Sports and Physical Education

By Morteza Afradian

Sports and physical exercises enjoy particular significance in our traditional medicine, so much so that it is prescribed as a remedy, since physical exercises have proved to leave very desirable effects on one’s health. The late Imam Khomeini (RA) as an immensely living and caring leader and as a man of excellent knowledge has remarked: “Physical exercises result in not only physical, but also spiritual health.”  Likewise, his successor, Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly emphasized the significance of physical exercises and sports, considerably the same as not only necessary but also a must. 

Certainly all of us have, more or less read about the views expressed by experts on the effects of sports on one’s health, including about the fact that our body temperature is the cause behind our survival and our ability work and be active, we need to send some heat to the set the natural temperature of our bodies. The heat produced in our bodies due to the physical activities is of the same kind as our body temperature and can thus be a good help for our (decreasing) body temperature.

Regarding the advisable time for engaging in  sports and exercises, physicians generally recommend about 3 hours after taking a meal when one is neither hungry nor quite fed up and they do not recommend exercising when one is very hungry or has a full stomach. Using the toilet before starting physical exercises has also been recommended by the experts. Also, according to certain physicians, it is better to do physical exercises near noon in springs, early in the morning in summers and at the evening in autumns. Heavy exercises have not been recommended for the persons with a weak physical condition, and likewise mild exercises have been considered useful for all by experts who have also advised stopping the exercises when one is sweating much and/or panting severely.  Sports and exercises can somehow be divided into general and particular ones, namely the sports and exercises which are good for our bodies as a whole (like, swimming, mountain-climbing, polo and boat-riding). And the sports and exercises which are a particular benefit to particular organ(s) of our bodies, such as chewing hard things (like raw carrots) which is good for strengthening the teeth and looking beautiful sceneries which are good for one’s eye-sight(there is a hadith regarding the good effects, on the eyes, of looking at green plants). Likewise, meditation memorizing nice beneficial material and trying to keep in mind the same on a continuous basis have been regarded by scholars as good exercise for the mind and the intellect.

Absolutely, laziness is a very bad trait, leading to failures of various kinds in the life of the lazy person and also leaving undesirable effects on that of his/her family members and those who are in contact with him/her in a way or another.  A lazy careless person is obviously negligent of his/her duties towards his/her Creator and towards his/her fellow human beings. No wonder our Divinely- guided religious leaders have strongly advised us to keep away from laziness and to try to be alert, hard-working and careful about our duties and hopeful.

 Certainly, physical exercises and (suitable) sports are a must for remaining energetic and healthy enough for a prosperous life, away from laziness, despair and depression. Following, you can read parts of a book about sport, written by Seyyed Reza Taghavi and translated by Farideh Mahdavi-Damghani. Remember that today due to computer games and the like which keep children in a seated position for may be hours, depriving them of physical games and plays which are necessary for their health, the children are faced with various health risks. So, do encourage them to turn to sports.

Sport in the Modern World

In the life of the modern man, sport occupies a high rank. Because in our contemporary world, the sport is not only being defined as an education, and a practice which has the goal to fortify and invigorate the physical body. But to reach also numerous political, cultural and social goals, in the human society. Because of that, one uses the sport as a factor and a fascinating, active and much dynamic element! And this concept has advanced so much in our today lives, and taken such a proportion that something, in regional or international competitions, the political, economical and cultural goals of the sport, take under their domination this very principle of education and fortifying the body and this principle is influenced by these very goals.

Sport; according to Islamic criteria

What one can learn from the vivifying Islamic teachings is that Islam respects the sport and the sportsman. Because in this celestial religion, all actions that come to assist a person to reach perfection, is precious, and it is most evident that all actions that can make us reach our goal, and fulfill our desire, possess a worth and a value, even greater, and represent an approved good.

Thus, if we consider the cause of Man’s creation, the fact that he may aspire to get closer to God, so much so that he becomes the representative of God on Earth, we have to take into consideration another thing, and that is the role and the influence of the sport, for its desire to reach the human transcendental, supreme goal!

It is then possible that the fact that we may wish to get closer to God, apart from the practice of the Divine Commandments, is feasible? Can we follow certain Divine Commandments, like fasting and the Jihad, without having a healthy, strong body? If sport can offer good health and well-being, and fortify and invigorate the human body, so that a strong healthy man can accomplish his religious duties in a better and most perfect way, can this fact present sport as a precious activity?