Source: Excerpt from the book “Aḥkām wa Masāʾil: In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah” by Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbānī ḥafiẓahullāh
Is it permissible to get artificial teeth implanted, such as using gold or silver teeth? Please provide clarification in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
If a person loses teeth due to illness or any other reason, it is permissible to replace them with artificial teeth, whether they are made of metal, silver, or even gold.
Although gold is generally prohibited for men in Islam, an exception is granted in cases of necessity, such as:
During the Jāhiliyyah, in the battle of Kilāb, the noble companion ʿArfajah ibn Asʿad al-Tamīmī رضي الله عنه lost his nose. Initially, he replaced it with a silver nose, but it began to emit a foul odor.
The Prophet ﷺ then instructed him to replace it with a nose made of gold.
This ḥadīth is narrated in:
And has been authenticated with a ḥasan chain of narration.
Hāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar, Ibn al-Athīr, and Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr have all recorded this incident in their respective works:
al-Iṣābah, Usd al-Ghābah, and al-Istīʿāb.
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Mubārakpūrī رحمه الله explains:
Similarly, al-Sindhī in his commentary on Musnad Aḥmad (31/340) confirms this understanding.
Ḥammād ibn Jābir Sulaymān says:
I saw al-Mughīrah ibn ʿAbd Allāh with golden teeth wiring, and when I informed Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī, he said:
Imām al-Khaṭṭābī explains in his commentary:
If the nose, a part of the human body, may be replaced with gold, then teeth, which are also essential for daily function, may likewise be replaced with gold if necessary.
Similarly, amputated limbs — such as arms or legs lost in battle or due to injury — can also be replaced with artificial prosthetics, and this is permissible and correct in Sharīʿah.
✔ Artificial teeth are permissible, regardless of whether they are made from metal, silver, or gold.
✔ The use of gold is allowed in cases of necessity, especially for medical or structural restoration.
✔ Prosthetics such as artificial limbs are also permissible for those in need.
And Allah knows best.
❖ Question:
Is it permissible to get artificial teeth implanted, such as using gold or silver teeth? Please provide clarification in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
❖ Answer:
If a person loses teeth due to illness or any other reason, it is permissible to replace them with artificial teeth, whether they are made of metal, silver, or even gold.
❖ Use of Gold for Medical Necessity
Although gold is generally prohibited for men in Islam, an exception is granted in cases of necessity, such as:
- Replacing lost body parts
- Using prosthetics for medical reasons
❖ The Incident of ʿArfajah ibn Asʿad رضي الله عنه
During the Jāhiliyyah, in the battle of Kilāb, the noble companion ʿArfajah ibn Asʿad al-Tamīmī رضي الله عنه lost his nose. Initially, he replaced it with a silver nose, but it began to emit a foul odor.
The Prophet ﷺ then instructed him to replace it with a nose made of gold.
This ḥadīth is narrated in:- Musnad Aḥmad (4/342, 4/23–24, ḥadīth: 19215, 20534–20539)
- Abū Dāwūd (ḥadīth: 4232)
- al-Tirmidhī (ḥadīth: 1770)
And has been authenticated with a ḥasan chain of narration.
❖ Scholarly Commentary
Hāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar, Ibn al-Athīr, and Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr have all recorded this incident in their respective works:
al-Iṣābah, Usd al-Ghābah, and al-Istīʿāb.
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Mubārakpūrī رحمه الله explains:
❝This ḥadīth allows scholars to
Reference: Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī 5/467
Similarly, al-Sindhī in his commentary on Musnad Aḥmad (31/340) confirms this understanding.
❖ Early Precedents Among the Tābiʿīn
Ḥammād ibn Jābir Sulaymān says:
I saw al-Mughīrah ibn ʿAbd Allāh with golden teeth wiring, and when I informed Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī, he said:
❝There is no harm in it.❞
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad (5/23, ḥadīth: 20541), Ibn Abī Shaybah (8/799)
❖ Chapter Headings in Ḥadīth Collections
- Imām al-Tirmidhī placed this under:
“Bāb: What has been reported about binding the teeth with gold.”
Reference: Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī with Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī 5/267
- Imām Abū Dāwūd has a similar heading:
“Bāb: On fastening teeth with gold.”
Imām al-Khaṭṭābī explains in his commentary:
❝This ḥadīth proves that in cases of necessity, it is permitted for men to use a
Reference: Maʿālim al-Sunan 6/122 with Mukhtaṣar Sunan Abī Dāwūd by al-Mundhirī
❖ General Principle:
If the nose, a part of the human body, may be replaced with gold, then teeth, which are also essential for daily function, may likewise be replaced with gold if necessary.
Similarly, amputated limbs — such as arms or legs lost in battle or due to injury — can also be replaced with artificial prosthetics, and this is permissible and correct in Sharīʿah.
❖ Conclusion:
✔ Artificial teeth are permissible, regardless of whether they are made from metal, silver, or gold.
✔ The use of gold is allowed in cases of necessity, especially for medical or structural restoration.
✔ Prosthetics such as artificial limbs are also permissible for those in need.
And Allah knows best.
