Playing
Together

You know, it isn't always easy for people

to get to know those who are different from themselves.

They need to learn how to be generous

and share things with each other,

and help and encourage each other

when they are struggling with things that are difficult to do.

They need to learn to be patient

and be tolerant of what other people do

So it is important that people learn how to work together as teams,

especially when what they are doing is dangerous,

and if they don't all watch out for any one person's mistakes,

or if someone is afraid to tell others that they have made a mistake,

or they are arguing over who is in charge

instead of each person doing the job they need to,

something can go wrong and someone can get hurt.

So people practice these things by playing games together.

They organise themselves in different ways to share the joys of living as human beings,

making rules to play by, and trying to do their best for the team.

But of course doing your best means working hard to be better at what you do,

and that is not just for the team.

Most sports involve exercise,

and that keeps us healthy,

or thinking hard about things,

which helps to train our minds.

And sometimes sports are training in how to face up to our fears

and stay strong if we need to fight.

The Messenger would challenge his young wife Aisha to foot races,

and together they looked through their window into the mosque

to watch men practising their martial arts.

And the Messenger said that people should practice archery,

and learn to ride horses,

both things that are fun to do,

but would also be useful in times of war.

And strangely for someone who lived in a dry desert land, he said that people should learn to swim,

which is not only fun, and keeps you fit, but can also save your life.

So sports may be fun,

but played in a way that encourages patience

and struggle and generosity,

they are ways to learn about ouselves

and how to work together in truth and tolerance,

and as such can be part of a muslim's Deen,

their Islamic Way of Life

So when people organise themselves together

and do things in that way,

with patience and tolerance and generosity towards team-mates,

and honesty and struggle with themselves,

what they do becomes part of their Deen,

the Islamic Way of Life,

their way to live as muslims.