Yaqeen Articles

When Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah celebrates a goal by prostrating in gratitude on the pitch, or when fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad competed for the United States wearing a hijab at the Olympics, the world witnesses a powerful intersection of faith and elite athleticism. These moments are more than just personal expressions; they are public manifestations of a complex and evolving dialogue between a 1,400-year-old faith and the multi-billion-dollar global industry of modern sports.

Islam, at its core, is not a faith that encourages asceticism or withdrawal from the physical world. Instead, it presents a holistic view of human existence where the body is considered an amanah—a sacred trust from God. Maintaining this trust through health, strength, and discipline is not just permissible; it is an act of virtue. Yet, as the landscape of professional sport has shifted from simple physical activity to a global spectacle of intense commercialization, celebrity, and often conflicting cultural values, Muslim athletes, scholars, and fans are forced to navigate a complex ethical terrain. This article explores the foundational Islamic principles regarding physical activity, the significant points of friction with the modern sporting world, and the evolving discourse that seeks to reconcile them.

The Prophetic Foundation: An Endorsement of Physical Strength

The encouragement of physical fitness is deeply embedded in Islamic tradition, starting with the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Numerous narrations (hadith) highlight the value of a strong and healthy body. The Prophet is famously reported to have said, "The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although there is good in both." This strength is understood to be holistic—encompassing faith, character, and physical prowess.

The tradition goes beyond general encouragement to specify certain activities:

• Archery, Swimming, and Horsemanship: A well-known narration, attributed to Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam, advises, "Teach your children swimming, archery, and horse riding." While the chain of transmission for this specific saying is debated by scholars, the three activities are consistently upheld in Islamic tradition as exemplary skills that build discipline, focus, and physical conditioning.

• Wrestling and Racing: Historical accounts detail the Prophet Muhammad himself engaging in sporting activities. He famously wrestled a renowned champion named Rukanah and won. He also raced on foot with his wife, Aisha, demonstrating that physical activity was a natural part of community and family life.

From this foundation, Islamic jurisprudence derives a clear principle: physical activities and sports that strengthen the body, sharpen the mind, promote good health, and do not lead to harm or the neglect of religious duties are not only permitted (halal) but encouraged (mustahabb). The objective was not entertainment for its own sake, but the development of a capable and resilient individual. It is this foundational purpose that is often challenged by the framework of modern sport.

Navigating the Modern Arena: Where Faith Meets Friction

The transition from the prophetic ideal to the 21st-century professional sports industry presents several significant challenges. These points of friction are the subject of ongoing debate and interpretation (ijtihad) among contemporary Islamic scholars.

1. Modesty, Attire, and the Body (Awrah): Perhaps the most visible challenge relates to the Islamic requirements of modesty. The concept of awrah—the parts of the body that must be covered—is central. For men, this is minimally defined as the area from the navel to the knee. For women, it is generally understood as the entire body except for the face and hands.

• For Male Athletes: In sports like football, basketball, and track, standard uniforms often consist of shorts that do not fully cover the knee. This has led to a spectrum of responses. Some athletes wear compression leggings underneath their shorts, while many scholars adopt a position of leniency, arguing that in a professional context where this is the unavoidable standard, the principle of necessity (darurah) may apply.

• For Female Athletes: The challenge is far more pronounced. The hijab has become a global symbol of this struggle. For years, governing bodies like FIFA and FIBA banned head coverings, citing safety concerns. This effectively barred observant Muslim women from competing at elite levels. It took years of advocacy, led by athletes and community leaders, to overturn these bans, leading to innovations in sports-specific hijabs made from lightweight, breathable materials. The journey of athletes like Ibtihaj Muhammad has been crucial in normalizing modest athletic wear on the world stage.

2. Gender Interaction and Segregation: Traditional Islamic ethics emphasize a degree of separation between unrelated men and women to maintain public modesty and decorum. The modern sporting world, with its mixed-gender training facilities, coaching staff, and major events like the Olympic Village, stands in stark contrast to this principle. This has led to various adaptations, including the rise of women-only sporting competitions and facilities in several Muslim-majority nations, such as the Islamic Solidarity Games.

3. Commercialization and Ethical Conflicts: Modern sport is inseparable from its commercial ecosystem, which often clashes with Islamic principles.

• Sponsorship: A significant ethical dilemma arises when teams are sponsored by industries forbidden in Islam, such as alcohol producers, betting companies, or conventional interest-based banks. High-profile Muslim athletes have, at times, refused to endorse or have covered logos of such sponsors on their jerseys.

• Gambling and Betting: The Quran unequivocally forbids gambling (maisir). The pervasive integration of betting into sports broadcasting and marketing creates a clear conflict for observant Muslims, both as participants and spectators.

• The Cult of Personality: Islamic tradition emphasizes humility and attributes success to God. This can be at odds with the modern sports culture that often promotes excessive self-aggrandizement, arrogance, and the idolization of star athletes.

The Spirit of Competition vs. The Neglect of Obligation

Beyond the structural issues, Islamic scholars place heavy emphasis on the intention (niyyah) and the outcome of engaging in sports. A healthy, brotherly sense of competition is praised. However, if this competition fosters tribalism, animosity, or distracts from one's primary purpose and religious duties, it becomes blameworthy.

A key concern is the potential for sport to interfere with obligatory acts of worship, most notably the five daily prayers (salah). Athletes and fans are reminded that schedules must be managed to accommodate prayer times. The sight of Muslim footballers prostrating on the field or athletes praying on the sidelines serves as a powerful public reminder of this principle—that faith remains the ultimate priority.

Conclusion: A Future of Adaptation and Principle

Islam is not anti-sport; it is anti-excess, anti-indecency, and anti-distraction from one's ultimate purpose. The faith’s foundational texts provide a clear endorsement for physical well-being and disciplined activity. The challenge for modern Muslims is not in the act of sport itself, but in navigating the cultural and commercial framework in which it is now packaged.

The future of this relationship will be defined by continued adaptation and innovation. We will see further advancements in modest sportswear, a greater push for Muslim-friendly policies within international sporting bodies, and more platforms dedicated to Halal-compliant sports media and financing. Above all, a new generation of globally recognized athletes will continue to demonstrate that it is possible to reach the pinnacle of human performance without compromising one's core principles, proving that the spirit of faith and the spirit of competition can, and indeed do, coexist.

Sources:

• Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research (https://yaqeeninstitute.org)

• Journal of the British Association for Islamic Studies (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-british-association-for-islamic-studies)

• IslamQA (as a reference for traditional scholarly views) (https://islamqa.info)

• "Muslim Women in Sports" - various reports from outlets like BBC Sport, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport)

• "Islamic Jurisprudence and the Principle of Necessity (Darurah)" - Academic Papers via JSTOR (https://www.jstor.org)

• The Muslim Council of Britain - Reports on Sport and Physical Activity (https://mcb.org.uk)