By Adam Majewsk
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu 'anh) reports that the Prophet (salalahu 'alayhi wasalam) said: The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both. Guard over that which benefits you, seek Allah's Assistance, and don't lend yourself to things devoid of benefit, and if something befalls you, then don't say 'If I only would have done such and such,' rather say 'Allâh ordained this and He does what He wills' [Qaddarallaahu wa maa shaa' fa'al] for verily the phrase 'If I would have' makes way for the work of the Devil.
As few know unless your daily routine with prayers, work/school, family takes you along the race course on the day, that this month the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon happened. Alhamdulillah. A foot race which spans that of 26.20 miles, from Downtown Minneapolis, MN to the state capital of Minnesota. It to many non-Muslims is a fun and exhilarating experience of rushing endorphins to the brain as well the rest of the body. An experience which unless talking to a fellow, runner have a hard time explaining. Now for the religious, faithful, or believes no matter how you want to dilute the subject with over labeling it is one of the most spiritual or religious experience of a life time. Now as the passage above states, as a saying of Mohammad (Peace be upon him), reported by Abu Hurayrah, It is important to interpret this saying in two ways: The first of which is in that the muslim strongest in their Imaan is more loved by Allah then those who are weak in their Imaan yet both are still dearly loved by Allah. The second important way to interpret this saying is the Muslim who is most physically fit meaning the Muslim who exercises and is physically the strongest is also more beloved by Allah then the Muslim who is physically weak and does not exercise at all. Now when I state this, I speak of these two going hand in hand I mean they must both be practiced hand in hand. Islam is the middle path and needs both to be evenly practiced together in order for us as muslims to be on the right path as we believe.
In today’s world many Brothers and Sisters have become quite lazy in the matters of physical activity. Not that they are not motivated to be hard working and such, achieving great feet’s in some areas, but to truly be what we spout when individuals say that we are Muslims, we need to understand that most Brothers and Sisters are at a lose, the majority of them are in a slump with their faith and obligations. Not seemingly understanding that their faith requires more of them then just the five pillers of faith. Even though they are the most important to follow to be a good Muslim, yet to truly being a pius and righteous Muslim in accordance with our faith Islam requires more from us than just these five pillers and six articles of faith. Life requires more from us than just our faith and belief, it requires our actions. Even though the majority of our lives are centered around Islam life on earth is not just about our beliefs it is also about the living of our lives. We are required to live until the end of day’s and need to conduct ourselves as such.
A large number of the top Marathon runners today are in fact Muslims. Even The last three Marathon world record holders are Muslim from Kenya. The current, Wislon Kipsang of the Keiyo District. These fellow Brothers and Sisters in faith have been able to find the importance of Physical activity through their gifts as distance runner. They are also using their gifts to follow what their faith and submission asks of them.
The Twin Cities Marathon and it’s importance with Minnesota’s Muslim Ummah. For even though it has already happened, In Shaa Allah there is always next year, is a great one. See this race can and does make a large impact on our faith in a positive way and is needed because of all the opportunities which are presented for us to fulfill our faith as Muslims.
This year at the Twin Cities marathon they played host to the USA Marathon Championships. Which if you are a fan of Track and Field sports, and don’t mind watching a 2 hour plus race then the Twin Cities marathon could be the spectator sport for you. Like at many great US. Marathons, the field was an east african sport, a Muslim sport. Many would argue that it was not, yet many don’t seem to see that the majority of the best distance runners are from east Africa and are indeed muslim. Most of them are the best runners due to the fact in which to fight, to pull themselves and their families out of poverty. Even though many Muslims have become complacent in their duties as muslims to keep their deen on a physical level. They have allowed themselves to not take care of the bodies we are given by Allah Subhana Wa’Talah, himself. Yet these few muslims from east africa who have tapped into their talents given to them by Allah Subhanah Wa’Talah have and are some of the Few muslims who are the strongest in their faith.
As a runner, running with all of these Brothers and Sisters on the path to greatness through 26.2 miles. It is quite invigorating you see as either a spectator or runner the vast differences in Allah’s creation. You see tall runners short runners big runners small runners, runners who look as if they had not run a mile in their life prior to training for the Twin Cities Marathon but yet they complete the distance with ease and great humbleness in every step that they take. What this race distance does for the Ummah is vast, it provides an outlet for the great runners of our time to pull their family’s and themselves out of poverty and war torn nations, it allows those of the running community of humble origin to fill their obligatory zakat without a financial burden on themselves, it helps many a Muslim to channel their energy to their prayer and actions towards Allah in some of the most positive ways possible, and with the saying of Mohammed at the beginning of this short piece it provides them with additional guidance through a life of the unknown on earth.
The importance of such activities as the marathon and primarily the Twin Cities Marathon for all people is great and indescribable. Especially for fellow muslims now after such actions which took place at the boston marathon, many would perpetuate the negativity associated with Islam and it’s Ummah’s yet those who would do so, do not know the truly strong and positive aspects of Islam and it’s truly great positive connections with the marathon. The marathon is a way to rebuild the truly positive meaning and image of Islam, it is a way to show who the truly faithful and fully believing muslims are and their Ummah’s or at least a small group of Brothers and Sisters in faith.
As a group of brothers and sisters in faith after participating in this years Marathon there was a realization that many Muslims need to reassess their lives. How they conduct themselves in daily live, their faith as well how they approach cultural activities which end up negatively affecting Islam as a whole. If after reading such an article you take nothing from it, fine, all this article is meant to do is make you think about how life of running is beneficial to our Ummah both for the professional and recreational distance runner.
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh
