Is it permissible for young boys and girls to swim together in short clothing such as swimwear?

The questioner : Well, if there are young boys and girls, is it permissible for them to, I mean, to practice swimming in the short clothing that is the swimwear in front of non-Muslims, for example? Do they have an awrah (part of the body that must be covered) or do they not have an awrah?

The Shaykh : The question is incorrect; perhaps you should say, "Is it permissible for them," whereas it should be, "Is it permissible for their awliya (guardians)..."

The questioner : Is it permissible for their awliya to allow them?

The Shaykh : Yes, this differs first by age. And secondly: by the physique, between a body that does not attract attention and a body that does attract attention. For example, let us take, as we say in Syria, "Alawiyah," a girl of nine years old. She is not mukallaf (legally accountable) and hijab is not obligatory upon her, but she is plump, fat, and beautiful, and so on. She may be a cause of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). So here, it is not permissible for her wali (guardian) to allow her such swimming. Well, this is in a specific case, but as a rule, if a boy or girls reach the age of seven, it is not permissible to treat them in such matters except as adults are treated. So he does not have an awrah, but it is not permissible for her wali or his wali to expose her awrah with short clothing. For example, we often see in mosques many children entering the mosque with their fathers, and they are around five or six years old, wearing shorts, meaning their awrah is visible. And girls may also enter the mosque wearing short clothing from which their thighs are visible. My previous first point is observed here: that what is desired is desired. But if the age of seven is reached, it is not permissible except to dress her as if she were a girl of fourteen or fifteen, due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): etc. So if the wali is commanded by this ruling to order the boy to pray, this means that he must order him regarding all the obligations, conditions, and pillars related to prayer. And there is no doubt that the awrah is among the fard (obligatory) matters that must be covered in prayer. From this perspective, we say with this detail that I mentioned earlier, meaning if the age of seven is reached, the wali must adhere to the rulings as if she were of age, and if he is below that, then the manner is considered.