Frequenting the beaches

Question:-

1. Is swimming / playing in the water and sand at the beach permissible in Islam, for both males and females?

2. What is the ruling with regard to females sitting at the shore if her Maham is going fishing? Will it be allowed?

3. Is there a specific time when men are not allowed to be at the seaside?

Answer:-

1. There is no prohibition (for men) from swimming in the ocean with the proviso that, one dresses in accordance to the Shariah and stays away from the areas of Fitnah as far as possible. Females are not permitted to emerge from their homes except on the basis of necessity, hence, they should not be frequenting the beaches.

2. The same ruling mentioned above in #1 is applicable here; that is, females are not permitted to emerge from their homes except due to necessity, hence, they shouldn’t be accompanying their spouses to the beaches when they go fishing.

3. We haven’t come across any narration that prohibits one from being at the ocean at a particular time. Yes, there is a narration that states that, when the sun sets, then hold back your children (in the homes) for verily it is a time when the Shayateen spread out. This is the only narration that we are aware of which prohibits one from being outdoors at the time of sunset.

إِذَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَكُفُّوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ ، فَإِنَّهَا سَاعَةٌ يَنْتَشِرُ فِيهَا الشَّيَاطِينُ (طبراني)

However, one should not be so engrossed in his fishing or swimming that he remains at the beach throughout the day and consequently misses Salaah with Jamaat, or misses his Salaah totally. If one visits the ocean immediately after Fajr Salaah, whether for swimming or fishing, fulfils his need and returns home, then he may even be able to get his Zuhr Salaah with Jamaat in the Masjid.

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 16 Safar 1444 / 13 September 2022