Q: What is the ruling on entering a sauna? Is it permissible for women and men to enter it without an Izar (garment worn below the waist)? This phenomenon has widely spread, so please advise. (Part No. 17; Page No. 50

A: It is strictly forbidden for men to enter saunas without an Izar. It was authentically reported in the Hadith narrated by Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection, let him not go to public baths except while wearing an Izar." (Related by Al-Nasa'y and Al-Hakim, and ranked as Sahih [authentic] according to the conditions of Muslim) This Hadith has corroborating reports. Women are forbidden from entering public baths. It was reported from `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she told some women who came to her, "Are you the ones whose women enter public baths? I had heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "A woman who removes her clothes in other than her husband's house tears the veil between her and Allah." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy, Ibn Majah, and Al-Hakim, and ranked as Sahih according to the conditions of Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Al-Dhahaby agreed with him.) It was related in “Musnad (Hadith compilation of) Imam Ahmad", and ranked as Hasan (good) by Al-Hafizh Ibn Kathir, that `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O people! I heard (Part No. 17; Page No. 51) the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying, 'A person who believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection should not sit at a table where there is Khamr (intoxicants); a man who believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection should not enter a public bath without an Izar; and a woman who believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection should not enter a public bath.'" Al-Hafizh Ibn Kathir (may Allah be merciful to him) said, "Imam Abu Ya`la Al-Mawsily and Al-Hafizh Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Hibban related in his Sahih Book of Hadith entitled "Al-Anwa` wal-Taqasim" the Hadith narrated on the authority of Muhammad ibn Thabit ibn Shurahbil from `Abdullah ibn Yazid Al-Khatmy from Abu Ayyub Al-Ansary (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "A man who believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection should not enter public baths except while wearing an Izar; and a woman who believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection should not enter public baths." He then said, "I told this to `Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz when he was a Caliph, so he wrote to Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn `Amr ibn Hazm to ask Muhammad ibn Thabit about this Hadith, as he is trustworthy. He asked him, and then he wrote to `Umar who forbade the women from entering public baths. `Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz carried out the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who had said: "You must follow my Sunnah and that of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs after me." The Muslims have unanimously acknowledged that `Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz is one of the guided Imams (Part No. 17; Page No. 52) and the Rightly-Guided Caliphs who ruled according to Al-Haqq (the Truth)." This is the end of his words. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.