except on
iignet- rings,
girdles, and
ïwords.
T h e fetting
o f a ring may
be o f gold.
Gold is not to
beufed in any
cafesof necef-
lity, where
filver will an-
fwer equally
well.
fignet-rings, girdles, or fwords; the ufe of filver in ornamenting
thofe being approved.— In the Jama Sagheer, it is related that filver
rings only fliould be ufed; whence it may be inferred that rings of
ftone, iron, or brafs, are forbidden. It is alfo related, that the prophet,
on feeing a ring of brafs upon the finger of a man, faid, “ I
“ perceive the fmell o f an image ;” and again, that having feen, upon
the finger of another perfon, a ring of iron, he fpoke to him thus*
“ Ife e upon your finger the ornament o f the people o f h e ll''— What is
here faid refpedts the circular hoop, and not the fetting or teazel of
the ring. Hence it is lawful that the fetting be of ftone. It is proper,
however, that men, in wearing rings, turn the fetting or bea-
ze l towards the palm of the hand, and women otherwife, becaufe,
with refpedt to them, rings afe confidered as ornaments.— Sovereigns
and judges, moreover, wear rings, only as having occafion to feal
with them; but with refpect to other people, it is moft advifeable
that they never wear rings, as a like reafon does not operate with
them.
If a piece of gold be inferted in the fetting of a ring, it is allowable;
for, in that cafe, the gold is only a dependant qn the ring, in
the fame manner as a Ihred of filk upon a garment.
I t is forbidden, in the opinion of Hanefa, to bind the teeth * with
a thread of gold. Mohammed, on the other hand, maintains that this
pradtice is unobjedtionable. O f Aboo Toofaf there are two opinions
recorded; one correfponding with the opinion of Hanefa, and the
other with that of Mohammed. The two difciples, in fupport of their
opinion, quote the cafe of A rifja the fon o f AJfiid, who, having loft
his nofe by a wound he received at the battle- of Goolab, made a
* This poffibly means where a /uppofttitious tooth is placed in the head to fupply the
lofs of one.
falfe
B o o k XLIV*. A B O M I N A T I O N S . 95
falfe one o f filver, which occafioning a very ofFenfive fmell, the prophet
commanded him to make another o f gold. The argument of
Haneefa is, that gold is in its nature unlawful, whence the ufe of it is
allowable only in a cafe of neceflity; and as the neceffity may in general
be equally well anfwered by fubftituting filver, gold therefore
remains fubjedl to, its original ftate [of prohibition:] this neceffity,
however, could not be anfwered, in the cafe of Arifjh, but by a fub-
ftitution of gold, becaufe of the filver occafioning a naufeous fmell.
I t is abominable in any perfon to clothe his infant child in a drefs
of filk, with ornaments o f gold; for, fince that drefs is proved to be
prohibited to men, they are confequently forbidden to drefs others in i t ;
in the fame manner as it is unlawful to give wine to drink, becaufe of
the illegality of drinking it.
T he cuftom of keeping handkerchiefs, as is frequently practiced,
is abominable. Many, however, hold that it is allowable, i f done
from motives'of neceffity. T h is is approved; for the practice is abominable
only when done ofte'ntatioufly, in the fame manner as the
mode of fitting with the knees on a line with the chin, and the hand's
folded round the legs * .
I t is allowable to bind the finger with a firing, or a ring, with a
view to aid the memory concerning fome bufinefs relative to another
perfon.
, H M H M S 1 7 . „ IH E f iS B i 111 tn<= manner lo deicribed, from o
abominable, but that it is aUowable when done with a view to obtain re ft.
Infants muff
not be fump-
tuoufiy appa.-
relled..
Vain fuper-
fluities are
not allowables