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Swimming: A Sunnah Sport

Hafsa Waseela is in the medical field and is continu-
ing to pursue her studies to reach her ultimate voca-
tion to become a Lecturer specialising in Oncology
and Cancer. She is an artist, poet and an active mem-
ber of a number of dawah organisations, community
associations and charities in the UK and abroad. To
find out more about her work, please visit the following

website www.hafsaabbas.com

5482 Ilma Magazine / Issue 135

Swimming is an essential all-round ‘The awrah of a man is the area between
skill for everyone to have and fan- the navel and the knee. This does not
tastic way to maintain our health! include the navel and the knee’’.
As a form of exercise and sport,
swimming works every bone and [Al-Majmoo, 3/173; Al-Mughni, 2/286]
muscle in the human body without
the harsh impacts of other exercise
activities. In addition to increasing
brain activity, promoting weight
control, and a healthier heart; all of
which prolong life.

Islam has put emphasis into caring for our body,
mind and soul, in order for us to be healthy and
fulfil our purpose in life, which is to worship
Allah, The Most High, and perform good deeds.
When we look at the wonders of the creation,
such as the intricate functions of the human
body, it gives us a sense of gratitude and en-
courages us to maintain our health and well-be-
ing.

By staying active, one is able to sustain this and
maximises our opportunities to serve Allah, The
Most High, in the best possible manner.

Swimming is a Sunnah
Sport!

Did you know swimming is amongst the recom-
mended sports, encouraged by our Beloved
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?

“Everything which is not the remembrance of
Allah is play and jest except for four: a person
walking between the archer and the target,
horse riding, playing with one’s family, and learn-
ing to swim”. [Reported by Al-Tabarani]

So what are the recommended sports besides
swimming that our Beloved Prophet (pbuh) en-
couraged us to learn?

• Archery
• Horse riding
• Running
• Wrestling
• Stick Fighting

Ilma Magazine / Issue 15 53

Modesty and Swimming So what are the
advantages of
It should be noted that swimming should occur swimming?
amongst one’s own gender, due to reasons of
exposing the ‘awrah’ (areas which are deemed Benefit 1: Good for your
impermissible for those of the opposite sex to heart!
see, except in the sight of their spouse), and the
danger of free-mixing in unlawful and unregulat- It lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke. Two
ed circumstances. research studies were conducted by the Cooper
‘’The awrah of a man is the area between the na- Clinic in Dallas, USA, whose results highlighted
vel and the knee. This does not include the navel the importance of swimming. One study com-
and the knee’’. [Al-Majmoo, 3/173; Al-Mughni, pared various measures of cardiovascular health
2/286] across 46,000 male and female swimmers, run-
The awrah of a woman in front of her ‘mahram’ ners and walkers. Results show that both swim-
(unmarriageable kin), is her whole body ex- mers and those who ran had better levels of
cept for the face, hair, neck, forearms and feet, blood pressure and cholesterol as well as the
whilst for non-mahram men, it is everything ex- cardiac output. Cardiac output is the amount of
cept her face and hands (scholars disagree on blood pumped by the heart per minute.
the permissibility of showing the feet). Women The second study focused on deaths of 40,547
must also dress modestly around other women, men aged 20 to 90 years old. 2 percent of these
which is usually to cover from the shoulders to subjects were swimmers, followed by 8 percent
the knees. However, there is no awrah between a were runners, 9 percent were walkers and 11
married couple. It must be noted that for medical percent did not exercise at all.
reasons your awrah can be uncovered.
Therefore, I recommend you visit your local lei- Ilma Magazine / Issue 15
sure centre where few classes are catered for
women-only sessions with a female instructor,
parent with children sessions and other types of
sessions, whether you are a beginner or not!

54

Benefit 2: It keeps your The buoyancy of water has two effects:
weight under control! 1. Reduces the body weight by 75 to 90 per-

