Why it is Not Haram to be a Boxer in Islam
C.J Ahmed-18.05.2023
Boxing is a physical sport which involve two persons involving in punching blows using mainly their fists. There I nothing haram in engaging in boxing because Islam has never forbidden boxing.
The Prophet (sal) said, “Verily Allah has obligated the obligations – so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits – so do not transgress them. And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them.”
(Hasan Sahih-Ad-Darqutni No. 4/199 and also Al-Baihaqi No. 10/122)
Boxing increase your physical strength and Ilam encourages Muslims to be strong believers.
Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (sal) said:
“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive to do that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allah. Do not feel helpless and if anything befalls you, do not say ‘If only I had done such and such.’ Rather say, ‘Qadar Allah wa ma sha-a kan (The decree of Allah and whatever He wills happens).’ For (the words) ‘If only’ open the door to the Shaytan.” (Muslim)
There are some who might try to forbid boxing by stating that boxing involves striking the face and striking the face is harm. The prophet(sal) said,
“If any one of you has a fight with his brother, let him avoid the face.”(Muslim)
The above hadith is about fighting a Muslim seriously and boxing is done for sport and is not serious.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (sal) said: “When one of you inflicts a beating, he should avoid striking the face.”(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
It is clear that striking the face means fighting seriously and boxing is done only for entertainment.
Boxing has being there since ancient Greece nd even in such a scenario, the prophet (sal) never forbade boxing. Islam is basically silent. The next argument is that boxing is a waste of time. that watching movies is a waste of time? The hadith about wasting time is as follows.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The above hadith, it speaks generally about wasting time and you cannot say specifically that boxing is also a waste of time. Wasting time is what the Quran and the authentic hadiths say what wasting time is and not the personal opinions of someone. Just because ports such as boxing is a waste of time for one person does not mean it is a waste of time for another. If seeking entertainment was a waste of time, then the prophet (Sal) would have forbidden Aisha (Rali) from watching the Ethiopians playing with spears in the mosque. Wasting time is a relative thing for a person to person and Islam nowhere says that watching movies or entertainment is a waste of time or that it is haram. This is what happens when Muslims become puritanical and try to go beyond the understanding of the Sahaba and the Salaf. The Ansar Sahaba are among the most closed companions of the prophet (Sal) and loving them is a sign of faith. The Ansar Sahabah were fond of entertainment and the prophet (Sal) said:
“O Aisha, do you have any entertainment? Verily, the Ansar are fond of entertainment.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The False Awrah Argument
The argument that the thigh is an awrah for a man is wrong because only the private parts is an awrah for a man.
Like all the other issues pertaining to religious rulings, scholars are divided on how much a man should cover in front of a man and how much a woman should cover in front of a woman. In the teaching of Islam according to the Quran and authentic hadiths, the awrah for a man in front of a man is only his private parts and anything else can be uncovered.
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Hadiths proving that the thigh is not an awrah for a man
Anas (Rali) Narrates:
"During the battle of Khaibar, the Prophet's gown was withdrawn from his thigh until I could see its whiteness."
(Bukhari)
If the thigh was an awrah the prophet (sal) would have never exposed his awrah like this. The other hadth is as below
Abu'l-'Aliyat al-Bara Narrated:
"Ibn Ziyad delayed the prayer. 'Abdullah b. Samit came to me and I placed a chair for him and he sat in it and I made a mention of whit Ibn Ziyad had done. He bit hit lips (as a sign of extreme anger and annoyance) and struck at my thigh and said: I asked Abu Dharr as you have asked me, and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (Sal) as you have asked me and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and he ( Prophet (Sal)) said: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, and if you can say prayer along with them. do so, and do not say." I have observed prayer and so I shall not pray."
(Sahih Muslim)
It is clear from these hadiths that the awrah for a man is only his private parts
Boxing is not haram in Islam.
Boxing is a physical sport which involve two persons involving in punching blows using mainly their fists. There I nothing haram in engaging in boxing because Islam has never forbidden boxing.
