Is it permissible for a woman to look at men while they are swimming in the swimming pool?
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The questioner : Okay, is it permissible for a woman to watch men while they are swimming in the pool, meaning playing in the pool, is it permissible?
The Shaykh : Do you mean, is it permissible for her to look?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : I think that the answer, before going into details, is that it is not permissible for a man to look at those men who are swimming, let alone if the one looking is a woman. Why? Because I believe that those who swim today do not adhere to the Islamic etiquette. They may wear what they call shorts, known in the language as "t-shirts" [note: likely referring to swim trunks or similar], and this exposes the 'awrah, which is the thigh. So it is not permissible for a man to look at a man's 'awrah; it is not permissible for a man to look at a man's thigh. So how can a woman look at a man's thigh? I think the situation is like this. But let us now reverse the situation. Let us assume that these are men who wear Islamic clothing and swim in a way that does not violate Islamic etiquette. If a woman looks at these men, then we say it depends on her intention. If her intention has a meaning related to what is called today "sex," or if it is just a look of desire, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), as you know, said:Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 6:1184 And although this hadith is addressed to men, telling them not to look back at women, women take the same ruling regarding men. Why? Because Allah (Mighty and Majestic), when He said: [An-Nur 24:30], He also addressed women with the same: [An-Nur 24:31]. So the ruling is the same for both genders. It is not permissible for a man to look at a woman who is not his mahram with a second look that has a suspicious meaning. Likewise, the ruling is the same for a woman if she looks at a man. So it depends on the intention. Is that clear?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, but in my opinion, looking at swimmers today is different from looking at men while they are walking, gathering, or talking, and so on. Because usually, they are at least exposing the upper part, showing the chest, showing the muscles, showing the color, and so on. And there may be exposure, as we mentioned earlier, of what is not permissible to expose.
The Shaykh : Do you mean, is it permissible for her to look?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : I think that the answer, before going into details, is that it is not permissible for a man to look at those men who are swimming, let alone if the one looking is a woman. Why? Because I believe that those who swim today do not adhere to the Islamic etiquette. They may wear what they call shorts, known in the language as "t-shirts" [note: likely referring to swim trunks or similar], and this exposes the 'awrah, which is the thigh. So it is not permissible for a man to look at a man's 'awrah; it is not permissible for a man to look at a man's thigh. So how can a woman look at a man's thigh? I think the situation is like this. But let us now reverse the situation. Let us assume that these are men who wear Islamic clothing and swim in a way that does not violate Islamic etiquette. If a woman looks at these men, then we say it depends on her intention. If her intention has a meaning related to what is called today "sex," or if it is just a look of desire, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), as you know, said:
The first look is for you, and the second is against you.
النظرة الأولى لك ، والثانية عليكTell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts
قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْAnd tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts
وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, but in my opinion, looking at swimmers today is different from looking at men while they are walking, gathering, or talking, and so on. Because usually, they are at least exposing the upper part, showing the chest, showing the muscles, showing the color, and so on. And there may be exposure, as we mentioned earlier, of what is not permissible to expose.
Source
www.al-albany.com
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