Author [EN] [PL] [ES] [PT] [IT] [DE] [FR] [NL] [TR] [SR] [AR] [RU] Topic: Modesty and problems in applying it in activities that are not inherently wrong

Offline HopeSeeker

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Before I start I'd like to thank Brother Joseph for all the work he has put into his articles, you have helped me greatly in getting a better understanding of my faith. :D

From my understanding of the Quran modesty of both men and women is an important part of our faith. But what about doctors who in order to get a better understanding of the human anatomy or to check up on/treat a certain health problem will need to observe and/or work on their patients with the cloths off and sometimes even their private parts exposed? Would that be right in light of the Quran?

Another thing I find confusing to figure out is art. Drawing people does not seem to be wrong, but in order get good at it, it seems that one needs to have a good idea on how the human body looks like. I am completely against the idea of women/men posing nude for artists, but then, how would one go about it? Having models would really help , but a fully clothed one , especially in case of women who are asked to wear extra layer of clothing around non family members and also told to not show off their beauty, would probably not work. Can an artist get some leeway on this? considering that he/she is not trying to satisfy their desire and just trying to get good at a profession?

My last question is about swimming, we have so many beaches around the world , where men and women go to enjoy themselves and swim. The common trend would be men wearing just short pants when they are there. Would this be considered proper with women around? On the other side you have women wearing bikinis, which i can understand does not fit the need for modestly at all, or other swimming wear which cover up more but still might leave the arms and legs completely exposed. Would this second option be alright for the sake of swimming and if its a norm? If not what would be the "proper" clothing to wear when taking part in these activities, if they are allowed to begin with.

I am sorry if any of this comes off as strange. I am just trying to figure out how to apply my faith to my life and my surroundings and setting up boundaries for myself as its seems that many good things may become wrong if a certain line is crossed.

Offline Truth Seeker

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Salaam and welcome to the forum

I think that the questions you ask are important. The first one regarding doctors is understandable as
the profession demands that they study both males and females. They save  lives after all. However I would
advise that they specialise in areas that decrease exposure to such things.

Regarding artists ,they are more than able to draw fully clothed people. In my opinion, they should not
be crossing the limits of decency in the name of art. There are so many other subject matters they can draw
or paint. They should not compromise on modesty.

And lastly from an Islamic perspective, swimming should be enjoyed separately
in my opinion. I think that on the beach, men just wearing shorts is not good enough as
they are still exposing  their chests. Even the Burkini for women is not really modest.You don't have to swim in the sea to enjoy the beach.
Nowadays there are so many swimming pools that cater for segregated swimming.

Thanks