Fatwa ID: 01842

Answered by Molana Ishaaq Hussain

Question:

Assalamu alaikum. My question is that if from naval to knees a man has covered his awra (satar) from naval to knees. Can he be sinful if in that dressing he moves around in his home where his sisters or mother is present? Or will he be sinful if he had covered his awra not more than that and he comes in front of non mehram which looks at him.

Answer:

The awrah of a man extends from what is below the navel up to his knees, due to the words of the prophet peace be upon him “The awrah of a man is between his navel and his knees” (Al Hidayah p101 v1)

From the above we learn that these parts of a man are considered to be his private parts, they must be covered at all times.

“ Hazrat Bahz Bin Hakeem narrates from his father Bahz who narrates from his father Muawiyah Bin Haydah that Rasulullah  said: Safeguard your private parts (awrah) except from your wives and those who you have ownership over (female servants). Hazrat Muawiyah says o prophet of Allah what about when a person is all alone, does he conceal his private parts? The messenger of Allah said: Allah is more worthy and deserving that you conceal your Awrah from him” (Mishkaat The book of marriage. Extracted from Mazaahirul Haq p260 v3)

From the above we learn we should always conceal our Awrah (private parts) at all times.

What about those parts of the body which do not fall into the category of Awrah. Observe the following texts.

“ Let it be known that if it is not within salah ( i.e. you are outside salah) then the Awrah of the man is from the belly button to the knees, apart from this to look at the whole body is permissible as long as the onlooker is free from desire and bad thoughts.” (Kitabul Fiqh p306 v1)

“Apart from the Awrah to look at the rest of the body of a man is permissible for both men and woman as long as the woman is free from any carnal desires (shawat). If a woman is not free from desire then for her to look would be impermissible.”

From the above texts we learn that if there are no desires then it would be permissible to dress in such a way as long as the Awrah is covered, however this should not become normality to a person. With regards to non mahram women although permissibility is shown in the above texts with the condition put that they should be free from desires (shawat), it would be better and more modest that one does not dress in such a way due to the emergence of fitnah and evil.

Saaiduna Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet of Allah said, “Allah has written the very portion of zina which a man may indulge in. There will be no escape from it. The zina of the eye is the lustful look, the zina of the ears is the listening, the zina of the tongue is the speech, the zina of the hand is the grip, the zina of the feet is the walking (to the place to commit zina), the heart yearns and desires and the private parts approve all that or disprove it.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Only Allah Knows Best

Written by Molana Ishaaq Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham.