Is Complete Nudity Between Spouses Allowed in Private?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

Is it permissible for a husband and wife to be completely unclothed in privacy, or is it considered immoral?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

The Letter of the Law

It is permissible, according to the letter of the law, for spouses to be uncovered before one another in private.

There are two valid opinions as to the obligation of covering one’s nakedness in privacy. The relied-upon position in the Hanafi School is that uncovering one’s nakedness without or beyond need, even when alone, is prohibitively disliked. Physical intimacy between spouses is considered a need and would, therefore, be excluded from the prohibition. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

The other valid opinion is that keeping covered under these circumstances is merely recommended. [Ibid.]

The Spirit of the Law

That said, the spirit of the Sacred law calls for higher levels of modesty. It is therefore a matter of propriety and in line with the Prophet Sunna to limit the extent and time of exposure.

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“If any of you approaches his wife, let them both cover up and not be fully exposed like donkeys.” [Tabarani]

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.