Ornaments

Amr b. Shu‘aib reported from his father who reported on the authority of his father that a woman came to Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) accompanied by her daughter. Her daughter was wearing two thick gold bangles. The Prophet asked her: “Do you pay zakah (of these armlets)?” She replied: “No.” The Prophet said: “Will you be pleased that Allah may put two armlets made of fire on you on the day of Resurrection?” The narrator said: Then she removed those armlets and threw them towards the Prophet and said: “They are for Allah, Mighty and Glorious, and His Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam).

Umm al-Mo’minin Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with her) said: “I used to wear anklets of gold. I asked: ‘Allah’s Messenger’. Is it kanz?” He said: “Whatever reaches the limit of zakah, and it is paid on it, is not a kanz."

Abdullah b. Shaddad b. al-Had said: “We visited Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam). She said: ‘The Prophet came (to my apartment) and saw silver bracelets in my arms. He asked: ‘What is this Aisha?’ I said: ‘I have worn them so that I may embelish myself for you, O Prophet of Allah.’ The Prophet asked: ‘Do you pay zakah on them?’ I said: ‘No, except that Allah so wills.’ Then he said: ‘This is sufficient to take you to the Fire (of Hell)’.”

Source: Economic Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): A Select Anthology of Hadith Literature on Economics, Muhammad Akram Khan. Republished with permission.