Question: We see some people wear the watch on the right hand and they say:that it is recommended. So what is the evidence for that?
Answer : We hold fast in this issue to the principle which is included in the hadith of Aisha radiallahu anha in the saheeh: She said:
Messenger of Allah liked to use his right hand in everything: in combing his hair and wearing his shoes or his purification and every affair.
We join to that another hadith reported in the Saheeh from him (ﷺ):
The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their grey hair), so you shall do the opposite of what they do (i.e. dye your grey hair and beards).
And other ahaadith which have in them the order to oppose the mushrikeen. So from these ahaadith, we gather a principle and it is that it is recommended for the Muslim put all his importance in opposing the disbelievers.
And it is necessary we mention that opposing the disbelievers is something and resembling disbelievers- which is prohibited- is something else.
So it is not allowed for the Muslim to copy the disbelievers and it is necessary for him to always intend to oppose the disbelievers. Upon this, the disbelievers proceed to wear the watch on the left hand, so we find a very vast door in the legislation, so we oppose them in this custom.
So we place the watch on the right hand fulfilling this principle of the right-hand and the principle of opposing the disbelievers.
[Taken from: Fataawa al-Madinah no. 58 as cited in al-Masaail al-‘ilmiyyah wa Fatawaa ash-Shar’iah Fatawaa Shaikh al-‘Allamah Muhammad Nasruddin al-Albani fi Madinah wal-‘Emaraat pg.149-150]
Translated by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
