Exercise in Islam

Doing exercise and playing are useful recreational activities which makes man happy and has a great impact on the safety and health of soul and body. The Holy Prophet says about it: “Play and have fun in fact I hate to see boorishness in your religion''.
Islam also before and more than empirical science has paid attention to exercise and along with encouraging its followers to train their souls and purifying it wants them to have a strong body. Although it gives priority to fairness and courage, and considers the courage dominant on the ego, “the most courage people are those who can overcome their soul”, it doesn’t accept negligence in strengthening the physical power. The Almighty God in response to the people who objected to the appointment of Talut for governing, mentions his knowledge and great physical power as a reason for his superiority; “and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature” Surat Al-Baqarah [verse 247] and Imam Ali in DUA-E-KUMAIL asks God: “Make my body strong for your servitude''.
But the emphasis of Islam on doing exercise and strengthening the physical power like other Islamic recommendation is not just only for passing the lifetime, rather it approves any action such as exercise in case it is in line with servitude and help man to reach the proximity of God. Based on this doing exercise is recommended in two respects:
First, in the military dimension and defending the honor of Islam and Islamic country that has been mentioned in the Quran as follows:
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows” Surat Al-Anfal [verse 60].
In this section, Islam emphasizes on sports such as swimming, shooting, horse riding and the like. The Holy Prophet says: “Teach your children swimming and shooting''.
In Islam even bet that is not allowed in other matters, is allowed and lawful for military purposes and strengthening the defense power of Muslims. In practical Sirah of the Prophet we study that these tournaments were held before him and by his monitoring and judgment. Even he used to give his special camel for the riding competition to his companions.
Second, for the health and that human being can perform his personal and social duties and pass the stages of perfection. The Holy Prophet considers the best entertainment for man swimming and the best entertainment for woman spinning and says: It seems that this order represents the correspondence of the type of exercise and entertainment with the type of creation of man and woman.
Another useful exercise is walking, which is appropriate at any age, it is possible to do it in every season, it doesn't need several tools, equipment, instructor and costs and it is done easily. By looking at the life of the divine prophets, especially the Prophet's life we can see that they dealt with mountain climbing; prophet Adam with Mountain of Sarandib, prophet Noah with Mountains of Ararat, the prophet Ibrahim and Moses with the Mount Sinai, the Prophet Jesus with Sauer's Mountain and the Holy Prophet with Jabal al-Nour.
Based on this mount climbing can also be introduced as the approved sports by Islam, that in addition to the positive effects of walking, by taking into consideration the strength and stability of the mountain, it has special psychological effects. Climbing is very influential in establishing confidence and strength of will.
In general it can be said about other sports if their role in human health is specified and have beneficial aspects are approved by Islam, of course, provided that they have no loss or damage to self or others.
Science and knowledge
On the importance of knowledge it is enough to say that the wise God commands his prophet to say this prayer: “and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge” Surat Taha [verse 114]. It means that O Muhammad you’re required to pray and say this prayer, when the Holy Prophet has such a mission, man must seek and gain knowledge in the best way. Knowledge here means any type of it that is not forbidden by Allah, the Prophet and Islam. The Commander of the Faithful says:
“O you the believer, your knowledge and politeness is your value, try to gain knowledge because the more knowledge and politeness you gain, the more you will be valuable. By knowledge you will be guided to the Glorified God and with politeness you serve God well and the servant can reach the proximity of God by politeness so accept this advice so that you won’t be in divine torment and punishment in the future''.
On this topic Imam Khamenei says:
What is primarily important in the development of national power, in my opinion are two things: one is science, the other one is faith. Knowledge causes power, both now and throughout history, and in the future it will be the same. This science sometimes will lead to technology, and sometime sit won't. The knowledge itself is power, it results in wealth; it results in military and political power; there’s a narration which says: “Knowledge is power, anyone who reaches it will be strong, if don’t have knowledge those who have gained it more than you will overcome you”. The issue has two sides: if you have knowledge, you can be superior to others, “Reaching” knowledge means that if you don’t have it there’s no middle status; So the one who has knowledge, he will be superior to you; he intervenes in your regulations; he will intervene and effect on your destiny.
