Racing Together to Jannah Can Burn Some Serious Fat

Written by Abu Saliha

Thursday, 23 July 2009 12:59

The Quran and Hadith are full of examples of taking care of our bodies. “Do not cast yourselves into destruction by your own hands.” (2:195). The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) warned us about the dangers and health hazards of overeating. He advised us to fill our stomach with the following formula: “1/3 for food, 1/3 for drink, and 1/3 for air.” Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him), said to her: “Come I will race you so I raced with him and I won. After I became heavier he raced me and he won, so he laughed and said this one for that one.” (Abu Dawood).

The statistics for obesity are staggering:
• 70% of Gulf Arab State females are considered obese
• According to Economist: The top countries for the highest obese populations are Muslim Arab Countries: Lebanon, Gaza/Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait
• More than 64% of American adults are overweight
• 50% of women aged 20 to 74 are overweight or obese in the US
• 11% of children are obese in the US
• Obese pregnant women are more at risk of dying, suffering heart disease, miscarriage, diabetes, infections and blood clots.
Muslims in America are not immune from obesity. Unfortunately, with the American Muslim Ummah as a whole, it has become more prevalent with prosperity. We are following the general populace in this and sometimes I believe we exceed them in area of health problems. From our leaders, to our children, from young to old, male and females, this is a problem that needs addressing.

The solutions are simple and logical but not easy to implement. We could be more moderate in our eating and drinking habits, we could become more physically active, have a more regular sleep schedule, drink more water rather than soda and sugary drinks, establish networks to help us in these goals and engage in more prayer and dhikhr.

After hitting my early 40’s, I realize that I was becoming physically unfit. I used to workout in high school but then like everyone else I became busy with college, my job, my family, my community, etc and time passed and before you know it your middle aged. I no longer have illusions of attaining a bodybuilder’s physique, but I realize the importance of good health. Recall one of the five things the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised us to take advantage of before five was “your health before you fall sick”.

It doesn’t cost much to get physically fit in terms of time or money. It can be as inexpensive as walking daily, doing calisthenics (jumping jack, sit-ups, pushups, pull-ups, etc), jogging or running. If you are so inclined, you could buy some simple equipment to work out at home. You could join a gym or health club; there are facilities that cater to both men and women.

I personally have found a passion for running. After tearing my meniscus in my knee twice (once playing basketball), I found I needed something more suitable for my age and something aerobic. I entered a 2-mile Fun Run at work in April and though I finished the race, I was very disappointed in my performance. I was like the hare in the old fable tale about the tortoise and the hare. I ran and stopped many times. That’s when I vowed to start getting in shape. I started running and slowly building up my endurance and distance. I hope to be ready to run the semi-annual race at work in October of this year. In fact, I think we should encourage running amongst Muslims and we could have our own “Fun Run”.

If you have not exercised before or it’s been a long time, working with your doctor ahead of time may be the best way to plan an exercise program that’s right for you. Consider it the first step on the path to physical fitness.

For those interested in running or helping develop a Muslim Fun Run, contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .