Assalaamu alaykum. People in our country are used to give a flipflop pendant of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, made of gold and silver. Is it permissible in Islam to wear shoe-shaped jewelry of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam? And why do people wear this shoe-shaped jewelry? Is this not Bida' (innovation)? And what benefits do we get by wearing shoe-shaped jewelry? The people call this love of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam; is this correct? What sort of love is this? The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, never told his Companions to take his stuff after his death. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, is a respectable person, but this does not mean that we should take his shoe as love for him! I want your fatwa on this issue.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. 

Indeed, you did well by denying this act that is an innovation and does not have any basis in Islam.

There is no need to elaborate on the impermissibility of this act and that it is neither an act of worship nor an act by which a person gets closer to Allah.

It is enough that it was never reported that the Prophet ordered such a thing, nor did his Companions do this. Also, we do not know of any Salaf (righteous predecessors) or scholar who said that such an act is permissible.

The love of the Prophet is practiced by obeying him and following his confirmed Sunnah, and not in such useless appearances that the innovators invent.

Even though some ignorant people may do this with a good intention and love for the Prophet that does not entail the permissibility of this act or that it is correct.

According to the agreement of the scholars, it is known that it is forbidden for a man to wear gold necklaces, in any shape or form, as ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet took silk in his right hand and gold in his left hand and then said, “These are forbidden for the males of my nation.” [Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i and Ibn Maajah]

Also, it is forbidden for men to wear silver necklaces, because wearing them constitutes imitating women.

For more benefit, please refer to fatwa 89085.

Allah knows best.