Can Men Wear Shorts?

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following: Due to hot weather and fashion trends, some men wear shorts that reveal their knees and even their thighs. Can men wear this kind of clothing in public?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   It is haram and sinful for men to wear clothing revealing their knees or thighs. This ruling remains the same irrespective of hot weather or fashion trends. It is also impermissible to intentionally look at a person’s knees or thighs.

   Clothing is a great blessing from Allah. Mankind can cover their privacy, beautify themselves, and draw many other benefits through this. We must utilise this blessing in accordance with Islam’s enlightened teachings, and refrain from what Allah Almighty has commanded us to avoid. Yet, with the ever-growing evils in our society, Islamic rulings are ignored in the name of fashion and other excuses.

   The ruling for men is as clear as day. The area of the body which a man is obliged to cover is from below his navel to the bottom of his knee. He is to cover this from everyone besides his wife. It is haram to reveal this area to anyone without a reason legislated by Islamic law. Ignoring this ruling and uncovering this area leads to Allah being displeased. 

   An individual who uncovers these parts of his body for all to see is also guilty of the sin of spreading immorality and immodesty. The noble Quran mentions a severe warning for those who do this. Those who cast evil glances at these exposed body parts acquire sin, but the one wearing this immodest clothing also gains the like amount of sin for being the cause of their sinning.

   Men must avoid wearing clothing like shorts in public, which uncovers the body parts that are obligatory to veil. May Allah grant us the ability to act upon Islamic rulings.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صلَّی اللہ عَلَیْہِ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

   Quranic verses related to this topic

   Allah Almighty declares regarding clothing:

یٰبَنِیْۤ اٰدَمَ قَدْ اَنْزَلْنَا عَلَیْكُمْ لِبَاسًا یُّوَارِیْ سَوْاٰتِكُمْ وَرِیْشًا

   O descendants of Adam! Undoubtedly, We have sent down to you a garment that may conceal your parts of shame, and another for your adornment[1]

   Regarding preservation of the gaze and not looking at impermissible things, Allah Almighty states:

قُلْ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ یَغُضُّوْا مِنْ اَبْصَارِهِمْ وَ یَحْفَظُوْا فُرُوْجَهُمْ ذٰلِكَ اَزْكٰى لَهُمْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِیْرٌۢ بِمَا یَصْنَعُوْنَ

   Command the Muslim men to keep their gaze somewhat low and protect their private parts; this is much purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Aware of their actions.[2]

   Commentary of this verse in Tafsīr Ṣirāṭ al-Jinān:

   This verse commands Muslim men to lower their gazes and to not look at that which is impermissible. One meaning of وَ یَحْفَظُوْا فُرُوْجَهُمْ is to refrain from fornication and other forbidden acts. It also enforces the ruling of covering the private parts and the surrounding areas, which are obligatory to veil.[3]

   Allah Almighty announces about those who spread immorality:

اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ یُحِبُّوْنَ اَنْ تَشِیْعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِی الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ اَلِیْمٌ ۙ- فِی الدُّنْیَا وَ الْاٰخِرَةِ وَاللّٰهُ یَعْلَمُ وَ اَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ

   Indeed, those who wish that scandal should spread amongst the Muslims, for them is a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows, and you know not.[4]

   Aḥādīth about the extent of the Ꜥawrah for males

   The final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم explained:

ما اسفل من سرته الى ركبتيہ من عورته

   The Ꜥawrah (that which is obligatory to cover) of a man is from below the navel down to [and including] his knees.[5]

   The Companion Sayyidunā Ibn ꜤAbbās رَضِیَ اللہُ عَنْہُمَا reports:

مر رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه وسلم على رجل وفخذه خارجة، فقال:غط فخذك، فان فخذ الرجل من عورته

   The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم walked by a man whose thigh was exposed. He said, “Cover your thigh, for indeed the thigh of a man is included in his Ꜥawrah.”[6]

   Likewise, the Companion Sayyidunā Jarhad رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ (who is from Aṣḥāb al-Ṣuffah) states:

جلس رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه وسلم عندنا وفخذی منكشفة فقال:اما علمت ان الفخذ عورة

   Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sat with us and my thigh was uncovered. He said, “Do you not know that indeed the thigh is Ꜥawrah?”[7]

   Juristic citations concerning the extent of the Ꜥawrah

   It is written in the famous Ḥanafī text of jurisprudence, al-Hidāyah[8]:

وعورة الرجل ما تحت السرة الى الركبة ، لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام :’’عورة الرجل ما بين سرته الى ركبته ‘‘ ويروى’’ما دون سرته،حتى تجاوز ركبته

   The Ḥanafī jurist, Muftī Amjad ꜤAlī al-AꜤẓamī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه said:

   It is obligatory for a man to cover the area beneath the navel up to and including his knees. The navel is not included but the knees are. Nowadays, many people wear waist wrappers and pants in such a way that they leave some of the area below the navel uncovered. If the colour of the skin cannot be seen through a shirt or similar garment covering it, then this is fine, otherwise it is forbidden.

   Prayer shall be invalid if a fourth of the body part remains revealed during it. Some foolish people reveal their knees and thighs when they sit with others. This is haram, and he who makes a habit of this is an open transgressor.[9]

   Deliberately looking at the Ꜥawrah of others

   The Companion Sayyidunā Abū SaꜤīd al-Khudrī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

لا ينظر الرجل الى عورة الرجل ولا المراة الى عورة المراة

    “A man should not look at the Ꜥawrah of another man, and a woman should not look at the Ꜥawrah of another woman.”[10]

   In another Hadith, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

لعن اللہ الناظر والمنظور اليه

   The curse of Allah is upon those who look at indecency and those who enable it.[11]

   The fourth Caliph of Islam, Sayyidunā ꜤAlī b. Abī Ṭālib رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said:

قال لي النبي صلى اللہ عليه وسلم:لا تبرز فخذك ولا تنظر الى فخذ حي  ولا ميت

    “The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to me, ‘Do not expose your thigh, and do not look at the thigh of the living and the dead.’”[12]

   Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khan Naʿīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه explains this hadith:

   “Thighs are part of the Ꜥawrah. People who wear shorts in public and walk freely with half their thighs revealed should take heed. May Allah grant us  modesty and honour.”[13]

   The sin of looking at haram is also upon the one who enables it

   The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

من دعا الی ھدی کان لہ من الاجر مثل اجور من تبعہ لا ینقص ذلک من اجورھم شیئا ومن دعاالی ضلالۃ کان علیہ من الاثم مثل اثام من تبعہ لا ینقص ذلک من اثامھم شیئا

   He who calls to guidance will be rewarded equal to all those who follow him, without that diminishing their reward in any respect. He who calls to misguidance will carry sin equal to that of all who follow him, without that reducing their sin in any respect.[14]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari

Ref No: PIN-7270

Date: 7th Ṣafar al-Muẓaffar 1445AH/ 25th August 2023