dublah is a ring which is bought during weddings and worn on the groom’s finger. Whenever the husband removes it, the wife portends that he does not love her! They believe that it attracts benefit or averts harm, and that, as long as it remains in the hand of the husband, it indicates that their relationship is firm and vice versa. If it is used with such an intention, it is from minor Shirk, but if not- which is far from possible-then it is from imitating the Christians since it came from them.
If it is made from gold, it has, with respect to males, a third evil: use of gold. Thus, it is either Shirk, imitation of the Christians, or in the case of the men, prohibition of its nature. However, it is use is not fro any of these, it is then permissible since it is just an ordinary ring” [al-Qawl ul-Mufeed (1/187) English Translation by Darussalam]
The Shaikh also said elsewhere in his works:
“What is the ruling on using rings after the engagement or wedding contract for men and women?
This custom is found nowadays in some of the Islamic lands. So a wife and husband get rings with the name of the husband on the ring of the wife and name of the wife on the ring of the husband. This action consists of a number of prohibited things in the legislation:
1. It is associated with the Aqeedah that this is from the means of affection between the spouses. The People of Knowledge mention this is from Shirk because it affairs a means that is not affirmed in the legislation and not in reality. Also this is from Tiwalah (amulets)
2. Shaikh Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy upon him) mentioned that the origin of this action is from the Christians. So they go to their priest and he places his hand in the hand of the husband or wife and says: “In the name of the father, son, and holy ghost”. Then he runs his hands between theirs and places the ring on the finger specified for that. So in it is a great prohibition and it is imitating the Christians. It is prohibited even without the Aqeedah which the Shaikh mentioned earlier. So it is haram from this angle.
3. Most times it is made from gold and gold is prohibited for men. The Prophet (ﷺ) saw a man with a gold ring. So he removed that from his hand and threw it away. He said (ﷺ):
يعمد أحدكم إلى جمرة من نار فيضعها في يده
One of you takes a live coal, and puts it on his hand.
It was said to the man after Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had left: “Take your ring (of gold) and utilize it,” whereupon he said: “No, by Allah, I would never take it when Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has thrown it away” [Reported in Muslim no. 2090]
And in the famous Hadith:
أحل الذهب والحرير لإناث أمتي وحرم على ذكوره
Gold and silk have been permitted for the females of my Ummah, and forbidden to the males
[Reported in Ahmad, Nasai, and Tirmidhi. Graded Saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh Nasai no. 5163]
.
So this custom is prohibited and it is necessary we war against it and detest it upon the one who does it due to what it includes of great prohibitions…” [Sharh Mumti’ (6/68-69)]
The speech of Shaikh Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy upon him) which Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him) cited is the following:
“Sixth: Some men wearing gold rings which they call ‘wedding rings’. So this, along with blind following the disbelievers, is also a custom which has come to them from the Christians.
[In the footnote the Shaikh writes]: This returns to a ancient custom with them that the bridegroom places the ring at the head of the left thumb of the groom. He says: “in the name of the father”, then he moves the ring and places it on the index finger saying: “in the name of the son”, then he places it on the head of the middle finger saying: “in the name of the Holy ghost. Then he says: “Amen” and places the ring on the ring finger where it remains. [The Shaikh then quotes in English the following]:
A question was asked in “Woman” magazine which was issued in London, issue number 19, March 1960, page 8. The question was answered by Angela Talbot who was the editor for these questions:
Question: Why is the wedding ring placed on the third finger of the left hand?
Answer: “It is said there is a vein that runs directly from the finger to the heart. Also, there is the ancient origin whereby the bridegroom placed the ring on the tip of the bride’s left thumb, saying” In the name of the father”, and on first finger, saying: “In the name of the son”,on the second finger, saying:”And of the Holy Ghost”, and on the word “Amen”, the ring was finally placed on the third finger where it remained”
And I have recorded this translation of the above from the virtuous writer (ملك هنانو). May Allah reward her with good” [Adaab az-Zafaaf pg. 212-213]
Shaikh Salih al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him) said:
“As for the wedding ring, then this is nor the tradition of the Muslims. It is a ring worn for the occasion of a marriage. If a person believes that it creates love between the spouses and that removing it and not wearing it affects the martial relationship, then this is considered Shirk. This enters into the beliefs of the Days of Ignorance. So it is not allowed to wear the wedding ring in any situation. First: it is a blind following of those who do not have good with them. It is a foreign custom to the Muslims and it is not from the customs of the Muslims. Two: if it is accompanied with a belief that it affects the martial relationship, then this enters into Shirk and there is no strength nor might except with Allah” [Muntaqa Min Fatawa Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan (pg. 1313)]
What is the Ruling on Wearing a Wedding Ring as a Symbol that One is Marriage or About to be Married?
Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him) said:
“As for the second category, then it is to wear a wedding ring as a sign that a person is one who is proposing or she is one who is proposed too or that he entered upon his wife and that her husband has entered upon her. This issue with me is a position to hold back [that is: I hold back from it] because some of the people of knowledge have aid: it is a custom taken from the Christians and its origin is from their signs. No doubt precaution is that a Muslim holds back from it and avoids it lest it falls into his heart that he is following these Christians who first began this tradition. So due to that he is destroyed” [Noor ‘Ala Darb no. 403]
And Allah Knows Best
Translated by
Faisal bin Abdul Qaadir bin Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
