Fatwa ID: 04599

Answered by: Maulana Tahsin Alam

Question

To what limits sports are allowed in Islam?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Answer

Sports are a recommended practice, even a rewardable one when they are coupled with the intention to keep oneself fit and active for religious purposes. However, they should not-

1. Be a source of neglecting one's religious duties.

2. Be a reason to exposes one’s awrah (nakedness) through tight fit clothing or short attire.

Some recommended sports are swimming, horse riding and archery, consider the following hadith. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhiwasallam) is narrated to have said: “Any action which is void of the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala is futile (lahw) except for four actions.

1) Walking between two targets, ie. Practicing with a bow and arrow/spear.

2) Training one’s horse.

3) Playing with one’s wife.

4) Learning how to swim.”[1]

Only Allah SWT alone knows best.

Answered by Maulana Tahsin Alam

Checked and Approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham