Fatwa #1115219 March 2004South Africa
Salaams.What exercises/sports were recommended by Rasoollullah S.A.W.?Please quote exact hadith narrations, e.g. of wrestling,swimming,running,shooting,sword,etc.
Answer
Nabi Sallalaahu alaihi Wasallam advised the Ummah: "Everything with which a mans plays is unlawful, except his shooting of arrows, his training his horse and playing with his wife. %0D%0ANarrated by Tirmizi (No.1637),Abu Dawud (2513),Ibn Majah(2811) and Hakim (Vol.2 Pg.104)%0D%0AA Narration in Baihaqi (Vol.10 Pg.15), Tabrani (Vol.2 Pg.193) and Sunanul Kubra of Nasai (Vol.5 Pg.302) adds: "and a man's learning how to swim."%0D%0A%0D%0AAisha Radhiallahu anha mentions that she had raced Nabi Sallalaahu alaihi Wasallam and beat him. Later on when they raced again Nabi Sallalaahu alaihi Wasallam beat her. Narrated by Ibn Majah (1979) and Ahmed (24163)%0D%0A%0D%0ANabi Sallalaahu alaihi Wasallam once wrestled Rukanah Radhiallahu anhu and overpowerede him. Narrated by Abdur Razzaaq (Vol.11 Pg.427)%0D%0ASome claim that this cannot be used as proof of the desirability of wrestling as Rukanah Radhiallahu anhu had requested the wrestling bout to ascertian whether Nabi Sallalaahu alaihi Wasallam was a true prophet or not. %0D%0AHowever,there are other narrations that show that wrestling was common amongst the Sahabah Radhiallahu anhum and they practised it in front of Nabi Sallalaahu alaihi Wasallam without him objecting to it. %0D%0AA narration in Sharhu Ma'ani'il Aathar of Tahawi (Vol.3 Pg.219) mentions that Samurah ibn Jundub Radhiallahu anhu wrestled an Ansari youngster in front of Nabi Sallalahu alai Wasallam with the permission of Nabi Sallalahu alai Wasallam .%0D%0A%0D%0AThese ahadith mention archery, horse riding, swimming, running and wrestling. %0D%0AImam Nawawi Rahmatullahi Alaihi mentions that the ahadith show that one should learn usage of all the different types of weapons, as well as exercising ones limbs for jihad, in addition to racing ones horse etc. (Sharh Muslim Vol.2 Pg.143)%0D%0A%0D%0AWe thus learn that we should exercise our bodies to keep fit. We should also learn how to use the different forms of weapondery available today.%0D%0A%0D%0AFor more detail refer to the book "Islam and sports" by Moulana Afzal Ismail and published by Madrasa Arabia Islamia, Azadville.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai