Sports Days

It should be understood that such gatherings as mentioned by you are alien to Islam. Gathering merely for the purpose of fun was not found in the time of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, the Sahaba Radiallahu Anhum, the Tabi’een Rahimahumullah, or the pious predecessors, therefore such fun days are not part of Islam, rather it is a way which was initiated by the Kuffaar.

We are commanded in the Qur’an and Hadeeth to stay away from all such activities which are futile and frivolous. Allah Ta’aala while mentioning the qualities of the believers in Surah Mu’minoon says:

They are those who stay away from futility. (3:23)

Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned in a Hadith:

From the beauty of a man’s Islam is that he leaves out those things which have no benefit.

Like this, there are many verses of the Qur’an and Ahaadith of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam corroborating this.

It is mentioned in Ahsanul-Fataawa: “In reality this is a plan of the Kuffaar to avert the Muslim youngsters by means of keeping them involved in fun, sport, and futile activities, so that they may become negligent, or rather that they leave out the commands of Deen.”

In another place in the Qur’an Allah Ta’aala mentions our reason for being created he says:

I have not created men and Jinn except that they worship me.

Our primary objective in this world is to make the Ibaadat of Allah Ta’aala, anything which takes us to the Ibaadat of Allah Ta’aala will also be regarded as Ibaadat, for e.g. a person going out to earn a living, he is earning so that he can provide food for him and his family, through which they will get energy, due to which they will be able to make Ibaadat, so if done with the right intention then it will also be regarded as Ibaadat. All other activities which are contrary to this will be regarded as futile.

Such fun days are generally such that they make a person negligent of Allah Ta’aala and it becomes so bad that at times even a great command like Salaah is neglected.

In your query, you have stated that the men and women are separate, but they can still see each other, this too, is not permissible in Shariah, it goes completely against the objective of Purdah, the main objective of Purdah is so that women are not seen.

We find that in such gatherings most women do not adhere to strict Shari’ Purdah and some even dress scantily. According to Shariah it is not permissible for women to wear such clothing out of their houses through which the shape of their bodies can be seen, and it is not permissible for men to look at women.

Furthermore, women are instructed in the Qur’an to not even leave their homes except in a case of dire necessity, Allah Ta’aala says:

Remain in your homes. (33:33)

In the Tafseer and explanation of this verse our Ulema and Fuqaha have stated that due to this verse women are not allowed to leave their homes except in a case of dire necessity. For e.g. Allamah Kaassani Rahimahullah mentions in Badaai’us Sanaai’:

“It is not permissible for young women to come out (of their homes) for Jumuah, Eidain, or any Salaah, because Allah Ta’aala says “stay put and remain in your homes.” The command of “stay put” prevents them from coming out, because their coming out of their homes is a means of Fitnah, and Fitnah is Haraam, and that which leads to Haraam is also Haraam.

In Tafseer ibn Kathir the explanation of this verse is as follows: (It means:) 

“Stay put in your homes, and do not come out without necessity.

Likewise, ibn Abbas Radiallahu Anhu who is known as the leader of the Mufassireen mentions in his Tafseer: (It means:) “Stay put in your houses, do not come out of your houses, and tranquility will descend upon you.”

In the same light, many other Tafseer and Fiqh Kitaabs mention the same meaning of this verse.

Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned in a Hadith:

Meaning that there is no permission for a woman to leave the house except in a case of dire necessity.

Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned in a another Hadith:

A woman is an object of concealment, so when she leaves the house Shaytaan casts glances (lustful) at her.

Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has mentioned in yet another Hadith:

A woman leaves her house in the form of Shaytaan and returns in the form of Shaytaan.

Allamah Burhanud-deen Rahimahullah has mentioned in his Kitaab, Muheete Burhaani:

Know that women have been commanded to stay put in their houses, Allah Ta’aala says; “stay put in your houses”, they are prohibited from coming out, Allah Ta’aala says; “do not make a display of yourselves as was the practice of the former period of ignorance”, except that they were allowed in the initial stages to come for Salaah…….. thereafter they were prohibited from this because their coming out was a means of Fitnah, Allah Ta’aala mentioned; “Indeed we know those of you who are first and those of you who follow after” it is said in the Tafseer of the verse; this verse was revealed with regards to women, the hypocrites (Munafiqeen) used to stay back so that they could see the women, so they (the women) were prohibited after that (from coming out), and Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has said; “The Salaah of a woman in her home is better than her Salaah in the Masjid, and her Salaah in the innermost corner of her house is better that her Salaah in the vicinity of her home.” 

It is narrated that Umar Radiallahu Anhu used to prevent the women from going to the Masjid, so some people went and complained of this to Ayesha Radiallahu Anhu, Ayesha Radiallahu Anhu thereafter told them “if Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam had seen what Umar Radiallahu Anhu is seeing right now he also would not have given permission for you people to come out of your homes.”

It is mentioned in Bahrur-Raiq that it is permissible for a woman to leave the house with the permission of her husband for one of seven reasons; he says:

It is mentioned in the Kitaab Khulaasatul Fataawa in Kitaabun-Nikaah that the husband is permitted to give his wife permission to leave the house for one of seven reasons:

1. Visiting her parents (Note:- If they are staying further than Musaafir distance they will have to be accompanied by a Mahram).
2. Visiting them when they are sick.
3. For their consolation or consolation of one of them.
4. Visiting a Mahram (Note:- If he/she is staying further than Musaafir distance they will have to be accompanied by a Mahram).
5. If she has to take a compulsory bath (in those times some people never had baths in their homes).
6.  Or if someone has a right over her.
7. Or to go for Hajj.

Everything besides this, like visiting a non-Mahram or visiting non-Mahrams when they are sick orgoing to their Waleema etc. he cannot give her permission to go, and she is not permitted to leave the house; if he does give her permission and she leaves the house they will both be sinful.

So, in the queried scenario, all the more reason why there is no scope at all for women to attend such gatherings.

In Ma’ariful Qur’an Mufti Shafi says; the synopsis of the verse و قرنَ في بيوتكنَ is that from the indications in Qur’an and the actions of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and due to the Ijma of Sahaba Radiallahu Anhum, if there is necessity it will be exempted, (they will be able to come out). For example, for Ibaadat such as Hajj and Umrah, or visiting her parents, Mahrams, especially when they are sick etc. In the same way if a woman has no other means of receiving livelihood, then whilst observing Purdah she may go out and work, however even in the times of necessity if she does leave the house, the condition is that she does not leave in such a way that she is exposing any beauty whatsoever, rather she should leave the house with a Burqah and a Jilbaab (a huge cloth that covers the body in such a way that the shape of the body cannot be seen).

Other than this nothing else counts as necessity, thus going for “fun days” does not fall under necessity.

Similarly, Moulana Idrees Kandhelwi mentions in his Ma’ariful Qur’an; in the time of ignorance women walked around without Purdah, showing off their beauty, elegance, and adornment. In our pure Shariah all women in general and especially the wives of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam are prohibited from this immodesty………all believing women are prohibited from leaving their houses without any dire necessity, showing off their beauty to others, walking with an unclad head, and talking freely with others. Any sane person will understand that coming out and showing off beauty, and not just
talking to males but joking and laughing with them is a source of Fitnah, and will lead to Zina (adultery), every intelligent mind will understand that to curb this fitnah there is no other way but for women to remain within their homes, and to not come out without a dire need.

Therefore, it is best in today’s times of Fitnah and Fasaad for women to remain within the confines of their homes, and it will not be permissible for them to attend such futile gatherings in which at some point or the other (whether in the parking lot or wherever else) some sort of intermingling will take place.