The Holy Qurn and Sport

The Ayts from the Holy Qurn which have been reproduced below, use the words "lahw" and
"la'ib". The Fuqaha !urists" have used the same words for sport and #ames.
"Nothing is the life of this world but play and amusement. But best is the Home in the
Hereafter, for those who are righteous. Will you not then understand?"Al Quraan $%&'"
"Leave alone those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement, and are deeived
by the life of this world."Al Quraan $%()"
"What is the life of this world but amusement and play? !erily the Home of the Hereafter, that
is life indeed, if they but knew."Al Quraan '*%$+"
""he life of this world is but play and amusement# $nd if you believe and guard against evil,
He will grant you your reompense, and will not ask you %to give up& your possessions."Al
Quraan +(%&$"
"'now you %all& that the life of this world is but play and a pastime, adornment and mutual
boasting and multiplying, %in rivalry& among yourselves, rihes and hildren."Al Quraan ,(%')"
"(o leave them to plunge in vain talk and play about, until they enounter that day of theirs
whih they have been promised)"Al Quraan ()%+'"
Tafsir on lahw and la'ib
a. "-ommentin# on .urah /uhammad, Allamah 0a1i writes that la'ib is that wor2 in which there
is no benefit or #ain. 3hen one #ets involved in it and #ives up important wor2, it is lahw4
and if he does not #ive up important wor2, it is la'ib. Hence the means and instruments of
#ames and pastimes constitute lahw, while chess etc. are la'ib vol 55vii, p.(&". 6n the
interpretation of .urah /uhammad, the #reat commentator Allamah 0a1i writes that in
worldly life, the time that is spent in #ood virtuous wor2 and in acquirin# the necessities of
life is #ood, but that time which is spent on unnecessary wor2 is very bad. To en#a#e in la'ib
#ames" is the wor2 of children. Havin# played, they e5haust themselves, and that wor2
#ames" comes to an end without any benefit. Lahw is the wor2 of youn# men who often
repent after some time, that it would have been better if they had not done it. Afterwards they
consider the reasons, that money was lost, precious time was spoilt and the pleasure ended
and yet the fondness remained unsatisfied. Thus the result is nothin# but re#ret and remorse."
vol 55i5 p.'&&"
7
b. "6t is stated in Tafsir 0uh al8/a9ani that lahw is that wor2 in which a wise man does not
perceive any benefit, whether it is Harm or not. The difference between the two is that from
la'ib one #ets pleasure, !oy and satisfaction, whereas there is no such ob!ective in lahw.
Hence a wise man does only that wor2 in which there is some #reat ob!ective. 6f a wor2 is
done without the ri#ht ob!ective, it is lahw and la'ib.." vol vii, p.7&+"
&
c. "The author of Tafsir :ha1in vol v, p.7$, and vol vi p.7,," says that en#a#in# in those acts in
which there is no benefit, is li2e en#a#in# in useless acts one after another4 !ust as foolish
youn#sters do."
+
*(port* in the Hadis
The term 9sport9 is used to denote the activities which the Holy ;rophet .allallhu alaihi
wasallam" encoura#ed, such as archery, swimmin#, horse8ridin#, etc. The reason for this will be
e5plained later.
a" Horse 0idin#
Allh A11a wa !all" says in the Holy Qurn% "And He created" horses, mules, and don2eys for
you to ride and as an adornment...Al Quraan 7$%<"
=qbah bin >mir reported that the messen#er of Allh A11a wa !all" said% ?verythin# with which
a man plays is unlawful e5cept his shootin# with arrows, and his trainin# his horse, and his
sportin# with his wife4 and verily these are of the truths. Tirmidhi, Abu @awoo,6bn /a!ah"
The Holy ;rophet .allallhu alaihi wasallam" is reported to have said% "There is blessin# in the
foreloc2s of horses."Ahmad"
b" Archery
Ha1rat =qbah Ain >mir 0adiallhu anhu" also narrates that he heard 0asulullah .allallhu
alaihi wasallam" sayin#% "3hoever #ives up archery after havin# learnt it, is not of
us..."/uslim"
Bn another occasion, the ;rophet .allallhu alaihi wasallam" once passed by a #roup of his
-ompanions who were competin# in archery. He encoura#ed them sayin#, ".hoot and 6 am with
you."Au2hari"
c" .wimmin#
Ha1rat 6bn =mar 0.A" narrates that 0asulullah .allallhu alaihi wasallam" said% "Teach your
sons swimmin# and archery and teach your dau#hters sewin#."Aaihaqi"
d" 3restlin#
The ;rophet .allallhu alaihi wasallam" once wrestled with a man called 0u2anah who was
well82nown for his stren#th, throwin# him down more than once. Abu @awood".
This Hadith has been e5plained as follows%
"The Hadith mentionin# 0asulullah9s wrestlin# with 0u2anah is not encoura#ement for sport
because the event too2 place at the request of 0u2anah who wanted to ascertain whether
/uhammed .allallhu alaihi wasallam" was a Cabi or not. 0asulullah9s victory over 0u2anah
was by way of /u9!i1ah. This Hadith is not an encoura#ement for sport."