Ramadan and athletes

[Zabel]

Do athletes always fast completely during the day the way that other Muslims do? Are there ever instances where this does not happen?

[~ Sabr ~]

Hi Zabel,

If a person is a Muslim and has matured, they have to observe all the fasts in Ramadan.

[yasirslm]

Well in my country Cricket is the Famous game and in the month of Ramadan, if cricketers have to play game they do not Fast as they have to stand on cricket ground the whole day.

But one must DO to prepare them for unseen world.

[~ Sabr ~]

they do not Fast as they have to stand on cricket ground the whole day.

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allaah be pleased with him) reported, that the Prophet :saws: said,
"Deliberately missing out one fast of Ramadan cannot be compensated for even by keeping fast for an entire lifetime."
[Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Bukhari, Nasai, Ibn Majah and Darmi]

And Allaah Knows Best

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[yasirslm]

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allaah be pleased with him) reported, that the Prophet said,
"Deliberately missing out one fast of Ramadan cannot be compensated for even by keeping fast for an entire lifetime."
[Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Bukhari, Nasai, Ibn Majah and Darmi]

Like...

[Hulk]

Do athletes always fast completely during the day the way that other Muslims do? Are there ever instances where this does not happen?

It's not just athletes who have a hard time during ramadan, think about anyone who works under the sun. In farms, construction sites, etc. By right, they should fast. There are however some instances where someone is excused from fasting :)

[yasirslm]

There are however some instances where someone is excused from fasting

Can you please explain in detail.

[~ Sabr ~]

Can you please explain in detail.

What are the reasons for which one may be excused from fasting in Ramadaan?

Praise be to Allaah.

One of the ways in which Allaah has made things easy for His slaves is that He has only enjoined fasting upon those who are able to do it, and He has excused those who are unable to fast for a legitimate shar’i reason. The legitimate reasons for which one may be excused from fasting are as follows:

1 – Sickness

Sickness means everything that means that a person is not healthy.
Ibn Qudaamah said: the scholars are agreed that it is permissible for the sick person not to fast in general. The basis of that is the aayah in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days”
[al-Baqarah 2:184]
It was narrated that Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “When this aayah was revealed – ‘And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)’ [al-Baqarah 2:184 – interpretation of the meaning] – those who wanted not to fast could do that, and pay the fidyah (i.e., feed one poor person for each day). That remained the case until the following aayah was revealed, i.e., the verse:

‘And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)’
[al-Baqarah 2:185 – interpretation of the meaning] – so it abrogated it.”

The sick person who fears that fasting may make his sickness worse or that it will slow down his recovery or damage a part of his body, has the option of not fasting, and indeed it is Sunnah for him not to fast and it is makrooh for him to complete his fast, because that may lead to his death. So he has to be cautious and protect himself. Moreover, if the sick person is very ill, that makes it permissible for him not to fast. But if a healthy person fears difficulty or tiredness, it is not permissible for him to break his fast, if all that happens to him when he fasts is that he becomes tired.

2 – Travelling

In order for traveling to result in a concession excusing one from fasting, the following conditions must be met:

a- The journey must be long enough that prayers may be shortened.
b- The traveler must not intend to settle in the place to which he travels.
c- His journey must not be for any sinful purpose, rather it should be for a sound purpose, according to the majority of scholars. That is because being allowed not to fast is a concession and relief that the sinner does not deserve on his journey, because the purpose of his journey is to commit sin – such as one who travels in order to commit banditry, for example.

Cancellation of the concession for traveling:

This concession of traveling is cancelled by two things:

(i) When the traveler returns home and enters his hometown, which is the place where he resides.
(ii) When the traveler decides to stay indefinitely, or for a lengthy period in one place, and the place is fit for settling in. Thus he becomes a resident (or non-traveller), so he should pray his prayers in full and not break his fast in Ramadaan, because the rulings on travel no longer apply to him.

