also fall within the purview of this text, because what counts is the general purport, not the particular wording.
13 – Ibn al-Qayyim said: The sabaq (race-wager contract) is an independent agreement with its own rulings, distinct from hire (ijarah), reward offers (juʿalah), vows (nadhr), ransoms (fidaʾ), and the like. It is neither juʿalah nor ijarah, and whoever subsumes it under either category falls into contradiction—unless the donor’s aim is to train the competitor, such as a father training his son or a teacher training his pupil. In that case it becomes the well-known juʿalah, and it usually occurs when peers race one another.
14 – Shaykh al-Islam said: Horse racing, archery, and similar instruments of war are among the things Allah and His Messenger have commanded, for they assist in striving in the path of Allah. Thus racing, wrestling, and the like are acts of obedience when the intention behind them is to support Islam, and taking prize money for them is taking it rightfully.
15 – He also said: It is permissible to engage in pastimes that bring benefit and cause no harm, but anything that distracts and diverts a person from what Allah has enjoined is forbidden, even if the activity itself—such as trade—is not inherently unlawful. As for the rest of amusements and all kinds of play that do not serve any legitimate purpose, they are entirely prohibited.
Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm added: Playing any type of sport during the time of prayer, or near its time, is never permissible; it is a reprehensible act, and its ruling is the same as anything that diverts from the remembrance of Allah and the prayer. If it is neither prayer time nor near the mosques, we see no objection to its permissibility. Therefore, the basic ruling on sports in Islam is that they are recommended, provided they are free of objectionable elements and are directed toward training for jihad and invigorating the body.
16 – Ustadh Ṭabbārah said: The prayer itself is an inner exercise that involves neither fatigue nor strain; it is the best strengthener of the human body, stimulating the intestines, the muscles, and the joints.