Why Playing Tennis is Not Haram in Islam With Proofs
C.J Ahmed-12.06.2023
Tennis is known as a form of racket sport where two players usually play and compete with each other. There is nothing in Islam suggesting that playing tennis is haram. Even the prophet (sal) engaged in sports.
Aisha (rali) said “"I saw the Prophet (sal) and the Ethiopians were playing with their spears." (Bukhari)
The argument against playing tennis is coming from ultra puritanical arguments in which the clothing of men and women who wear shorts or revealing attire are criticized. What needs to be understood is that men and women can definitely wear revealing clothing when playing tennis.
What is the Awrah For a Man?
Like all the other issues pertaining to religious rulings, scholars are divided on how much a man should cover in front of a man and how much a woman should cover in front of a woman. In the teaching of Islam according to the Quran and authentic hadiths, the awrah for a man in front of a man is only his private parts and anything else can be uncovered.
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Some scholars are of the view that the awrah for men is what is between the navel and the knees. This argument could be accepted if there are no opposing evidences but the truth is there are many hadiths stating otherwise. The hadiths proving that the Thigh is not an awrah is as follows.
Narrated by Aisha (rali):
"The Prophet was sitting with his thigh exposed when Abu Bakr asked, and received permission to enter. The same thing happened with 'Umar. However, when Uthman sought permission to enter, the Prophet covered himself with his clothes. When they left, I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you permitted Abu Bakr and 'Umar to enter while your thigh was exposed. When 'Uthman asked permission to enter, you covered yourself with your clothes.' He said, 'O 'Aishah, should I not be shy of a man who, by Allah, even the angels are shy of'?"
(Bukhari, Muslim and others)
What is the Awrah For a Women?
Awrah for women in front of women is only the private parts. A girl who has attained puberty need not cover any other area apart from the private parts. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.
( Sahih Muslim)
Some scholars say by using the above hadiths that the awrah of a women is between the naval and the knee but this is not what is mentioned in these hadiths. Its only the private parts that are mentioned. Sheikh Salih Al Uthaymin said:
"With regard to her mahrams what she may uncover is the same as that which she may uncover in front of other women, so she may uncover her head, neck, feet, hands, forearms and calves, etc. But she should not make her clothes short".
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 12/276, 277)
The above fatwa of Imam Uthaymin is only his opinion and there is no evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah to prove that a women cannot wear a short dress in front of other women.
Conclusion
Playing tennis is not haram and the awrah argument is a weak argument put forward by some Muslims.
Tennis is known as a form of racket sport where two players usually play and compete with each other. There is nothing in Islam suggesting that playing tennis is haram. Even the prophet (sal) engaged in sports.
Aisha (rali) said “"I saw the Prophet (sal) and the Ethiopians were playing with their spears." (Bukhari)
The argument against playing tennis is coming from ultra puritanical arguments in which the clothing of men and women who wear shorts or revealing attire are criticized. What needs to be understood is that men and women can definitely wear revealing clothing when playing tennis.
What is the Awrah For a Man?
Like all the other issues pertaining to religious rulings, scholars are divided on how much a man should cover in front of a man and how much a woman should cover in front of a woman. In the teaching of Islam according to the Quran and authentic hadiths, the awrah for a man in front of a man is only his private parts and anything else can be uncovered.
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Some scholars are of the view that the awrah for men is what is between the navel and the knees. This argument could be accepted if there are no opposing evidences but the truth is there are many hadiths stating otherwise. The hadiths proving that the Thigh is not an awrah is as follows.
Narrated by Aisha (rali):
"The Prophet was sitting with his thigh exposed when Abu Bakr asked, and received permission to enter. The same thing happened with 'Umar. However, when Uthman sought permission to enter, the Prophet covered himself with his clothes. When they left, I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you permitted Abu Bakr and 'Umar to enter while your thigh was exposed. When 'Uthman asked permission to enter, you covered yourself with your clothes.' He said, 'O 'Aishah, should I not be shy of a man who, by Allah, even the angels are shy of'?"
(Bukhari, Muslim and others)
What is the Awrah For a Women?
Awrah for women in front of women is only the private parts. A girl who has attained puberty need not cover any other area apart from the private parts. The evidence for this is in the below hadiths.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:
The Messenger of Allah (sal) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.
( Sahih Muslim)
Some scholars say by using the above hadiths that the awrah of a women is between the naval and the knee but this is not what is mentioned in these hadiths. Its only the private parts that are mentioned. Sheikh Salih Al Uthaymin said:
"With regard to her mahrams what she may uncover is the same as that which she may uncover in front of other women, so she may uncover her head, neck, feet, hands, forearms and calves, etc. But she should not make her clothes short".
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 12/276, 277)
The above fatwa of Imam Uthaymin is only his opinion and there is no evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah to prove that a women cannot wear a short dress in front of other women.
Conclusion
Playing tennis is not haram and the awrah argument is a weak argument put forward by some Muslims.