Muslim Sportswomen: A New Way of Being Religious in the Contemporary World

Abstract

Muslim Sportswomen:A New Way of Being Religious in the Contemporary World Kate Mroz, Ph.D. (bio) On Saturday, October 19, 2019, 16-year-old Noor Alexandria Abukaram ran a personal best 5k in a high school cross country race. When she crossed the finish line, however, she found out that this run would not count for her or her teammates. Disqualified for wearing a hijab without first obtaining a "special waiver," Abukaram's story is far from the only instance of a woman or group of women being penalized for wearing a head covering. Abukaram went from being an Ohio high schooler to a celebrity, receiving attention both positive and negative. She is even the inspiration behind a new bill in the Ohio prohibiting school sports from requiring advance permission for religious attire. Women like Abukaram are continuously seeking to redefine what it means to be a Muslim woman and an athlete. Muslim sportswomen are consistently resisting media caricatures of them as escapees of an oppressive tradition and demonstrating that one can be dedicated to both their sport and their religion. This essay discusses the obstacles faced by Muslim athletes and demonstrates how Muslim women are showing that religious devotion is compatible with competition, even at the highest levels. Their experience also serves as a reminder that sport can be a powerful form of activism. [End Page 13] Muslim Women and Sports: A Brief Overview The place of sports and physical activity, especially for women, in contemporary Islamic law is a matter of debate. It is hard to find fatwas related to sport in print, but they are quite numerous on Islamic websites. Many believe that this is because the two main audiences of Islamic websites, young Muslims and Muslims living in the West, are the most likely to experience religious dilemmas relating to sporting activities.1 Much of the controversy surrounding sports has to do with the association of modern sports with colonization or Westernization. For example, soccer was imported from the British and basketball from the Americans in the early 20th century.2 Thus, some scholars describe modern sporting events as a direct and intentional assault on Islamic societies. Most agree that Muslims are encouraged to maintain a healthy body and that certain sports have Islamic origins. According to one hadith, the Prophet said, "Teach your children swimming, archery, and horseback riding." Another strong hadith tells the story of the Prophet racing his wife Aisha in order to please her.3 Where disagreement occurs is the extent to which Muslims, especially women, should participate in sports, and which types of sports are permissible. Shavit and Winter identify two socio-legal approaches4 to the question of sport participation: the socially liberal Wasatiyya school and the socially conservative Salafiyya school. Wasati scholars maintain that sports can be practiced or watched for pleasure, and even state that sporting events may sometimes take precedence over religious duties. Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, for example, insists that a professional Muslim athlete may avoid fasting during Ramadan. That person may offer compensation, such as feeding a poor person, for every day of the fast that is skipped. Wasati scholars also do not take issue with watching sports on television, maintaining that the Prophet "ordered us to entertain ourselves through lawful means."5 Salafi jurists, on the other hand, do not approve of the practice of modern sports, arguing that watching sports on television is a waste of time that will lead to the neglect of religious duties or the commission of prohibited acts. [End Page 14] They also advise against pursuing a professional sports career.6 When it comes to women's participation in sports, both schools agree that men and women should not practice sports together. However, while Salafis prohibit women from participating in any activity outside the home for fear they will become distracted, Wasatis approve of women's only sports clubs. Even though Wasatis are more permissive, both schools are concerned with sports taking away from religious duties. Both agree that large sums of money should not be spent on athletics. They also forbid practices like gloating or jeering at one's opponents, and betting on sporting events. The degree of...