Q411 :I was once invited to a dinner by a friend of
my sister-in-law. I noticed that the cutlery were made of silver, while
the plates were trimmed in gold. I whispered my objection to my
sister-in-law. Because she was a very intimate friend of our hostess,
she went to the kitchen and brought different plates and cutlery which
both of us used. I could not speak to our hostess about this or to her
guests. Therefore, I kept quite. However, since then I feel that I
should have made our objection clear.
A411 : Your behavior has been netmendable
throughout. You avoided embarrassing your hostess, as you certainly
should have done. At the same time, you managed to get yourself the
right utensils for eating. Perhaps I should state here that it is
forbidden in Islam to use utensils made of silver or gold, or indeed to
use any articles made of these precious metals for normal usage, apart
from a woman using her jewelry. This is due mainly to the fact that
these metals can form the currency, or at least [to some extent
provide] the cover for the currency of nations. Hence, using these
metals for daily business is not proper for the economy or for the
social welfare of the netmunity. Therefore, God has forbidden it. As
for advising your hostess, your difficulty is understandable. You were
in her house for the first time and she had friends and guests with
her. Giving advise in such a situation is not renetmended at all. What
you should consider is first to strengthen your relationship with the
lady. When you have done so and you realize that you have gained her
trust, you may tell her in private, between the two of you, making it
clear to her that you only want to give her a piece of advice. Most
probably she will appreciate that. [Having conveyed the advice, you
will have done your duty. Whether or not she accepts your advice should
not be a matter for concern.]
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )