|
Sports
are among the earliest of
human activities. Some sports
were related to strengthening
the body; others were related
to the daily training for
fighting as was common in the
past; and yet others were only
for fun.
Today,
however, sports have become
big business. Billions of
dollars are earmarked by
countries for them, and
specialized clubs are
established for different
kinds of sports. Local,
national, and international
federations and competitions
exist for different sports.
Many TV channels have been
established to obtain
exclusive rights to air
competitions, changing sports
from a simple practice to a
money-making activity on the
individual, national, and
international levels. Some
countries allocate funds for
international partnership in
sports at the expense of
indispensable public services
for everyone.
Other
problems arise. Violent sports
such as boxing and wrestling
may lead to the death of
participants. Other sports
include fighting animals such
as bulls, lions, and snakes.
There are
problems pertaining to sports
that contain ceremonials
related to the sport's country
of origin. This can be seen in
bowing in karate and some
other sports whose modern
forms are different from their
original. Ijtihad or
juristic reasoning may reach
different conclusions about
the permissibility of such
sports. One opinion may regard
a given sport as allowable
(halal) while another opinion
may deem it prohibited
(haram). This is because some
muftis may overlook the origin
of a given sport and base
their opinion on its present
form, while others may regard
it unfeasible to overlook the
origin and the primary rules
of the sport.
The
situation is much the same for
women as for men. Women have
practiced sports from earliest
times. Islam never prohibited
them from doing so but has
only regulated how they engage
in sports. However, the mania
of gender equality has pushed
women into wrestling, boxing,
and other sports that entail
being violent and exposing
their bodies. This leads to
the masculinization of women,
which deprives them of the
fairest things Allah Almighty
bestowed on them: femininity
and beauty. Unfortunately,
many Muslim countries have
adopted the call for complete
equality, which disagrees with
the nature of our Muslim
society. This is apart from
the Shari`ah violations in
many sports and the airing of
matches such as football and
swimming.
Amidst
all this comes the ijtihad
that maintains that women have
the right to practice sports
within the regulations set out
by the Shari`ah.
However,
when one examines the
jurisprudence of objectives
and consequences, it becomes
clear that juristic results
vary from one issue to
another, and from one sport to
another. Thus, for jurists to
come up with a contemporary ijtihad,
they need to study thoroughly
in order to issue fatwas
applicable to the cases being
judged.
Among the
questions posed is whether it
is permissible for someone to
be a professional sports
player and receive a salary
that may be more than that of
a government minister.
Another
issue is the competition
between clubs to buy players.
According to club rules,
players' transfers are not
permitted without their club's
approval and they must be at
the required price. Some
contemporary jurists think
that this process resembles
slavery or that it selling at
highly exaggerated prices, and
this exaggeration is another
juristic problem. Thus, one
issue in sport may have many
problematic issues that need ijtihad.
Profiting
in sports is not restricted to
players, clubs, and countries.
Spectators wager on the
results of games and gain lots
of money. Other profits are
gained from selling flags and
expensive clothes printed with
pictures and names of players
or teams.
Another
controversial issue is the
fanatic cheering of
spectators, which may involve
swearing, name calling, and
violence.
There are
also national issues raised by
participating in competitions
alongside occupying countries
such as Israel and the United
States. Some countries have
boycotted some international
competitions as a kind of
athletic jihad, in spite of
the effect on international
relations.
In light
of the benefits of sports,
people should not remain
viewers in stadiums, cafes,
and homes. Rather they should
practice sports themselves.
Recreation centers and parks
should be available to all,
and Muslims and others should
use the facilities to be
strong and healthy.
|
