In this world there is a strong link between cause and effect. This is a system which Allah Ta’ala has put into place for us. Our bodies are a trust from Allah Ta’ala and not to be used as we wish: “Your body has a right over you.” (Bukhari) We need to maintain our body to allow it to work at its optimum. This means that, among the more important elements, we eat well, sleep well and exercise.
Over the centuries nations flourished when their values were upheld, the values of integrity, honesty, loyalty, chastity, and a martial spirit. Once the morality of a nation goes that nation or community is on the path to destruction.
“Alas, among the older generations there were few people of virtue, those who would take a stand against corruption and disorder in the land. Except the few whom We saved for their piety.” (Noble Quran 11:116) These people being described in the Noble Quran are the people who hold on to the moral values of a nation which allowed it to rise and flourish. They hold on to them at the time when others are in decline.
Nations need a martial spirit to defend against violence. There need to be males who are true to the nature that Allah Ta’ala created them with. When people stand up to defend their land against aggression they are looked up to as heroes. The Afghans were praised in their heroic defence of their land against the Soviet invasion of the 1980’s. Defending oneself against aggression and injustice is a praiseworthy quality.
“Whoever is killed in defence of his wealth is a martyr. Whoever is killed in defence of his family, himself, or his religion is a martyr.” (Bukhari) Everyone loved to live in peace and comfort, but the harsh reality is that the world is full of violence, aggression, and evil people. The spate of kidnappings and the abuse of the most vulnerable in society are a harsh reminder of this. The more one does not take a stand, the more others with evil intentions take advantage.
The west says that there is a concept of toxic masculinity where men abuse women and children. The reality is that this is not too much masculinity but rather a deficiency of true masculinity. True masculinity means protecting the weak, looking after women and children, and defending one’s home and community. When a Muslim has this Futuwwa or masculinity it comes with a code of honour. A pious, strong man is humble, warm hearted, and engaging.
Traditional masculinity is fast losing its foothold in the modern world. There is an attempt to emasculate males and make them effeminate. Islam teaches us a healthy expression of manhood with loyalty, a sense of justice, and bravery in confronting those who carry out evil. It comes with beautiful character, courtesy to others, honour, gallantry towards women, and the ability to fight back when needed.
Healthy eating
To build a healthy physical body requires eating healthy and well. “The son of Adam cannot fill a vessel worse than his stomach, as it is enough for him to take a few bites to straighten his back. If he cannot do it, then he may fill it with a third of his food, a third of his drink, and a third of his breath.” (Tirmidhi) Do not put your internal organs under strain by overeating – your digestive system, your bladder, and lungs especially.
From the Sunnah we learn about intermittent fasting. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam loved to fast on Mondays and Thursdays (Tirmidhi) and recommended fasting the three middle days of the month (Tirmidhi). Modern studies show that, among other things, the health benefits of intermittent fasting include:
- Better immune and inflammatory response. There is less risk of inflammation when fasting.
- Decreased persistent or chronic illness.
- Higher quality brain function. It promotes better learning and memory capacity.
We are reminded that there is nothing wrong with wealth for the one who fears Allah Ta’ala but good health is better for him than wealth. And being in good spirits is a blessing. (Ibn Majah)
Sleeping well is also essential for good mental and physical health. The Hadith encourages going to sleep early after Esha. This will ensure we awaken fresh and early the next day and be fortified mentally and physically.
Exercise and training
The third component of good health and a well-maintained body is exercise. By extension this includes weapons and self-defence training. “The strong believer is more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, but there is goodness in both of them.” (Muslim) When you have physical strength, and a spirit to fight back coupled with the necessary training, it becomes a deterrent to those who might wish to take advantage of you. Criminals will think twice.