Therefore increasing knowledge, is essential for the Muslim community and must be especially noticed; In order to develop it in Islamic lifestyle the revolutionary believer who seeks to gain knowledge must have appreciated the importance and status of knowledge and the benefit of thinking over other affairs.
Indicators
1. Learning
Imam Sadiq on the importance and necessity of learning says: “I do not like to see the young man except in two cases, either a scientist or an educated person''.
Education in Islamic culture is a goal and it is considered as a strong framework for excellence and perfection of man. As Imam Khomeini says: It is worthy that human at all stages of life must gain knowledge, i.e. we all need to learn from each other.
Imam Khamenei on the necessity of gaining knowledge says: “We must enjoy the experience, knowledge and the expertise of others; we don’t stop the way of gaining knowledge. In the East the West of the world if there’s a new knowledge and experience, we’ll go and gain it to use it; this is an Islamic command''.
References
A) Learning from scholars
The Holy Prophet says: “Gaining knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim, gain knowledge from any place and in any way that you can and accept it from its owners.
He also says: “And of the commandment Dhul-Qarnayn is not to learn something that you don't gain benefit from it in fact a person who doesn't gain benefit of his knowledge you won't gain it as well''.
B) Continuous and systematic reading
Basically reading is not a sectional process and is effective when it is done continuously. Continuous studying requires regular study program. Sometimes, schedules, refers to the spare time. Imam Khamenei says about it: I want to ask something people to do something and it is that those who have spare time ... the time which they are waiting without doing any special task to read, have a book in their purse or pocket and while they're sitting in the bus, open the book and read it.
And when they arrived, put a sign in the book and again open it at other times and read the rest of the book. I myself have read several thick volumes of a book on the bus! ... I didn’t think that by reading the book at that time my time was wasted. All of us should act like this. If our people get used to read in their spare time when they are idle the society will develop more and it will progress.
Sometimes the given plan considers a special time that should be allocated to reading and it is considering the books and reading them as one the part of the life. Regarding this topic Imam Khamenei says: People who have daily work, such as the employee of an office, workers, traders and farmers when they come home, can spend part of their even an hour to time to put even half an hour to read. Many books can be read in these half an hours of free time. I have read the books in twenty volumes or more than that in these short times. Reading a book must be a Sirah among people. They have to read and teach their children to do it as well.
C) Having the spirit of questioning and taking notes.
Regarding the spirit of asking questions Imam Baqir says:
“Knowledge has many treasures that its keys are the questions so ask your questions God bless you that four people will be rewarded regarding the knowledge, the person who asks and the person who responds, the listener and their friends.
The Holy Prophet regarding taking notes says: “Protect the knowledge by writing it''.
Imam Hassan told his sons and his nephews: “You’re young and you will be the adult people of the next people, so gain knowledge and if anyone of you couldn’t memorize it he should write it and places it in his home''.
D) Being patient in learning and not being ashamed of it
The Holy prophet regarding the patience in learning says:
''A person who is not patient on the humility of learning for some moments will be always remained in ignominy''.
Imam Reza regarding not being ashamed of learning says: “If you don’t know something don’t be ashamed of it and learn about it''.
E) Not interfering worldly incentives
Regarding this topic the Holy Prophet says:
“Don’t gain knowledge for showing off to other scientist or to discuss with illiterate people and not for swaggering in the meetings and not for attracting the attention of people, or for seeking management and being superior to others. A person who learns for these reasons will be in the hell fire and his knowledge will be the proof for his actions on the Day of Resurrection however he had learnt and taught something''.
It has been narrated from Imam Sadi that he said:
A person who considers his knowledge as means of gaining wage will become poor. Then I said to him: Are there any one of your Shiite followers that preach religious teachings and receive some gifts by the people are included in this narration or not? Imam replied: These kind of people are those who issue a decree without knowledge to violate people’s rights because of being greedy for the material properties.
2. Teaching
Teaching and learning is of the most important things which brings prosperity for mankind. It was in the light of education that human being was prostrated by angels; also man can help others to grow by learning and gain benefit from their knowledge. For the continuation of the gained knowledge man inevitably must transfer it to the next generation and it is not possible except in the light of learning and teaching.