Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #57

Which hand is to be preferred for wearing a wrist-watch

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (4/176-177) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

The Shaikh رحمه الله said:

And know that when the wrist watches (first) appeared, the people began wearing it in the left hand, so that the right hand remains free and that the watch does not interfere with the person when he makes the movements with his right hand – as the right hand is used more than the left hand (beginning with the right hand, eating and drinking with the right hand etc). So since the movement of the right hand was more, the people used to wear it on the left hand as it would be easier for the right hand to move without the wrist watch interfering much.

And some people thought that it is preferable to wear the wrist watch on the right hand, basing their opinion that everything should begin with the right hand. But this thinking is not based on correct (judgment); because it is confirmed that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to stamp* (a letter) using his right hand and sometimes used to stamp it using the left hand. Perhaps he صلى الله عليه وسلم used to wear it on his left hand more, as it would be easy to remove the ring from his left hand using his right hand (and put a seal using his right hand). And the wrist watch is something closer to a ring. So in this, neither the right (hand) is given preference over the left, nor is the left (hand) is given preference over the right. This matter is wide (open). So if you wish you may wear it on the right hand; and if you wish you may wear it on the left hand. So whichever hand you wear it on, there is no problem in that.

  

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*The stamp of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a silver ring, which he صلى الله عليه وسلم would wear it in his finger and also used it as a stamp to put a seal on a letter.

Narrated Anas رضي الله عنه: When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم intended to write a letter to the ruler of the Byzantines, he was told that those people did not read any letter unless it was stamped with a seal. So, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم got a silver ring--as if I were just looking at its glitter on his hand--and engraved on it the expression: “Muhammad, the Messenger of Allaah”. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]