Sawiris comments on Othman Al-Khamis' fatwa on men wearing red

With a comedic comment, Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris commented on the controversy surrounding the fatwa issued by Kuwaiti Islamic preacher Othman Al-Khamis about the undesirability of men wearing the color red.

Naguib Sawiris comments humorously on Othman Al-Khamis' fatwa Sawiris commented on the sheikh’s fatwa in a tweet he wrote on his official account on the X platform (formerly Twitter), saying, “He is a Zamalek fan.”

Fatwa of Othman Al Khamis Othman Al-Khamis issued a fatwa on men wearing red, and said in a video clip, which he posted on his official YouTube page: “He says (a question directed to Othman Al-Khamis) in the chapter on praying in red clothing, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, went out in a red garment, so is there a reason to wear red or is it disliked?” Al-Khamis responded by saying: “The scholars mentioned that wearing red was disliked for two reasons..”

He explained: “The first reason is that it is women’s clothing, and the second reason is that it is the clothing of the infidels, so it is disliked for that reason. Whoever permits it (the red color) according to the original principle permits it. However, if it is all red, then here he forbade it and permitted red that has another color in it, striped or early or other or other, or another color is added to it, so this is something that they are lenient about.”

And this statement on Thursday sparked controversy among activists on social media in the past few days, including the comment of Kuwaiti media figure Fajr Al-Saeed, who said in a post on her page on the X platform (formerly Twitter): “Oh Sheikh, there are no teachings in religion that you are busy with and teach people good morals and how to deal with each other in a good way and spread peace among yourselves and do not insult each other with nicknames.. and teach them that a Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand people are safe and teach them that honesty and trustworthiness are characteristics of Muslims.. instead of being busy with prohibition only as if the origin for you in Islam is prohibition and then.. I do not know where you are going after you have delighted us with this powerful fatwa that a red jacket for a man is forbidden.. Oh Sheikh Othman.. ‘The origin of things is permissibility’ and the meaning of this rule is: that everything on earth of benefits, and what a person extracts from it, then benefiting from it is permissible, unless there is evidence of its prohibition.. and the evidence that you have established does not reach the level of prohibition at all.. Oh Sheikh Othman.. he said God Almighty said: (And that this is My straight path, so follow it, and do not follow [other] paths, for they will separate you from His path. This He has enjoined upon you that you may become righteous.)