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is there anything in the Quran and sunnah that encourages martial arts?

Anything that encourages one to learn self defense, to get strong through exercise or anything like this, did any of the sahaba do so, did the prophet (SAW).. anything :D thanks cos i been doing wing chun for like 2 years and wanted to check some things, :D

Public Comments

they didnt have martial arts back then cuz they went to war on hourses,, there is a hadith encouraging learning to swim and to shoot, and to ride hourses,, but dont think martial arts was mentioned, but still there is nothing wrong with martial arts, it teaches decipline and self defense,
Dear Brother, Assalaam-u-alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatahu wa magfiratu, As far as sports and games are concerned, Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi, deputy chairman of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, states: "A Muslim should shun all games and sports that contain rituals and practices which contravene the teachings of Islam, irrespective of their names or titles. If sports and games are free of such non-Islamic practices, a Muslim is permitted to involve in them. It is a custom in some martial arts that players greet each other by bowing. Then, if this practice is meant to be an act of worship, it is impermissible for a Muslim to involve in. However, if it is meant to be a form of showing mutual respect between players, and not in form of ruku` (bowing) in salah, then it is permitted from the Islamic point of view."
Yes, it is liked in Islaam to learn things that makes one strong. There is a Hadith which says" teach ur children to swim, horse riding & how to throw (bow & arrow art)". A strong believer is greater then a weak one & a weak is better then a non believer. Allah know the best.
Once there was some sort of wrestling or spear fighting going on just outside the prophet's house, and He (pbuh) came out with Ayesha (pbu.her) to watch it, and they both stood there and enjoyed watching it, for entertainment. I have a book here besides me, its called "Amusement and Play: and its limits in Islam" by Mufti Mahmood Ashraf Usmani (from Pakistan) In listing sports and hobbies that the writer encourages for Muslims include: Archery, Horse riding, Swimming, Jogging etc. I'll give you a quote from page 83: "Wrestling, Karate, Kung-Fu, Boxing, Stick-fighting: To learn these sports for the sake of Jihad and self-defence is permissible and within suitable limits these are a very good source of physical exercises. Extra precaution must be taken while practicing that the head and face are not aimed at as it is impermissible to hit in the face. It is impermissible and haram to learn and practice these sports aggressively, offensively or oppresively in order to cause harm or injury to someone without any valid cause. "
No. Islam is a way of life. The Quran guides you to a good life. Allah has given you brains and intelligence which you use and conclude whether something is good or bad for your life. No verse in the Quran that encourages, for example taking drugs when you're sick. Does that mean we should ignore it? Islam was not sent to baby-walk people. It is ridiculous to assume that.
there is sahapy " amer ben el khatab" said "علموا اولادكم السباحة والرماية وركوب الخيل" which mean " teach your kids Swimming, archery and horse riding" and in that time that was the martial arts but now in our time there are so many other martial arts so why not learn it and teach so i edit my answer cause i find out it was not hadeth but it was sahaby who said it
I don't know if anything is written in your texts about martial arts, But my Karate teacher was a muslim, and he found no conflict with his religion, if anything the two made him the most tolerant and broadminded person I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He is also the wisest, friendliest and humerous of souls to walk this planet He did not preach on WHAT to think he taught us HOW to think, which was far more useful
Narrated Salama bin Al-Akwa The Prophet passed by some persons of the tribe of Aslam practicing archery (i.e. the throwing of arrows) Allah's Apostle said, "O offspring of Ishmael! Practice archery (i.e. arrow throwing) as your father was a great archer (i.e. arrow-thrower). I am with (on the side of) the son of so-and-so-." Hearing that, one of the two teams stopped throwing. Allah's Apostle asked them, ' Why are you not throwing?" They replied, "O Allah's Apostle! How shall we throw when you are withthe opposite team?" He said, "Throw, for I am with you all." Archery is a form of martial arts during that time period and even in this day (Japanese Kyudo).
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Imam Ali(a.s) used a sword with double blades. a specialized weapon like that probably required some specialized skills, no wonder he was the best warrior. and there was this verse from the Quran i see regularly written in big gold letters on the wall of a Pakistan Army base in Karachi it goes "Muster all the strength you can prepare against them"
I don't know if they actually specified martial arts, but my brother told me they would practice archery and horseback riding in the Prophet's time because they would have to fight in wars on horses.
I know there are hadith (although i don't know exactly which ones), but they essentially encourage exercise. A note though, martial arts isn't just the asian fighting styles. Boxing, sword fighting, wrestling, archery....etc are all martial arts. (i've been practicing tang soo do for about 10 years).