Abdul Razzaq al-Badr said,
The title used for this chapter is intended to show that it is the Sunnah to wear the ring on the right hand. This is the view adopted by the author as he considered the hadīth wherein it states that he (peace be upon him) wore the ring on the left hand to be weak. However, Ibn al-Qayyim said, “There are hadīths indicating that he wore his ring on the right hand and other hadīths stating that he wore it on the left hand, and the chains of all these hadīths are authentic.”
Al-Nawawī said, “The scholars are in agreement that it is permissible to wear the ring on the right hand or the left hand as neither is disliked. However, they differed on what is better. Many of the salaf used to wear the ring on the right hand and many of them used to wear the ring on the left hand. Imām Mālik preferred wearing the ring on the left hand and he disliked wearing it on the right hand. In our madhab (Shāfi’ī) there are two views, but the most correct is that wearing the ring on the right hand is better because it is a form of adornment and the right hand is more deserving of being honoured and beautified.”
95. Alī ibn Abī Tālib narrated: “The Messenger of Allāh (peace be upon him) wore his ring on the right hand.” [112]
Al-Bajūrī said,
The author (al-Tirmidhī) quoted al-Bukhārī who said, “The hadīths stating that he (peace be upon him) wore the ring on his left hand are the most authentic hadīths.”
The hadīths can be reconciled i.e. he had two rings, one he wore on his left hand and [on other occasions] he wore his other ring on his right hand, which goes in line with the hadīths that stated he had a ring with a gemstone made of silver and another from Abyssinia.
Ibn Hajar al-Haytamī said,
Imām Ahmad disliked wearing a ring on the index finger or the middle finger.
Alī al-Qārī said,
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalānī said, “If the ring is worn as an adornment then wearing it on the right hand is better but if it is worn to use for stamping letters, then wearing it on the left hand is better.”
96. Sharīk ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn Abū Namir reports the same.
97. Hammād ibn Salamah narrated that he saw Abdur Rahmān ibn Abī Rāfi' wearing a ring on his right hand. He inquired regarding the reason behind this and he replied: “I had seen ‘Abdullāh ibn Ja’far wearing a ring on his right hand, and he said that he had seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) wear a ring on his right hand.” [113]
98. ‘Abdullāh ibn Ja’far narrates: “The Messenger of Allāh wore a ring on his right hand.” [114]
99. Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh narrated: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) wore the ring on the right hand.” [115]
Al-Bajūrī said,
These hadīths did not show what finger he (peace be upon him) used to wear the ring on but the hadīths in the two Sahīh books show that he wore his ring on the pinkie. With that said, the Sunnah is to wear the ring on the pinkie only. The wisdom behind this is that the pinkie is far from the actions of the hand and [due to it being the farthest finger from the thumb] it does not hinder the work of the hand unlike if it was worn on the index finger.
100. Salt ibn ‘Abdullāh narrated: “Ibn Abbās wore a ring on the right hand, and as far as I can recall he used to say that the Prophet (peace be upon him) wore it on the right hand.” [116]
101. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar related: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) had a ring made of silver which had its gemstone facing his palm. He [ordered] the words, ‘Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh’ to be engraved on it and prohibited people from putting the same inscription on their rings. This is the same ring that fell from the hands of Mu’ayqib into the well of Arīs.” [117]
Abdul Razzaq al-Badr said,
The Prophet (peace be upon him) positioned its gemstone facing towards his palm so that it would not show, which indicates that the ring was for the purpose of stamping letters and not for adornment.
This hadīth can be reconciled with the other hadīth where it stated that the ring fell from the hand of ‘Uthmān: It is possible that ‘Uthmān gave Mu’ayqib the ring to use and then when he wanted to give it back to ‘Uthmān, it fell from his hand. This is why both were referred to as the one from whom the ring fell down.
Alī al-Qārī said,
Al-Nawawī said that the reason for keeping the gemstone of the ring towards the palm was because that would protect the inscription and because keeping it away from the eye would prevent showing off and pride.
Al-Bajūrī said,
The Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited people from making this inscription on their rings to avert confusion and corruption. However, al-Zain al-‘Iraqī stated that this prohibition was only applicable during his life.
102. Muhammad al-Baqir related: “Al-Hasan and al-Hussain wore their rings on their left hands.” [118]
Ibn Hajar al-Haytamī said,
They wore their rings on the left hand to follow the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who wore it on the left hand often. The reason the author included this hadīth though it opposes the title of the chapter is because he wanted to explain that such hadīths do not negate that wearing it on the right hand is better.
Abdul Razzaq al-Badr said,
This shows that it is permissible to wear it on the left hand or the right hand.
103. Anas ibn Mālik related: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) wore a ring on his right hand.” [119]
104. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar related: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) possessed a ring made of gold which he wore on his right hand. To follow the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the companions also had gold rings made for themselves. Upon seeing this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) removed the gold ring and said, ‘I will never wear it again.’ Accordingly, the people removed their gold rings too.” [120]
Alī al-Qārī said,
This hadīth refers to the period where gold was not yet made prohibited for men. The Prophet (peace be upon him) removed the ring after it was revealed to him that gold was not allowed for men.
Al-Nawawī said,
The scholars are in agreement that the Sunnah for men is to wear the ring on their pinkie fingers whilst women can wear the ring on the finger of their choosing.
Al-Bajūrī said,
He (peace be upon him) removed it because he saw that people showed off with their gold rings and it coincided that the revelation came down to make gold forbidden for men.