#664: Ruling on Taking Bath while Naked

QUESTION:

“Assallam alaykum warahmatullah. What is the Sharia’s stand on the saying that it is wrong to bath in the washroom completely naked. I.e one must put on something to cover one’s privates.”

ANSWER:

Wa ‘Alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh

Alhamdulillāh.

The ‘Ulamā have agreed as was mentioned by Imām Al-Hāfidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalānī – rahimahullāh – in the Fat’h that it is permissible to strip off all of one’s clothes to take his bath. This is because of the Hadīth that was recorded by Imām Al-Bukhārī – Rahimahullāh – and Muslim – rahimahullāh – from the Companion Abū Hurayrah – radiyallāhu ‘anhu – in which mention was made by the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – of the bath of Mūsā – alayhi As-Salām. In it, mention was made of him taking his bath naked.

Evidence for it is also found in the Ahādith of Maymūnah, ‘Ā’ishah and Umm Salamah where they took bath with the Rasūl – salallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam – while they were stripped off their clothes.

This that we have mentioned is what was echoed by Imām An-Nawawī in his Shar’h on Sahīh Muslim and by Ash-Shawkānī in Naylu Al-Awtār.

But it should be known that some of the Salaf yet preferred that one takes his bath without stripping of the clothes entirely.

And Allāh knows best

Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran

8th Safar 1440H.

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