Swimming can allow you to lose calories be- cent
tween the ranges 500 to 650 per hour which de- 2. Stress surrounded the joints, muscles and
pends on two factors:
bones are also minimised
• How efficiently one swims - This can be
achieved by increasing the length and in- Benefit 3: It gives you a
tensity of swimming gradually which conse- positive mind-set!
quently increase fitness levels. Decreasing
the drag in the water and improving propul- In the USA, The Centers for Disease Control and
sion in the water are two tips that allow one Prevention (CDC) have stated that swimming has
to swim efficiently. ‘Drag’ is defined as the a number of benefits emotionally and mentally:
ability to move something to pull something a) Improves the mood;
else along with it. ‘Propulsion’ is the process b) Lowers anxiety and depression, especially in
of pushing forward. Water is less dense than women with ‘fibromyalgia’; a chronic neurosen-
air, thus by dragging the water less, will allow sory disorder. Amongst the symptoms obtained
one to improve their propulsion. How can you is; joint stiffness, tiredness and muscle pain
improve it? This can be done by conducting where the pain is transported to different loca-
stroke mechanics. For instance, rolling from tions in the body;
side to side with each arm stroke. c) The mental health of pregnant women is im-
proved;
• Buoyancy – This is defined as when one en- d) It improves family connections especially fam-
ters the water, they will find that their weight ilies with developmental disabilities.
allows them to press down into the water dis-
placing a proportion of the water. The water
presses back, pushing the individual up. As
long as the water in which one’s body dis-
places weighs heavier than the actual indi-
vidual, the individual will float. This is known
as Archimedes’ Law.

Ilma Magazine / Issue 15 55

Benefit 4: It could save a life! Benefit 7: Ideal for when it is
summer!
Knowing how to swim is an essential skill to
have, for instance, if you saw someone drowning When it is hot, swimming provides more cool-
you would be able to save them, In shaa Allah (if ing, as the movements are smooth and rhythmic.
Allah wills). Drinking water also aids in keeping our skins
cool and bodies hydrated! This is essential as
Benefit 5: It is good for any the cells in our bodies require water, in order to
joint pain or Arthritis! function efficiently.

Water walking is amongst the exercises one Benefit 7: Fun for the elderly!
can do in the pool. For individuals with Arthri-
tis (all forms), it aids the joints because the wa- It improves their quality of life and lowers disabil-
ter’s buoyancy supports the body fat and mass, ity. It also improves the bone health of post-men-
which lowers the risk and protects one from opausal women. Post-menopausal is the period
stress and strain on the joint and minimises pain. after menopause (when the menstruation stops).
It also strengthens the muscles. Individuals with Despite all the benefits of swimming; it is also
‘Rheumatoid Arthritis’ (long term pain in the best to get consultation from your doctor be-
joints) have an improved health after participat- fore starting any exercise.
ing in hydrotherapy. ‘Hydrotherapy’ is an alterna-
tive medicine that involves using water to relieve Ilma Magazine / Issue 15
pain and aid in treatment.

Benefit 6: A remedy for the
injured!

In certain circumstances, the advice that is giv-
en to injured athletes is for them to swim to main-
tain their fitness level. Research has shown that
swimming is a great source for back or spine
injuries.

56

How do I start swimming Also find out about the price plans at your local
or encourage my family leisure centre, where an annual leisure card or
to get involved? swim pass is available, to save you money in
comparison to pay as you go.
Tip 1
Tip 3
Do not be scared and take the first step!
The first few lessons are tailored to your ability Take a friend!
and are designed in such a way that it builds If you are a brother, take a male friend and if you
your confidence. are a sister, take a female friend.
This may encourage you to go swimming more
A pair of goggles could be worn in order to see often and also keep you motivated!
under water and as a means of protection from
the chemicals that are inserted into swimming Tip 4
pools.
Take your children!
Tip 2 Swimming is an activity open to all ages espe-
cially children, it is a time where they can relax
Make it one of your weekly duties! and utilise their energy in a positive way.
Start off with an hour a week, whether it is after
work or during the weekends. Now you know the benefits of swimming;
when do you plan on going? Enjoy your swim
and the goodness that comes with it!

Supplication for Healing Sickness

“Allahumma Rabban-nasi, adhhibil-ba’sa, washfi, Antash-Shafi,
lashifa’a illa shifa’uka, shifaan la yughadiru saqaman”.

Translation: O Allah! The Rabb of mankind! Remove this disease and cure him or her! You are
the Great Curer. There is no cure but through You, which leaves behind no disease.
[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Al-Muslim]

C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K

Elena Nikolova is the creator of MuslimTravelGirl.com
She helps Muslims travel the world in style without breaking the bank.

Follow Elena on Twitter @MuslimTravelGrl

Omani Fish Curry and Halwa

Omani hospitality is not complete without a delicious food feast. The people of Oman take
pride in their diverse cuisine and culinary influences, either borrowed from their neighbours or

authentically their own.

Ilma Magazine / Issue 15 59

60 Ilma Magazine / Issue 15

main course

Omani Fish Curry

Preperation Time: 20 mins
cooking Time: 40 mins

Due to Oman’s maritime history, their shores have plenty of fresh fish, shrimps and other sea delights at
their disposal, which are either cooked or grilled. As a consequence, seafood is regarded as a special-
ty, and thus, regularly presented in family feasts, especially for guests.
The Omani Fish Curry is a traditional and standard dish that can easily be prepared at home for friends
and family. The curry has been influenced by South Asian flavours and yet it is incorporated into the
Omani cuisine with a distinctive taste.

