Dr Abdelhak Hamiche
Islam is a comprehensive and balanced religion that regulates life and the future of man. It also concerned with the affairs of the individual and the society; the individual’s affairs include his soul, body and mind. Islam wants believers to be strong in their soul, body and mind. Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said: “The strong Muslim is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak Muslim.”
The Islamic nation is a nation of true strength. The Caliph Omar Ibn Al Khattab once saw a man droning in his prayers and said to him: “O man lift your head, reverence is in the hearts, reverence is not in the necks.” Meaning, do not bend your neck and head, keep your head high.
A woman of the companions of Prophet (PBUH) saw some young men walking leniently, tediously and droningly, and she asked who these are? They said these are “hermit” meaning worshipers, she then said: Omar used to walk fast and talk loud and hit hard, and he was the real worshiper, he was strong in his talk, walk and movement, they are not worshipers. The worshiper is Omar, and Omar represented strength. Hence Islam encouraged sports, all sports that strengthen the body, like swimming, archery and running.
Omar said: “Teach your children swimming and archery and order them to ride horses well. These were the known sports during their time.
In our times there are various sports items and sport has become a science and art, and now there are institutes for sports, preparatory and high institutes that teach people to practice sports, especially in the current times. In old times people were obliged to walk for miles in order to fulfill their needs, and nowadays people will take a ride or drive to anywhere. Thus, they are in need of exercise to strengthen their bodies.
Sports in Islam is not as many believe limited to men. Women can also practice sports, but with legitimate limitations and rules. We are not like westerners. They have their religion and we have ours, and they have no reservations. If we want to teach women sports, it should be done in clubs limited for women.
Fat and flabby woman is no longer desired in our time, and she is not the desired woman by Islam. Islam desires a strong woman who is capable of serving her home, husband, children, society and religion whenever needed. Where do we stand compared to the lady Companion of the Prophet and the Prophet’s wives who participated in battles by serving the warriors, aiding the wounded, giving water to warriors and participating in the battle?
Umm Omara, Nusaiba Bint Kaab, Umm Salim Al Rumaisaa and other lady companions of Prophets fought in the Battle of Uhud. When Prophet Muhammad looked at Nusaiba bint Kaab while she was in battle he prayed for her and said: “By the name of Allah her standing is better than that of an active man. The prophet’s wife Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) used to race with the Prophet, and she did that only when no person could see her.
On these grounds we should practice sports as much as we can. Islam does not prevent strengthening the body through these types of sports. Islam wants Muslims to be strong in their bodies, minds, morals and souls, because it glorifies strength which is a characteristic of Allah’s perfection.
A strong body is more capable of performing the obligations of life and religion. Islam does not allow anything that may weaken the body to the extent that one cannot perform these obligations, yet it reduced some of these obligations in order to keep the body healthy. Islam allowed praying while sitting to those who cannot stand, it also allowed those who cannot fast to eat, and it dropped pilgrimage, jihad and other obligation to those who could not perform them.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said to Abdullah bin Amr bin Al Aas, when he had overburdened himself worshiping by fasting and performing night prayers: “Fast and eat, and perform night prayer and sleep, because your body has its rights and your eyes have rights” (narrated by Bukhary and Muslim).
Ibn Al Qayem mentioned in his book Zad Al Maad in the section related to sports that movement is the backbone of sports, and it naturally rids the body of sediments and food waste. It also makes the body light and active, and it improves the metabolism and strengthens the joints, tendons and hasps, and heels all physicals illnesses and most temperamental illnesses, that only if it was done moderately and accurately. He added, each body part has a special sport that strengthens it, except for horse riding, crossbow, fighting and running which are for the whole body, and they heel chronic diseases.
Islam has recognised sport and encouraged it, and this proves the flexibility of Islam that includes all the aspects of the right civilisation, and in a way that is fair for people’s interest. It is noticeable that physical education does not reach its goal unless accompanied by moral and soulful sport. Matches should always maintain ethics and foremost avoid fanaticism towards one team. That is, individual or a team, celebration should be to an acceptable extent, and it should be done appropriately. One must always remember that destiny may always hide something that is not pleasant and future rounds may not always be in favour of the current winner. There should be no gloating; people should wish for others what they wish for themselves, and hate for others what they hate for themselves. That is clear when a Bedouin outran the Prophet’s camel which has never been outrun, and when the people did not like that, the prophet expressed genuine sportsmanship and said: “Allah does not raise anything in life without bringing it down.” In order to calm those who got excited. It is also stated that he once said to Aisha when he had outrun her: “This is in return.”
Islam’s ethics in sports do not allow directing improper words against the other teams, and deny abnormal behaviours that are not worthy of a human being with dignity, but a person who encourages an act that is good for creating a strong citizen with good morals. Islam does not accept collective sports that involve men and women, expose, and include forbidden behaviours. It also does not accept sports that provoke desire and cause immorality.
We must practice sports within these limits, or else its disadvantages will be more than its benefit. That is stated in the Holy Quran: “O ye who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you, but commit no excess: for Allah loveth not those given to excess.” (Quran 5:87).
Sports has many benefits and who practices it gains many health, emotional and social benefits. Sports teaches individuals belonging to a group, committing to rules and regulations, respecting people’s rights, accepting loss, and having sportsmanship.
It also teaches cooperation and sacrifice for others, especially in team sports, in addition to perseverance and determination to win, not feeling despair when one loses, as it teaches always try again, and also be healthy and natural in growing, bearing in mind the social domain that is provided by the sports society. All these are subject to distinctive supervision, follow-ups and commitment.
The writer is Associate Professor, Academic, at the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
The Peninsula
