One thing that might seem irrelevant to Islam, is sports, Islam is a religion, not a self-help curriculum. This is one of the numerous differences between Islam and other ways of life, Islam encompasses everything in our lives, and by everything we mean… every-thing!
Islam guides your life on every front, you never feel lost, confused, or unsure.
When it comes to sports, Islam actively encourages Muslims to take care of their bodies and be strong.
Prophet Mohamed said, “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, and there is goodness in both of them.”
He also said that a Muslim man or woman must “give their body its right” by taking care of it through proper diet, rest, exercise, etc.
Prophet Muhammad encouraged Muslims to practice swimming, sprinting, shooting arrows, riding horses, and wrestling. Except for swimming, he himself practised all of the above.
Now, when it comes to new sports like soccer, tennis, or basketball, they could all be listed under the Islamic order of bettering one’s body and taking care of one’s health, and when Muslims practice these sports with the intention of following the orders of the prophet, they anticipate more rewards from the one true God, Allah, on the day of judgement. In Islam, you do things that benefit your health and get rewards from Allah for doing that. Because the creator of everything is the one who sent us the religion of Islam, and it’s all designed to make us live a happy life and go to heaven in the afterlife.