Main Ingredients (Serves 6) Accompaniment
• Steamed Rice
• 2 red onions, chopped Preparation
• 3 red chilies, chopped 1. Use a food chopper to process the onions,
• 2 cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved chillies, ginger and garlic until they turn into
• 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil paste.
• 6 cardamom pods 2. Heat oil in a deep pan and lightly fry the
• 8 cloves paste until it becomes a light brown colour.
• 2 cinnamon sticks 3. Add the dried spices and cook for a further
• 1 tsp black peppercorns one minute.
• 1 tbsp ground cumin 4. Add the coconut water, sugar and half a
• 2 tsp ground coriander cup of water, then simmer for thirty minutes.
• 1⁄2 tsp turmeric 5. If you are using frozen vegetables, include it
• 400 ml coconut milk into the pan and cook until it is soft.
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar 6. Add the fish, then cover and cook for five
• 1 to 1⁄2 kg fish of your choice cut into to eight minutes in low heat until the fish is
cooked.
bite-size pieces 7. Remove the fish from the pan, and then add
• 1 cup of mixed vegetables (optional) - you the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
Enjoy the curry with hot steamed rice!
can use any fresh or frozen vegetables such
as peas, carrots and peppers
• 2 to 3 tbsp of lime juice
• Salt to taste

Ilma Magazine / Issue 15 61

62 Ilma Magazine / Issue 15

dessert

Omani Halwa

Preperation Time: 20 mins
cooking Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Oman’s traditional dessert is ‘halwa’ which means ‘dessert’ or ‘sweet’ in Arabic. Halwa can be found in
the home or at restaurants and it is usually served with Arabic black coffee (kahwa). Halwa is usually
served during special occasions such as weddings and Eid.
Traditionally, halwa is cooked by males of the family due to heavy stirring that is involved. Even today,
halwa preparation and cooking is very much regarded as a man’s job whether at home or in restau-
rants. The process of making halwa is tiring due to the constant mixing required, however the results
are extremely rewarding, as the end product is delicious.

Main Ingredients (Serves 8) boil the mixture until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Keep the sugar syrup on the stove warm and
• 2 cups tapioca starch
• 1 cup and a half of water add the tapioca starch mixture. Keep stirring
• 4 cups sugar whilst you reduce the heat.
• 4 cups water 6. Add the nutmeg powder, cardamom and saf-
• ½ tsp red food colouring fron strands.
• 5 to 6 saffron strands 7. Continue stirring the halwa until it starts turn-
• ½ cup ghee (Indian butter) ing into a mixture and lathers.
• 1 tsp rose essence 8. Slowly start adding the unused ghee while
• 2 tbsp rose water you stir continuously.
• ½ tsp cardamom powder 9. As the halwa is being cooked, it will become
• ½ tsp nutmeg powder harder and harder to stir the mixture. Do not
• 1tbsp toasted sesame seeds give up and continue stirring. This is when you
• 20 cashew nuts may need a helping hand!
• 20 pistachio flakes 10. Add the rose essence and rose water as well
• 20 almonds as the sesame seeds and continue stirring the
mixture well.
Preparation 11. Stir for two minutes and add the roasted nuts
and almonds that you prepared earlier. Mix
1. Place the tapioca starch in a bowl and add well.
the water and food colour. Mix well so there 12. Turn off the heat and your halwa is ready!
are no lumps. You can enjoy hot halwa in a bowl or you can let
it cool down until it becomes hard enough to cut
2. Blanch and sliver the almonds. into pieces. If you would like to enjoy halwa cold,
3. In a nonstick pan add the cashew nuts and then you will need a greased tray where you can
evenly spread the halwa using a spatula. Next,
slivered almonds; roast them for a few sec- garnish the halwa with pistachios flakes and nuts,
onds. Then remove from the pan and keep and then finally cut into your desired sized pieces
aside. and serve.
4. Make the sugar syrup. Place the sugar in a Enjoy your authentic Omani Halwa!
large cooking pot with four cups of water and

Ilma Magazine / Issue 15 63

KNOWLEDGE FOR THE SOUL

“We know that you, (O Muhammad), are
saddened by what they say. And indeed, they do not
call you untruthful, but it is the verses of Allah that
the wrongdoers reject. And certainly were messengers
denied before you, but they were patient over (the ef-
fects of) denial, and they were harmed until Our victory
came to them. And none can alter the words of Allah.
And there has certainly come to you some information

about the (previous) messengers”.

