Is It Allowed to Wear Shorts While Playing Sports?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question

Is it allowed to wear shorts while playing sports, if when running and jumping the shorts will lift and expose my knee and thigh? What about tight compression pants underneath the shorts?

Also if I am playing with other brothers, without any women around, is it okay to play in just the shorts?

Answer

The general ruling is that it is permissible to wear clothing that covers the nakedness (‘awra) in an acceptable manner. Wearing shorts to play sports in is fine if they cover the area, namely, from the navel up to and including the knee.

Normally, if you wear something which completely covers the nakedness, yet part of it unintentionally becomes uncovered, it would be excusable. However, when the likelihood of this happening is high, and repetitive as in this context, then extra caution, and thus covering, is needed.

Note that covering the nakedness with something tight or form-fitting does not fulfill the religious requirement. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Please also see: Praying While Wearing Soccer Shorts With Compression Leggings Underneath and: What is the Ruling on Wearing Shorts?

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani 

Ustadh Tabraze Azam was born and raised in Ipswich, England, a quiet town close to the east coast of England. His journey for seeking sacred knowledge began when he privately memorized the entire Qur’an in his hometown at the age of 16. He also had his first experience in leading the tarawih (nightly-Ramadan) prayers at his local mosque. Year after year he would continue this unique return to reciting the entire Quran in one blessed month both in his homeland, the UK, and also in the blessed lands of Shaam, where he now lives, studies and teaches.