Is it true that the Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, encouraged the practice of sports, and is a Muslim rewarded for engaging in them if he intends thereby to follow his Sunnah and maintain his health?
A Muslim's endeavor to strengthen their body is commendable in Islamic law, due to the Prophet's (PBUH) saying: "The strong believer is more beloved to Allah than the weak believer." Islamic law has encouraged some sports like swimming, archery, and horsemanship. In a hadith: "You must practice archery, for it is one of your best pastimes," and "Shoot and ride, but that you shoot is more beloved to me than that you ride. Everything with which a Muslim man amuses himself is vain, except his shooting with his bow, his training of his horse, and his playing with his wife, for these are of the truth."
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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