Leisure and Sports: Islamic Viewpoint

Leisure and Sports: Islamic Viewpoint










In Islam, people are not allowed to overtax their bodies. Since bodily energy has a limit, it cannot withstand long excessive pressure. Even excessive ‘ibadah (worship) has been shunned for the same reasons. Whenever a person gets exhausted because of his work, study, or any other occupation which is aimed at fulfilling his needs and the needs of his family as well as the community (Ummah), he is to take a break and relax.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “…Your body too has its rights on you; your eyes too have their rights on you.”

Spending free time by practicing certain sports that entail no harm is strongly recommended by Islam, so that Muslims can keep fit and make their bodies healthy and sound. Once fit, the body is bound to contain a healthy mind too, and the cultivating of sound morals in it, then, becomes a less challenging proposition. The Prophet (pbuh) said that children should be taught swimming, archery and horse-riding. He also said that a strong believer is better and more beloved by Allah than a weak one.

During the time of the Prophet (pbuh), the Muslims used to spend their leisure time at home, in private gardens, in mosques, and in some open and public areas in the city of Madinah.

At home

In Islam, the best recreation is that which is a family affair where one spends his free time talking, joking, sporting and playing around with his household. Indeed, the best model to us in this regard is nobody else but the Prophet (pbuh). A’ishah, one of the wives of the Prophet (pbuh), said that while she was on a journey along with the Prophet (pbuh), she had a race with him and she outstripped him on her feet. However, later when she became somewhat fleshy, she again had a race with the Prophet (pbuh), but now he outstripped her. He said to her afterward: “This is for that outstripping.”