Teaching Kids Wrestling - sunnah?

[MG]

Asalaam alaikum

im sure i read somewhere that teaching kids wrestling is a part of sunnah but cant find the hadith anywhere, that teaching kids wrestling helps build their muscle strength?


I wrestle with the little one quite abit (slowly the tables have turned and now i come out quite battered :( )

So is this sunnah?

[Emelianenko]

Wrestling is deffo sunnah. I remember reading that for one battle two youngsters were eager to join the expedition. The prophet saw made them wrestle to decide which one would be opted. Also other narrations of the Prophet saw wrestling with some sahabah and others who challenged the prophet saw to wrestling.

It is a great sport indeed and a good way for kids to channel their energy in a productive manner.

[`asiya]

:wswrwb: yes ukhti alhamdulillah it is mentioned in the sunnah as far i remember wa Allahu alam, to teach our children, swimming, archery, horseriding, and wrestling

[Abu Hurairah]

Masha'allah the below article is from: Horseriding, archery,... (http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117141) which is one of your excellent threads Ukthy MG:
Wrestling is from the Sunnah
Imaam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah

In the Name of Allaah, Lord of the 'Aalameen, may His Salaah and Salaam be on His Final Messenger, to proceed:

His Wrestling (saws): [1]

And as for his wrestling, in the Sunan of Aboo Daawood, on the authority of Muhammad ibn 'Alee ibn Rukaanah, who said, "Verily Rukaanah wrestled the Prophet, and the Prophet (saws) took him down." [2]

And this hadeeth has a story surrounding it that we will now mention. Our Shaykh Abul-Hujjaaj Al-Haafith in his book Tah-theebul-Kaamil mentions:

"Rukaanah bin 'Abdu-Yazeed Al-Qurayshee [3] was from those who accepted Islaam upon the conquering of Makkah. And he was the one who wrestled the Prophet (saws), and the Prophet took him down twice or three times. That was before he accepted Islaam. It is said that this was without a doubt the reason he accepted Islaam. This hadeeth is the most firmly established report of the Prophet's (saws) wrestling, however, as for what has been mentioned about the Prophet (saws) wrestling Aboo Jahl, that is baseless." [4]

Az-Zubayr bin Bukkaar said in his book An-Nasab:
"Rukaanah bin 'Abdu-Yazeed was the one who wrestled the Prophet (saws) in Makkah before he embraced Islaam. He was from the strongest and harshest of the people. He said, "If you can take me down, I will believe in you." So the Prophet (saws) wrestled him and took him down. He then proclaimed, "I testify that you are a magician!" Later he accepted Islaam." [5]

Wrestling With Something at Stake or Without [6]

As for wrestling, then it is permissible with nothing at stake. [7] However, if there is something at stake, then the majority of the scholars prohibited it, like Maalik [8], Ahmad [9], and Ash-Shaafi'ee [10]. Some Shaafi'ee scholars allowed it with something at stake [11], and this position is also found among the Hanafee scholars as well [12].

Important Points To Keep in Mind Regarding Wrestling By Shaykh Mash-hoor Hasan Salmaan [13]
There is a slight difference in what was known to the Salaf as wrestling and what we now see in our times [14]. Regarding this, Ash-Shaykh Al-Mutee'ee said:

"Our Salaf recognised wrestling as a means of strengthening the body, involving skillful grappling movements, in an attempt to put one's opponent on the floor. Wrestling in our times has many forms: freestyle, Roman, Japanese, etc. Every style still holds to the principle of skillfully grappling the opponent and forcing him down, keeping him from regaining his stance." [15]
The wrestlers must cover their 'awrahs properly and not expose them. It is a condition for the wrestler's participation that he must properly cover his 'awrah, the area between his navel and his knees. This is something the Sharee'ah specified. So the wrestlers of this time that dress in clothes that do not cover their 'awrahs modestly, this is surely from the evil, prohibited affairs.
The Muslims' participation in wrestling must not exceed the Sharee'ah's goal in allowing such activities. [16]
Injuries and physical harm must not be a common part of the wrestlers' participation. Regarding this, Al-'Allaamah Ad-Dardeer said:

"The correctness of the intent makes it permissible by the Sharee'ah, so if the intention is not correct, then it must be considered falsehood and idle playing, the kind of activity the people of disobedience indulge in constantly. If it is like that, then it is surely not permissible. Especially when many times it involves injuries that are a direct result from blows suffered during participation in the sport or other than that."

The evidences for the prohibition of physical harm are many and well known. As for the evidence regarding the correctness of the intent, we now look to the hadeeth:

"Every activity that does not contain the remembrance of Allaah is falsehood and heedlessness, except four things: A man walking between two purposeful goals, grooming his horse, playing with his family, or learning to swim."[17]

In this hadeeth we see a clear dispraise of all types of idle talk and play, and then the Prophet (saws) exempted four things from this warning. And if you contemplated these exceptions, you would find that each one assists you in fulfilling an obligation.

