Muslim women in sport

1. Muslim women in sport

By Al Ghurairi Riyam Hussien

2.

General introduction
• Muslim women have been involved in sport since Islam's
beginning in the early 7th century and Muhammad's races
with his wife Aisha.
• Modern Muslim female athletes have achieved success in
a variety of sports, including volleyball, tennis, association
football, fencing, and basketball.
• In the 2016 Olympics, fourteen Muslim women won
medals, participating in a wide range of sports.

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4.

Hijab in Sports
• It’s been a couple of months since the completion of
the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, but we’re still
talking about the accomplishments of the athletes that
participated. Among these remarkable athletes, it was
the female Muslim Olympians that dominated
headlines. Their achievements were stupefying but a
lot of emphases were put on what they choose to
wear or not.

5.

• Let’s go back to early August 2016 when an image of two beach
volleyball players facing each other and volleying the ball midair
went viral on the internet. This image captured the concentration
and determination of both women. However, many people insisted
that it depicted the massive cultural divide between the German and
Egyptian beach volleyball teams solely based on the uniform they
wore.
• So why is there such a strong discussion over the hijab in sports?
Some of this stems from a lack of understanding about Islamic views on
women, especially when it comes to their participation in physical
activities. This often leads people to see the hijab as an obstructive
symbol when, in fact, it may just be an opportunity for a more open
discussion.

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Can Muslim women play sports?
There have been detailed occurrences that proved women had been physically active
throughout the history of Islam, especially during the time of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh). There were many such instances, for example, where Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) would have races with his wife ‘Aisha while they travelled; she had won some
of these races against her husband. Then there was Safiyyah, Prophet Muhammad’s
aunt, who actively participated in the battlefield with other soldiers.
• These women’s physical and mental agility, prowess and endurance
demonstrated that they must have routinely exercised or trained. Their
participation in physically-demanding activities proved that Islam has never
placed any restrictions against women from doing sports; on the contrary, it
shows that Islam places strong emphasis towards the importance of healthy
body and mind.

8.

• While the accomplishments of female Muslim Olympians like Majlinda
Kelmendi, Sri Wahyuni Agustiani and Ibtihaj Muhammad have been
astounding, they are hardly the first few Muslim women competing in the
Olympics. In the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, Nawal El Moutawakel
became the first Muslim and African female Olympic champion when
she medalled gold in the inaugural women’s 400m hurdles event.
• For the longest time, the participation of women has been overlooked
this is especially true for those who are from paternalistic cultures, which
often have rigid definitions of masculinity and femininity. This existing
social construct views sport as the last option when it comes to interests
and a possible career that should be pursued by women and girls.

9.

Ibtihaj Muhammad (born December 4,
1985) is an American sabre fencer, and a
member of the United States fencing team.
She is best known for being the first Muslim
American woman to wear a hijab while
competing for the United States in the
Olympics.[1] In individual sabre at the 2016
Summer Olympics, she won her first
qualifying round bout, and was defeated in
the second round by Cécilia Berder of
France. She earned the bronze medal as
part of Team USA in the Team Sabre,
becoming the first female Muslim-American
athlete to earn a medal at the Olympics.

10.

Female athletes in Hijab - What’s the big deal?
• Among the many female Muslims competed at this year’s Summer
Olympic Games, hijab-wearing women received the most media
attention. While their accomplishments have been highlighted and
applauded, the media loves focusing on the fact that these athletes
chose to compete in the hijab; many have been positive but there is a
small community who still thinks that the hijab and full Islamic
sportswear are symbols of oppression.
• While there are no restrictions towards women’s participation in sport,
there is a guideline that needs to be observed in order to create a
balance between women’s involvement in sports and the importance of
keeping their modesty.

11.

• In the debate between hijab vs. non-hijab sporting attire, many people
fail to see the “big deal”. Sportswear matters because it improves the
experience of the athlete. Therefore, when their choice of competitive
attire has a direct impact on their ability to compete, many Muslim
women often fall into a dilemma: should she leave her hijab behind to
pursue her career in sport or should she abandon her passion for pleasing
her Creator?
• The issue of the hijab has long been debated by many governing sports
bodies. For example, a ban on religious head coverings, the hijab
included, have long been practised by the Internationale de Football
Association (FIFA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). It
was not until 2014 that FIFA lifted this ban; the same cannot be said for
FIBA, which continues to bad the hijab and other religious accessories.

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Finaly, Is the hijab an obstruction or opportunity?
• Ibtihaj Muhammad, Hedaya Malak and Sara Ahmed, through their success,
have created proven that the hijab does not obstruct a Muslim woman
from achieving success in their career and passion. Therefore, why is there
still a negative connotation when it comes to the hijab? Why are we still
debating about it and feel the need to highlight the garment when
someone doing something positive happens to be wearing it?
• If the hijab does not restrict one’s sporting abilities, as these
Olympic athletes have proven, then it is a question of personal
choice. If a Muslim woman wishes to dress modestly in her life, why
should her sporting career by any different?

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IN MY OPINION
• The hijab provides an opportunity to encourage discussions
surrounding Islam, women and balancing between now and the
hereafter. Having these Muslim women visible in the media also
provides Muslim girls positive role models to give them
aspirations to pursue their passion and interest. It demonstrates
that the hijab does not need to be a hindrance. Eventually, this
will promote more religion tolerance and understanding so that
barriers or stigma towards Muslim women in sports can be
removed.

14.

Thank You