Question:
The central government has now allowed jewelry shops to sell 9-carat gold jewelry. Since 9-carat gold contains less gold, does it fall under the category of “small amount of gold” that is permitted for men in Islam?
Answer:
Before answering, it is necessary to understand some general facts about gold jewelry. When you buy jewelry now, you will see the stamp 916 on it. This number represents the purity of gold.
Pure gold is measured as 24 carats, which equals 100% gold. However, pure gold is too soft to make jewelry. If you make a ring from pure gold, it will bend or break easily. Therefore, other metals like copper or silver are mixed with gold to make it stronger.
When gold is mixed with other metals, its purity decreases.
For example:
- 24 carat = 100% gold
- 22 carat = 22 parts gold, 2 parts other metals
- 916 means 916 parts gold out of 1000 (91.6% gold), which equals 22 carats
That is why most jewelry is 916 gold.
Now, due to rising gold prices—almost reaching ₹1 lakh per sovereign—the government allowed the sale of 9-carat gold jewelry to make gold more affordable.
9-carat gold contains only 375 parts gold out of 1000, which means only 37.5% gold, and the remaining 62.5% is other metals. So, 9-carat gold contains very little gold.
Now the question is: Since Islam allows men to wear a small amount of gold, can men wear 9-carat gold jewelry?
The answer is: Yes, it can be considered permissible, because it contains a small amount of gold.
The Prophetﷺ prohibited gold for men but allowed a small amount. When determining what counts as “small,” we look at the proportion.
In 9-carat gold, gold is only about one-third, and two-thirds is other metals. Therefore, it qualifies as a small amount. So, men wearing a ring or chain made of 9-carat gold cannot be strictly prohibited, because it falls under the category of a small amount. However, there is also an important practical advice. People buy gold for two main purposes:
- For adornment
- For investment
If you are buying gold only for adornment, you can use imitation jewelry instead. Modern imitation jewelry looks just as attractive. Nobody will test whether it is real gold.
If you are buying gold as an investment, buying jewelry is not wise, because jewelry includes:
- Making charges
- Wastage charges
- Stones that are charged at gold price
When you sell jewellery, these costs are not returned. So, you lose money. Instead, if you want investment, buy: Gold coins, gold bars.
These are 24-carat pure gold. When you sell them, you get the full market price without deductions.
So, the advice is:
- For adornment → imitation jewelry is sufficient
- For investment → buy gold coins or bars, not jewelry
This is practical advice, so people do not suffer financial loss.
So to conclude:
9-carat gold contains a small amount of gold, and based on Islamic principles allowing small amounts, men wearing 9-carat gold cannot be strictly prohibited.