As for the rest of the idle activities that the people indulge in from the many different forms of games, those that do not assist them in fulfilling any duties, then they are dangers to be warned against. [18]
The women are wrestling these days. No doubt, this can not be accomplished except by their 'awrahs being exposed, so therefore they must be prohibited from it. Watching women wrestle is also prohibited.
Some people are pitting themselves against animals in wrestling matches, like bulls for example, as is prevalent in Spain these days. Know that wrestling is encouraged between men due to its helpfulness in strengthening the body in preparation for Jihaad in Allaah's Way. It is a severe deviation to try to include animals in this sphere, causing them harm, clearly contradicting the Sharee'ah's principle of kindness to animals.
And Allaah knows best.
Source: Ibn Al-Qayyim's book Al-Furoosiyyah (p.86)
Translator: Moosaa Richardson


Footnotes:

[1] This is a translation of Al-Furoosiyyah (p.86). All footnotes are from Al-'Allaamah Mash-hoor Hasan Salmaan's comments unless otherwise noted.
[2] It is found in the Sunan of Aboo Daawood (4/341), At-Tirmithee (4/247), Al-Bukhaaree in At-Taareekhul-Kabeer (1/82,221), Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak (3/452), Ibn Qaani' in his Mu'jam, as found in Tuhfatul-Ashraaf (3/174). At-Tirmithee said, "A strange hadeeth, its chain is not firm. We don't know anything about Abul-Hasan Al-Asqalaanee, nor Ibn Rukaanah." And Ibn Hibbaan said, "It is said that he wrestled the Prophet (saws), but its chain has some controversy" (Ath-Thiqaat 3/130).

I say: The hadeeth has a witness that raises it to the level of hasan (authentic, with a minor imperfection). Translator's note: And this is the conclusion of Al-Imaam Imaam Al-Albaanee also, who mentioned an authentic mursal narration in Al-Bayhaqee (10/18) as the witnessing chain. See Irwaa'ul-Ghaleel (1503).

[3] His full name was Rukaanah bin 'Abdu-Yazeed bin Haashim bin Al-Mutallab bin 'Abdi Manaaf bin Qusay bin Kalaab bin Murrah bin Ka'b bin Lu'ee bin Ghaalib Al-Qurasyhee Al-Mutallabee.

[4] Ibn Hajr said, "As for what has been reported about the Prophet (saws) wrestling Aboo Jahl, there is no basis for that. The hadeeth of Rukaanah is the most reliable of what has been related regarding the Prophet's (saws) wrestling." See At-Talkheesul-Habeer (4/163).

[5] A similar report is found in Al-Bayhaqee's Dalaa'ilun-Nubuwwah (6/250) by way of Ibn Ishaaq, who narrated from his father. The report is mursal. [6] Al-Furoosiyyah p.106 - Translator's note: Something at stake means a prize for the winner, a task the loser must undertake, etc. Obviously, gambling is not being referred to here.

[7] The proof for that is what has been presented in the previous section. Some of the scholars of Fiqh have mentioned the legislation of wrestling in the Religion, as well as the different kinds of sports that benefit and strengthen the body in preparation for Jihaad in Allaah's Way. For examples, look to At-Tamheed (14/88), Al-Mughnee (8/666), Tabyeenul-Haqaa'iq (6/227), Al-Fataawaa Al-Hindiyyah (6/445), Mughnil-Muhtaaj (4/312), Al-Umm (4/148), and Hashiyatud-Daswaqee (2/210).

[8] See At-Tamheed (14/88) and Haashiyatud-Daswaqee (2/210).

[9] See Majmoo'ul-Fataawaa (32/227), Al-Mughnee (8/667-8), and Al-Insaaf (6/90).

[10] See Al-Umm (4/148), Al-Muhath-thib (1/414), and Mughnil-Muhtaaj (4/312).

[11] The Shaafi'ee scholars were known to allow it. See Rowdhatut-Taalibeen (10/351) and Al-Muhath-thib (1/414).

[12] See Haashiyah Ibni 'Aabideen (6/403). However some of the Hanafee scholars prohibited it. For examples, see Al-Bahrur-Raa'iq (8/554), Tabyeenul-Haqaa'iq (6/227), and Al-Fataawaa Al-Hindiyyah (6/445).

[13] Translator's note: This was originally a long footnote from the last section, found on page 106-108 of Al-Furoosiyyah.

[14] Translator's note: The author quite nobly makes no mention of the extreme form of falsehood that so many of the youth are occupied with today - so-called "professional" wrestling as found in the West. Of course, this mirage of a sport, with its actors and staged performances, can not possibly be included in our discussion of wrestling, a meritorious sport practiced by our Prophet (saws).

[15] Takmilatul-Majmoo' (15/141)

[16] Translator's note: And that goal is to "benefit and strengthen the body in preparation for Jihaad in Allaah's Way" as mentioned previously. So a wrestler who seeks fame, popularity, status, or wastes long periods of time, delaying prayer or neglecting other Islaamic duties has obviously gone outside of this goal.

[17] An authentic (saheeh) hadeeth found, with varying but similar wordings, in Ahmad (4/144,146,148,222), Aboo Daawood (3/13), Ibn Maajah (2/940), Ad-Daarimee (2/204-205), Al-Haakim (2/95), Al-Bayhaqee (10/13,14,218), and many others.

[18] See Sharhus-Sunnah (10/383) and Tah-theeb Sunan Abee Daawood (3/371)

[MG]

mashallah at the posts and hadith, jazakallah!

i think mothers especially should be much freer with this sport wen it comes with their kids, cos i know fathers like to get their kids to wrestle others but some mothers turn their noses up at this! (i used ot myself until i found out it was sunnah a while back :D )


lets revive this sunnah inshallah with our children