The Prophet (sal) said, “Verily Allah has obligated the obligations – so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits – so do not transgress them. And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them.”
(Hasan Sahih-Ad-Darqutni No. 4/199 and also Al-Baihaqi No. 10/122)
Boxing increase your physical strength and Ilam encourages Muslims to be strong believers.
Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (sal) said:
“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive to do that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allah. Do not feel helpless and if anything befalls you, do not say ‘If only I had done such and such.’ Rather say, ‘Qadar Allah wa ma sha-a kan (The decree of Allah and whatever He wills happens).’ For (the words) ‘If only’ open the door to the Shaytan.” (Muslim)
There are some who might try to forbid boxing by stating that boxing involves striking the face and striking the face is harm. The prophet(sal) said,
“If any one of you has a fight with his brother, let him avoid the face.”(Muslim)
The above hadith is about fighting a Muslim seriously and boxing is done for sport and is not serious.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (sal) said: “When one of you inflicts a beating, he should avoid striking the face.”(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
It is clear that striking the face means fighting seriously and boxing is done only for entertainment.
Boxing has being there since ancient Greece nd even in such a scenario, the prophet (sal) never forbade boxing. Islam is basically silent. The next argument is that boxing is a waste of time. that watching movies is a waste of time? The hadith about wasting time is as follows.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The above hadith, it speaks generally about wasting time and you cannot say specifically that boxing is also a waste of time. Wasting time is what the Quran and the authentic hadiths say what wasting time is and not the personal opinions of someone. Just because ports such as boxing is a waste of time for one person does not mean it is a waste of time for another. If seeking entertainment was a waste of time, then the prophet (Sal) would have forbidden Aisha (Rali) from watching the Ethiopians playing with spears in the mosque. Wasting time is a relative thing for a person to person and Islam nowhere says that watching movies or entertainment is a waste of time or that it is haram. This is what happens when Muslims become puritanical and try to go beyond the understanding of the Sahaba and the Salaf. The Ansar Sahaba are among the most closed companions of the prophet (Sal) and loving them is a sign of faith. The Ansar Sahabah were fond of entertainment and the prophet (Sal) said:
“O Aisha, do you have any entertainment? Verily, the Ansar are fond of entertainment.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The False Awrah Argument
The argument that the thigh is an awrah for a man is wrong because only the private parts is an awrah for a man.
Like all the other issues pertaining to religious rulings, scholars are divided on how much a man should cover in front of a man and how much a woman should cover in front of a woman. In the teaching of Islam according to the Quran and authentic hadiths, the awrah for a man in front of a man is only his private parts and anything else can be uncovered.
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (sal) said: A man should not look at the private parts of another man, and a woman should not look at the private parts of another woman. A man should not lie with another man without wearing lower garment under one cover; and a woman should not be lie with another woman without wearing lower garment under one cover.
(Abu Dawud-authenticated by Albani)
Hadiths proving that the thigh is not an awrah for a man
Anas (Rali) Narrates:
"During the battle of Khaibar, the Prophet's gown was withdrawn from his thigh until I could see its whiteness."
(Bukhari)
If the thigh was an awrah the prophet (sal) would have never exposed his awrah like this. The other hadth is as below
Abu'l-'Aliyat al-Bara Narrated:
"Ibn Ziyad delayed the prayer. 'Abdullah b. Samit came to me and I placed a chair for him and he sat in it and I made a mention of whit Ibn Ziyad had done. He bit hit lips (as a sign of extreme anger and annoyance) and struck at my thigh and said: I asked Abu Dharr as you have asked me, and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (Sal) as you have asked me and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and he ( Prophet (Sal)) said: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, and if you can say prayer along with them. do so, and do not say." I have observed prayer and so I shall not pray."
(Sahih Muslim)
It is clear from these hadiths that the awrah for a man is only his private parts
Boxing is not haram in Islam.