Short answer
Yes. Swimming is a healthy, permitted activity. A woman may swim in a women-only pool or session, or a private pool, covering at least from the navel to the knees. In a mixed pool or beach, the Hanafi view is that even a burkini is not enough, because men are present and wet clothing shows the shape. Some scholars allow a loose burkini there.
Permitted in a women-only or private setting with the awrah covered. Many Hanafi texts say a Muslim woman should not uncover in front of non-Muslim women beyond what she shows non-mahram men, so a women-only pool with non-Muslim women needs more covering. Swimming where non-mahram men are present is not permitted.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
The Prophet ﷺ warned that a woman who removes her clothes outside her home, in a public bath where she is exposed, tears the cover between herself and her Lord. He also said that a woman should not look at another woman's awrah. These hadith give the limits for swimming: privacy from men, and covering the awrah even among women.
Practical options:
- Women-only sessions: many leisure centres in the UK, US and Canada run them. Wear a modest swimsuit or burkini that covers at least the navel to the knees, and more if non-Muslim women are present (see below).
- Private or hotel pools: fine when only your husband, mahrams and women can see you.
- Mixed pools and beaches: the Hanafi position is to avoid them, even in a burkini, because men are present and wet fabric clings. Some contemporary scholars allow a loose, opaque burkini with lowered gaze when there is a real need, such as learning to swim; this is a minority view.
- Changing rooms: use a cubicle. Communal nudity is not allowed even among women.
On non-Muslim women: the Quran lists "their women" among those a woman may show adornment to. Many Hanafi texts take this to mean Muslim women, so they advise keeping hair and body covered in front of non-Muslim women. Others apply it more loosely today. See awrah for men and women and the hijab guide.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Noor 24:31
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُو۟لِى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفْلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوْرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
Lists those a woman may show her adornment to, including other women.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2803
Grading to be checked... ما من امرأة تضع ثيابها في غير بيت زوجها إلا هتكت الستر بينها وبين ربها ...
"No woman takes off her clothes outside her husband's home except that she tears the veil between herself and her Lord."
Warns against uncovering in public places such as baths.
Sahih Muslim 338
Sahih... لا ينظر الرجل إلى عورة الرجل ولا المرأة إلى عورة المرأة ...
"A man should not look at a man's awrah, nor a woman at a woman's awrah."
The awrah stays covered even among women.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha, chapter on looking. A woman's awrah before other women is from the navel to the knees; before a non-Muslim woman she is, on the view he relates, like before a non-mahram man.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.