Sporting
Trials

Now we know that part of the Deen is caring for yourself,

keeping yourself fit, and as healthy as you can

in whatever health situation you have to deal with.

But that takes some effort,

and to make that effort easier we set ourselves tasks to achieve,

and measure our progress through different sports.

And sometimes it's an individual against the forces of nature,

and sometimes it's a team against a team.

And it's not just surfers up against natural forces,

as it's the force of gravity you have to deal with,

whether it's bouncing a ball up against a wall,

throwing it into a hoop,

or playing keepy-uppy.

It keeps you from jumping any higher or further,

and pulls your projectile earthwards.

When you are up against the forces of nature,

in the end there is only one winner,

and you have to work in tandem with its power.

That projectile could be an arrow,

but gravity is not the main problem here,

as the eye has to project the curved trajectory of the arrow to the target,

the mind has to assess how any wind will affect it,

and the archer needs to be able to achieve

a point of stillness before release,

as a little wiggle at this end

means the arrow arrives a long way off course.

The world into which the arrow flies has to be brought inside

to one still point.

And whether you look to the horizon or within yourself,

there you will see the Face of God.

Of course, many of those aspects of archery can also be seen in other sports,

from golf to football, or even darts,

the skill of getting a projectile into a certain space.

One brief and highly controlled moment

judged by what results some way away.

Not like horseriding,

which calls on a whole different set of requirements,

having to share control with a creature

who is doing almost all of the work.

Here there is not stillness,

as the rider needs to adjust their intentions at any moment

to suit the constantly changing

situation that is happening beneath them,

trying to control a creature that is much stronger than they are.

So no rider will get far if their horse is unwilling,

and for success the two creatures need to form a bond,

a union between species,

each understanding the other

in the caring sort of relationship humans have with their pets.

And each species has their own way of worshipping their Liege.

Including the fishes,

the surface of whose world we share when we swim.

With swimming we learn to be comfortable in an alien and dangerous environment.

If you can't stay afloat you drown.

But along with the fun of floating,

we need to learn self control and know our limits.

More drown from being good swimmers than non-swimmers,

because non-swimmers avoid the water in the first place,

whereas swimmers tend to go further than they should.

and to places that they shouldn't,

into danger.

But there are people who look for danger,

the edge of risk,

the adrenaline rush from the fear of the closeness of catastrophe.

There are always a few who will search out extreme sports,

but many will enjoy lower levels of danger.

Mountain climbing is a risk,

but is usually a shared one,

individuals relying on the support of a team.

The team is your best chance of survival,

and essential if you want to climb above the death zone.

In playing at jihad

we need to rise above our fear,

but remember the closeness of death.

And death's agony comes in truth,

says the Qur'an.