How Do I Watch and Play Tennis While Avoiding Looking at People’s ‘Awra?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I enjoy playing and watching tennis, but I cannot control others’ attire. While I focus on modesty and avoid looking at uncovered areas, should I continue playing while prioritizing my own awra, or should I take further steps?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question and for trying to be mindful in your life.
If a game like tennis consists of players exposing their nakedness (‘awra) or if, by playing the actual game, the other person exposes it, then it will be impermissible to watch and play. However, you may look into other answers. See the link below.
The nakedness (‘awra) for males, i.e., those parts of the body which must be covered, is from the navel until the knees, excluding the navel itself and including the knees. Refer to the detailed answer provided in the link below.
It is not permissible for a man to expose his knees or thighs, nor may he look at the knees or thighs of another male. It is permissible to wear shorts that extend below and comfortably cover the knees.
[Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
Why not try to find friends and people who would cover their nakedness (‘awra)? You may find that your options are limited, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a game of tennis. Regardless of the competitiveness, you can still reap the physical and leisure benefits of playing. Remember, a game is a game!
Allah Most High has commanded us to dress modestly and guard our gaze for several important reasons. These practices ennoble and spiritually uplift both ourselves and those around us. They help maintain healthy relationships, safeguard our chastity, and establish clear guidelines for our interactions with others. Allah knows what is best for us and what can lead to harm.
Please go through the valuable answers and links below. In sha Allah, they will provide you with guidance and direction.
Related
- A Detailed Exposition of the Fiqh of Covering One’s Nakedness (awra)
- Sports Archives
- ‘Awra, when swimming
- Is Watching Sports Like Soccer Permissible? (video)
- Is It Permissible to Play Sports with People Who May Expose (video)
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org), like from the Islamic Studies Curriculum (seekersguidance.org), and build your way up, doing each course?
I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