“Prepare against them what you can of military power and cavalry to strike terror into Allah’s enemies and your enemies as well as other enemies unknown to you but known to Allah.” (Noble Quran 8:60) Striking terror means to deter the enemy from taking advantage of you. They think twice about hurting you. Peace is a blessing and we pray for it daily, “O Allah, You are peace and from You is peace. Blessed are You, the Majestic and Noble.” (Muslim) But one needs to be prepared for war to be able to live in peace. By being strong and prepared you deter wrong doers. They don’t want to fight you because they fear you. It is essential for criminal elements to be stopped and not be allowed to destroy our communities with impunity. Moulana Rumi rahimahullah said, “Good people at times need to take up a sword to remove it from the hands of mad men.”
The society we live in has kidnappings and robberies as a daily occurrence. Our kids and ourselves need to be able to fight back and use weapons for self-defence proficiently. Knives, sprays, and firearms are all essential for self-defence. From the Hadith and the lifestyle of the Sahaba radhiallahu anhum we learn that stick fighting, using swords and other weapons, swimming, horse riding, archery, racing and wrestling are skills that are encouraged and bring great reward if done with the correct intention.
Archery teaches discipline, time management and coordination. The area between the targets is a garden of Paradise and it is one of the best past times.
Sport and physical exercises are essentially for health and self defence and should not just be a spectator sport or the commercialised versions that we see today, rife with match fixing, betting and other unIslamic factors. We need to reclaim these sports for their original purpose.
Wrestling is established from the Sunnah and youth used to be tested for battle readiness through it. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam took on the greatest wrestler of his time and took him down thrice. Imam Suyuti rahimahullah has written a book on the Sunnah of wrestling. Again, it is not the modern, commercialised entertainment form that we see today. The Hadith tells us to avoid the face when hitting (Muslim). There is a principle outlined in Ibn Majah, “There is no causing of harm to others, nor allowing oneself to be harmed.” Using these guidelines, we can understand that boxing, MMA, etc. that is prevalent today will not be allowed.
Umar radhiallahu anhu encouraged, “Teach your children swimming and teach your fighters archery.” The Hadith speaks about training of horses and the blessing attached to them, “Goodness is tied to the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection.” (Nasai) Even having fun to relieve boredom and doing horse riding as a hobby will be praiseworthy. Hajjaj ibn Yusuf said, “Teach my children swimming. They can find someone to write for them any time, but no one will be able to swim for them at the moment of danger.”
The aims of sport and physical exercise for a Muslim should be to gain strength to worship, to defend Islam or one’s life, property and family, and to be healthy.
Training the soul
Together with physical fitness comes the training of the soul. We need to control our ego and not go around looking for fights or boast of our prowess. The Hadith tells us, “O people, do not desire to meet the enemy, but rather ask Allah for safety. If you meet your enemy in battle, be patient and know that Paradise is under the shade of swords.” (Bukhari) Don’t have a desire to show off by picking a fight, but when you happen to be confronted then be brave and fight well.
The martial or warrior spirit needs to be used for good. It should not drive us to be haughty, proud, or distant from people. Rather, our piety should make us more friendly and easy-going.
When life becomes comfortable, we become complacent. We don’t see any urgency or need to train and be healthy. Someone asked a Hainan master, “What brings down nations?” He replied, “Too many successful wars. It brings luxury in its wake, the rulers become arrogant and wasteful, and the nation loses its advantage.”
There needs to be some activity within our lives. Avenues need to be created for the youth to be physically fit. Dedicated youth centres need to be established within Muslim communities to cater for their fitness and to grow mentally. We might be past the age of training but we can leave a legacy by investing in avenues for the youth of the community.
The final component is that we use health together with the spirit of Islam. We imbibe the spirit and emotion of the Noble Quran and the Sunnah. We eat healthy, sleep well and train and be fit to enhance our lives. We need to learn basic life skills and equip our youth with them, things like how to change a tyre or unblock a drain. Ultimately, we should strive to be the men described in the Noble Quran 33:23, “Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their pledge with their lives, others are waiting their turn. They have never changed their commitment in the least.” Men who were true to the promise to Allah Ta’ala, giving their lives to defend the good, and those who are waiting in line.
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