Fatwa ID: 08908
Answered by: Maulana Ateiq-ur Rehman
Question:
I would like to know if being a life guard at a swimming pool saving people from the pool where males or females are allowed?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The role of a lifeguard, while noble in its goal of preserving life, is not without Sharʿī concerns in a typical public swimming pool environment. The primary issues involve:
Exposure to ʿawrah: In public pools, both men and women are often improperly clothed. Deliberate or sustained exposure to the nakedness (‘awrah) of others is categorically ḥaram unless there is a case of ḍarurah (extreme necessity), such as saving a drowning person.
Physical contact with the opposite gender: Physical contact is also impermissible outside the bounds of necessity. In emergencies, however, the maxim “الضَّرُورَاتُ تُبِيحُ الْمَحْظُورَات” (necessities permit prohibited matters) is applied to allow for the immediate act of saving life.
Immodest environment: Continuous immersion in an environment of immodesty, where the gaze is compromised, and fitnah is ever-present, places a person at serious spiritual risk. The Qur’an commands both men and women to lower their gaze and preserve their chastity ( surah al-Nur: 30–31).
The principle of outweighing harms: According to the legal maxim: “دَرْءُ الْمَفَاسِدِ أَوْلَى مِنْ جَلْبِ الْمَنَافِع” – “Preventing harm takes precedence over attaining benefit,” such employment is not encouraged if it leads to repeated exposure to sinful elements.
Thus, employment as a lifeguard in a mixed-gender, public setting where these violations are frequent would not be permissible due to the overwhelming Sharʿī prohibitions and risk of moral compromise.
However, if the role is limited to gender-segregated pools, or emergency-only response scenarios where contact or gaze issues arise only under genuine necessity, and the individual can otherwise maintain Islamic standards (ḥijab, no unlawful interaction, no music ect.), then permissibility may be granted under strict conditions of ḍarurah, with caution and taqwa.
References:
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَـٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّـٰبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُو۟لِى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفْلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوْرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ٣١
(وَأَمَّا بَيَانُ الْقِسْمِ الثَّانِي) فَنَقُولُ: نَظَرُ الْمَرْأَةِ إلَى الْمَرْأَةِ كَنَظَرِ الرَّجُلِ إلَى الرَّجُلِ، كَذَا فِي الذَّخِيرَةِ. وَهُوَ الْأَصَحُّ، هَكَذَا فِي الْكَافِي. وَلَا يَجُوزُ لِلْمَرْأَةِ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إلَى بَطْنِ امْرَأَةٍ عَنْ شَهْوَةٍ، كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِيَّةِ. وَلَا يَنْبَغِي لِلْمَرْأَةِ الصَّالِحَةِ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إلَيْهَا الْمَرْأَةُ الْفَاجِرَةُ؛ لِأَنَّهَا تَصِفُهَا عِنْدَ الرِّجَالِ فَلَا تَضَعُ جِلْبَابَهَا، وَلَا خِمَارَهَا عِنْدَهَا، وَلَا يَحِلُّ أَيْضًا لِامْرَأَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ أَنْ تَكْشِفَ عَوْرَتَهَا عِنْدَ أَمَةٍ مُشْرِكَةٍ أَوْ كِتَابِيَّةٍ إلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ أَمَةً لَهَا، كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ
كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية 5:527 المكتبة الشاملة
(القواعد الفقهية مع الشرح الموجز. دار الترمذي p34) ٢٩- الضَّرُورَاتُ تُبِيحُ الْمَحْظُورَاتِ
( p43 القواعد الفقهية مع الشرح الموجز. دار الترمذي) ٢٣- دَرْءُ الْمَفَاسِدِ أَوْلَى مِنْ جَلْبِ الْمَنَافِع
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Ateiq-ur Rehman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham