AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE ON SPORTS AND EXERCISE

What does Islam say about sports and exercise!

As always, a Muslim man and woman is required to dress appropriately while exercising.

SPORTS IN ISLAM AND WOMEN

Nowhere in the history of Islam can we find any example which implies prohibition of sport activities for women. It is a vital for women to take care of their health as it is for men.

  

I have found connections with ISLAM and SPORTS while training children both girls (25) and boys (20) at my neighborhood – Kisauni,

Zanzibar.

Girls came straight from Madrasa (Qur-an class) as they heard that we are going to play sports along with boys regardless of gender and social status. It was an amazing experience to see the engagement of girls and boys playing sports on the same field.

The training was successful and I was able to coach 45 children within 2 hours on a very sunny day and address special social issues such as; Child rights, gender equality, working in pairs and finding solutions together, solving problems, communicating in a non-violent way etc. by playing the following games;

 

WARM UP

Girls started running with different movements (High knees, butt kicks and skipping) and later on boys followed.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

Theme: Warming up and finding your voice.

In groups of two, they got to the middle and touch the corn, change direction and greet the outside player.

OLD TRAFFORD TAG (CHAIN TAG)

Theme: Finding solutions together.

Two taggers were holding hands; they stayed connected by holding hands and when they tag a player, the player joined the chain.

HEAD CATCH

Theme: Speed of reaction.

Players in a small circle and I was in the middle with a ball. I throw the ball to players on the outside saying “head” or “catch” then vise-versa. The player sits down when he or she make a mistake.

At first, it was a bit difficult when some of them could not understand the meaning of the word “head” and “catch” others did. So I had to use Swahili language “head – kichwa” and “catch – kamata” to make them understand and learn English words.

RIGHT TO INFORMATION (INFORMATION GAME)

Theme: Right to information and sharing information, be honest and deliver the information as it is.

Players stood in two lines facing the other side while the first player faced me and see what I was doing and send the information to other players.

It was an amazing experience as we all got to learn new things. There was a disabled girl who was first watching the way we play and have fun. Surprisingly I saw her in the circle she wanted to play and at that time I didn’t know that she was disabled. We played for some time and she was the happiest among the girls group, then I asked her something and she was not replying until her friends told me that she can’t hear and speak. {SPORTS FOR ALL}

AT THE END;

Children learned to communicate and work together, solving problems as a team, finding solutions together, patience, to be honest and careful and to learn how to communicate to solve their problems without using violence.