Establishing swimming pools for women in institutions
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Fatwa number ( 13667 )
Q: I am informing you that I am one of the engineers at the Municipality of the Holy Capital, and I work in the Building Permits Department. One of the employees submitted to us a project for a health center for physical therapy, consisting of two sections: a section for men and a section for women. After reviewing the maps and plans for the project, it was noted that there is a swimming pool in the women’s section, and it is a large pool. When the project owner was informed that this pool is not permissible, because the act of swimming requires a woman to undress, and consequently to wear tight clothing, which, if it does not expose her awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), it depicts it, and as is well known, there is an awrah for women among themselves that is not permissible to expose, and the project owner was also informed that, in the context of blocking the means to harm and averting evils, this pool should not be built; because it is likely, and with a high probability—especially in our time—that there will be among the staff a person who does not fear Allah—even if that person is a woman—who will secretly photograph the women, whether with ordinary cameras or with video cameras that have emerged in our present time, and in that lies a great fitnah (trial, discord or temptation); which would turn this center from a center for treatment into a center for corruption and fitnah, and as is well known, everything that leads to
haram (forbidden) is itself haram. After the project owner was informed of this, he stated that there must be a religious evidence or a fatwa from your Eminence ruling on the cancellation of the pool for women. I ask Allah, then your Eminence, to clarify the ruling of the Shari'ah in such a matter, knowing that the project is in the design phase and has not yet been implemented. May Allah reward you with good.
A: It is not permissible to build a swimming pool for women in the aforementioned center; because averting evils takes precedence over seeking benefits. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I am informing you that I am one of the engineers at the Municipality of the Holy Capital, and I work in the Building Permits Department. One of the employees submitted to us a project for a health center for physical therapy, consisting of two sections: a section for men and a section for women. After reviewing the maps and plans for the project, it was noted that there is a swimming pool in the women’s section, and it is a large pool. When the project owner was informed that this pool is not permissible, because the act of swimming requires a woman to undress, and consequently to wear tight clothing, which, if it does not expose her awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), it depicts it, and as is well known, there is an awrah for women among themselves that is not permissible to expose, and the project owner was also informed that, in the context of blocking the means to harm and averting evils, this pool should not be built; because it is likely, and with a high probability—especially in our time—that there will be among the staff a person who does not fear Allah—even if that person is a woman—who will secretly photograph the women, whether with ordinary cameras or with video cameras that have emerged in our present time, and in that lies a great fitnah (trial, discord or temptation); which would turn this center from a center for treatment into a center for corruption and fitnah, and as is well known, everything that leads to
haram (forbidden) is itself haram. After the project owner was informed of this, he stated that there must be a religious evidence or a fatwa from your Eminence ruling on the cancellation of the pool for women. I ask Allah, then your Eminence, to clarify the ruling of the Shari'ah in such a matter, knowing that the project is in the design phase and has not yet been implemented. May Allah reward you with good.
A: It is not permissible to build a swimming pool for women in the aforementioned center; because averting evils takes precedence over seeking benefits. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.