My reply on the topic of Muslims and fitness:
One thing I have learned from experience is that there is a deep distinction between the Islamic ideals and the Western ideals of fitness.
What we find and learn in western men’s magazines is distinctly geared for the goals of living longer, healthier, and to become more sexually pleasing to ourselves and to the opposite sex.
On the other hand, the Islamic ideal man is one who is in a state of submission with Allah’s decree. Being physically fit is a part of that, but is that the goal (like it it for the West) or is it the result of following the Sunnah?
It was mentioned that the Prophet (??? ???? ???? ? ???) was very physically fit, and that he had a ‘washboard stomach’. If this was the case, it was certainly not due to time he spent in a gym. I also doubt very much if it is a sunnah to spend time doing ‘cardio’ in which one runs for no purpose other than to exert oneself.
Rather, the sunnah is to live a balanced life of ‘applied fitness’, which is fitness which comes from living through the rigors of everyday life, working hard, playing hard and eating minimally. Those that were that strong in the time of the Sahaba, developed that skill from the nature of their livelihood or activities when they came home. We should strive to do the same as well and train in ways that do not lead us to excess.
Out of milk? Run or bike to the store instead of drive. Car dirty? Spend time and put some elbow grease and do it yourself instead of the car wash. Want to be strong? Try learning archery or fighting techniques and tell me how sore you feel afterwards.
All of these ways, and others, are important to making our lives more -real-. Much of it can be accomplished by doing certain things the ‘old fashioned’ way. I daresay that becoming fit from actual applied uses of strength, power and speed retains a strong sense of purpose, and keeps us from imitating blindly the culture of body-worship which is fast becoming an alternative ‘religion’ in the West.
On the other hand, we need to realize that Allah has created all sorts of people, and there are those who are fond of the books more than the archery grounds, stables, or wrestling pad. If they have expressed their love for the Sacred knowledge in this way, while neglecting this small aspect of the Sunnah, they are still very far from reproach from our weak souls.
We simply cannot expect our scholars to be die-cast replicas of the Prophetic Sunnah. This is especially the case when we are discussing the few aspects of the Sunnah which we find attractive because it fits with our current interests or lifestyle.
Since the Prophet (??? ???? ???? ? ???) was perfect in all respects, we can think of him as a perfect sunlight beam, hitting a prism, creating different colors each with their own level of beauty as well.
We, his followers, are those colors. We should be able to respect on another’s strengths and ignore their weaknesses. At the same time we need to respect our weaknesses and ignore our strengths, since that is the only way to find our way back to the perfect light source.
Only when we examine the best aspects of all of humanity will we find a representation of his Sunnah.
October 14th, 2005 - 9:58 am
You said it well!
October 14th, 2005 - 6:06 pm
Interesting, but I disagree.
For instance, you can buy the necessary materials and spend an hour or more washing your car manually. Or you can take it to the car wash, pay a fraction of an hour’s worth of wages, spend 20 minutes doing a workout that would benefit you much more than the hour or more of bending over and scrubbing, and still end up saving time overall, which you could put anywhere - including read the Qur’an.
I’d say more but I have to go to an iftaar..
October 14th, 2005 - 9:58 pm
Although there is no doubt that certain things are timesavers which may buy you time you can use elsewhere, the point is whether that workout is actually something that will help you in your day to day activities.
The more we divorce exercise from real life, the more it becomes a thing which exists only to benefit itself.
I’m not talking about abandoning work-outs, but I think there is definite need to tie more real-life into fitness.
October 15th, 2005 - 11:49 am
As-Salaam wa Alaikum.
Often have thought the same thing myself. Real strength truly comes from applied fitness. The same as Wisdom. Any fool can read and memorize countless facts. The wise man is wise because he not only has learned knowledge, but because he’s also lived it.
Mash’allah!
October 20th, 2005 - 2:03 am
Very beautifully said mashallah. I agree to your point in principle about applied fitness. However, what I liked most was your analogy of the sunlight, prism and colors. Imaginative and beautiful thinking.
God bless you:)
July 31st, 2007 - 11:19 pm
As salamu alaikum. One must also remember that the Prophet (saws) & the Companions spent a lot of time doing cardio & strength training (i.e. fighting in Jihad, traveling without automobiles, etc.). There is nothing wrong with a Muslim exercising to look healthy & pleasing to their mate, that’s Sunnah right?? Is it not possible to run on a treadmill for an hour a day while memorizing ayats or hadiths?? Is it not possible to strength train 30 minutes for 3 days per week while listening to a lecture??
August 1st, 2007 - 7:19 am
Walaikumassalam,
The point of this article was to point out the necessity of making exercise a reality in daily life, not something which exists for its own sake. Today’s need for ‘cardio’ and ’strength training’ is only due to the fact that we lead artificial lives. The more real work we do, the less we need exercise for the sake of exercise.
September 19th, 2007 - 8:45 am
Assalaam Aleikum,
Our Holy Prophet (SAWA) said, “Teach your children swimming, archery and horse riding”.
Swimming is a cardio exercise and is a clear indication that doing cardio exercises is Sunnah.
In various ahadith it is indicated also that a strong believer is better than a weak believer.
This should be evidence enough.
Wa Salaam,
Milind
September 19th, 2007 - 9:00 am
Walaikumassalam,
Swimming is not a cardio ‘exercise’, it is a combination of techniques and experience which allow one to move through water instead of drowning. Yes it has effects similar to cardio, but we cannot replace swimming in the hadith with running on a treadmill for hours and say we are following the hadith.
Indeed a strong believer is better than a weak believer, that has many layers of meaning. If you want to take it on the physical, does that make steroids halaal? Absurd.
-Yursil
March 10th, 2008 - 1:23 pm
this is great. its nice to see people argue in an educational manner instead of pointless yelling.
May 25th, 2008 - 6:38 am
Very true. An interesting read. Cardio is definately a sunnah…even jogging. the evidence for that is that the prophet (s.a.w) used to walk very briskly and sometimes used to run lightly with Aeshia (r.a)
I would like to add to your list of western type goals by including vanity as one of the prinicipal reasons why people start to “body sculpt.”
Obesity is listed as one of the minor signs of the hour…”tha males of my ummah will become bulky” according to one hadeeth. A pot belly is not only a sign of ill health!