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Ruling of Sharia on Massage Parlors

Answered as per Shafi'i Fiqh by Darul Iftaa Jordan
What is the ruling of Sharia on massage parlors in which men give massage to women and women give massage to men? Also, what is the impact of this on society?

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

Independent female massage parlors in which only females are treated by the same gender and independent male massage parlors in which only males are treated by the same gender, and in which Awrah is covered and temptation is avoided are permissible.

However, massage parlors in which women do massage to men and men do massage to women and which harbor the people of sin who deem touching and uncovering body parts as lawful, it is no secret that these are forbidden. In such places, chastity, virtue, and modesty have been lost. Those doing the massage and those receiving it must remember that death is inevitable and that they will meet their creator and will be held to account for what they have been doing. This is attested to in the following verse {Which means}: "Do such (men) not consider that they will be raised again Unto an Awful Day, The day when (all) mankind stand before the Lord of the Worlds ?" {Al-Mutaffifin, 4-6}.

We (Iftaa` Department) pray that the tiny portion of faith left in the hearts of such Muslims and their sense of decency driven by natural disposition (Fitrah) will remind them of Allah, even after a while, for He the Almighty accepts sincere repentance. He the Exalted says {What means}: "Save him who repenteth and believeth and doth righteous work; as for such, Allah will change their evil deeds to good deeds. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. And whosoever repenteth and doeth good, he verily repenteth toward Allah with true repentance –" {Al-Furqaan, 70-71}. And Allah knows best.

This answer was collected from the official government Iftaa Department of Jordan.

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