[Qur’an, Surah Al-An’nam: The Cattle, 6:33-34]

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A Little Prayer

If the path that I walk on,
Is made of thorns and burning coals

And leads me to your Mercy
Let me not flinch, but walk towards you gracefully.

Let me not complain and let me not regret
The sacrifices that I’ve made in your name

For those sacrifices are not even a drop
In the ocean of Mercy that you have bestowed.

If the path that I walk on,
Is on the truth that you have chosen
Grant me the strength to uphold and carry its flag
Let me not cower or fall in the face of tyranny or oppression,
But walk towards you… gracefully.
If my struggles and pain are a test from you my Lord
Then make every pain a pleasure to bear.

By Islam Channel Presenter Shahina Khatun
Visit Shahina’s blog:

www.lyricallyoutspoken.wordpress.com

Wallahi: Wall
 
A phrase that’s sprayed  
From the lips like an AK We don’t care we swear
Our mouths are machine guns
We’re off out to rave
Our words ricochet We don’t care we swear
Each consonant a bullet We’ll link some girls, hey!
Every vowel a grenade We don’t care we swear
Explosive exclamations We’ll smoke Shisha and blaze
But our flesh isn’t grazed We don’t care we swear
We cause damage with language While we lie and defame

Can’t see the decay
The tongue is a tool
A two-sided blade
A knife that can slice
Same time it can slay

So think,
Before you open your mouth and you say…

 

Wallahi:
 
We say it freely it’s easy

A CD stuck on play
Daily and weekly
Like everything’s OK
Once rarely suffices:
It’s again and again
We just can’t refrain
From saying this refrain
We’re stuck in our ways
Unwilling to change
It’s light on our tongues
But how heavy it weighs
When we swear by Allah
The matter is grave
Bur our oaths are a joke
We turned praise into play

68 Ilma Magazine / Issue 15

lahi: Wallahi:
 
Wallahi: Allah is our Lord
  And we are His slaves
Allah sees all our deeds
Do you not feel afraid? Destination: Akhira
The Dunya’s a cage
To say, “Wallahi”
While you disobey This life is a test
The creator who gave Who’ll get the best grade?
You a mouth and a brain There will come a time soon
But you separate the two When we’ll rest in our graves
No connection is made  Then we’ll be questioned
Between the phrases you say On the day that we’re raised
And the way you behave
Don’t you find this contradiction All that we did
A little bit strange? And said on display
I guess we’re all guilty Judgment is passed
All shades: brown to beige It’s the garden or blaze
We don’t care, we swear
Cause we’ve no sense of shame So think,
Before you open your mouth and you say…
 
 
Ilma Magazine / Issue 15
Wallahi.

By Tommy Evans

Follow Tommy on Twitter
@TommyA_ManEvans

69

Available at all Islamic Secrets to a Successful Marriage:
Bookshops
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70 Guide to a Long and
Contented Married Life

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insight into marital life and its challenges; particularly for
those brought up in the Western society. It is a much needed
and relevant book for these times, when divorce is on the
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It is formatted and written in a very ‘easy to digest’ style,
hence making it accessible and a friendlier read for those
who find it difficult to turn to books for help. ‘Secrets to a
Successful Marriage’ is an essential book for those who are
already married and a great preparation for those looking to
get married.

Ilma Magazine / Issue 15

“Islam is rooted in the idea that knowledge is the most potent
force on earth. The more one knows, the closer one gets to
the One who knows all. The Prophet, God bless and grant him
peace, loved knowledge, and it is the only prayer the Qur’an
commands him to supplicate (for increase): “Say: “O my Lord!

Advance me in knowledge”.

American Islamic Scholar Hamza Yusuf

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Ahmad explores primarily miracles in the earth and miracles
in astronomy. The miracles of the Qur’an regarding our sur-
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other inorganic matters, are clear evidences that the Qur’an
is the Word of Allah, the God who created them.
What makes this book different to many others is that Yusuf
shares knowledge about the earth and astronomy, using
specialists such as Dr. Muhammad Harb and merging the
evidence found in Islamic literature.
Allah says in The Holy Qur’an: “The creation of the Heaven
and the Earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind,
and yet most mankind know not”. [Qur’an, Surah Al-Ghafir:
The Forgiver, 40:57]

Ilma Magazine / Issue 15 71

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75



GET INVOLVED 77

Jobs & Volunteering Opportunities

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Events Experience

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Ilma Magazine / Issue 15

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Ilma Magazine / Issue 15

KNOWLEDGE FOR THE SOUL

“I am a servant of a Great King who is
not moved by the world for my God is
with me and goes before me. I do not

fear because I am His”.

[Anonymous]

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