3 – Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The fuqaha’ are agreed that pregnant and breastfeeding women may break their fast in Ramadaan, on the condition that they think there is a risk that they or their children may become ill or more ill, or be harmed or may die. The evidence for this concession in their case is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning:

“and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days”
[al-Baqarah 2:185]

This does not refer to merely being sick, for the sick person who will not be harmed by fasting is not allowed to break the fast; here sickness is mentioned as a metaphor for any situation where fasting when sick may cause harm. This is what is meant by sickness here. That may be the case in pregnancy and when breastfeeding, so these two cases are included in the concession of breaking the fast. The evidence that women in these cases are allowed not to fast is the hadeeth of Anas ibn Maalik al-Ka’bi (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has relieved the traveler of fasting and half of prayer, and He has relieved the pregnant and breastfeeding woman of fasting.”

4 – Senility and old age

Senility and old age refers to one who is old and has lost his strength, or who is approaching death, so that every day he becomes weaker, until he dies, or who is suffering from a terminal or incurable illness and has no hope of recovery. The evidence that it is prescribed for such people not to fast is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)”
[al-Baqarah 2:184]

Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that this aayah has not been abrogated, and it applies to old men and old women who cannot fast, so for each day they should feed one poor person.

5 – Intense hunger and thirst

If a person is overtaken by intense hunger or unbearable thirst, then he should break his fast and eat just as much as he needs to ward off that hunger, then he should refrain from eating for the rest of the day, and make up that fast later on.

The scholars added to intense hunger and thirst the fear of weakness when meeting the enemy, or fearing or expecting an attack, such as when one is surrounded. So if a fighter knows for sure or thinks it most likely that there will be fighting because he is facing the enemy, and he fears that fasting may make him weak when fighting, and he is not traveling, then he may break his fast before fighting.

6 – Compulsion

Compulsion means one person forcing another to do something or not to do something against his will, by means of threats.



Source: http://islamqa.info/en/ref/23296

[yasirslm]

Compulsion means one person forcing another to do something or not to do something against his will, by means of threats.

Ok thanks rest of the points are clear, can you explain point # 6 as it's new for me and I am unable to understand the same.

[~ Sabr ~]

:salamext:

For example: If a person makes a threat for you to not fast or he will kill you, then you should not fast.

And Allaah Knows best.

[yasirslm]

For example: If a person makes a threat for you to not fast or he will kill you, then you should not fast.

Like:)

[Muhammad]

Greetings,

This seems to be an issue at the moment with apparently 3,000 Muslims who are entering the Olympics. I do remember reading an inspiring story of a Muslim who continued training despite fasting:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shu...urn=nfl,261068

And found another one:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/b...hschool,wp4537

As for most of those entering the Olympics, I'm not sure what they will do. It seems some will defer their fasts, but not all of them.

[glo]

What do people make of this:

"Britain’s first Muslim Olympic rower solves Ramadan fasting dilemma during the Games by paying for meals for 1,800 people instead"

[~ Sabr ~]

What do people make of this:

"Britain’s first Muslim Olympic rower solves Ramadan fasting dilemma during the Games by paying for meals for 1,800 people instead"

Hi Glo, like I said earlier on:

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allaah be pleased with him) reported, that the Prophet :saws: said,
"Deliberately missing out one fast of Ramadan cannot be compensated for even by keeping fast for an entire lifetime."
[Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Bukhari, Nasai, Ibn Majah and Darmi]

At the end of the day, the Muslim Rower VOLUNTEERED to do that, so he cannot leave out his OBLIGATIONS in his religion.

And Allaah Knows Best

[dqsunday]

Women who are menstruating during Ramahdan are not required to fast..but once they are done their menses they are to make up the days they missed. See: http://www.islamhelpline.net/node/358 5th last paragraph

[Muhammad]

:salamext:


I stumbled across this article whilst searching for something else. I thought it might fit in with this thread...



How fasting during Ramadan will affect World Cup players

On June 28, two noteworthy global events begin: the second round of the World Cup and Ramadan, the Islamic month observed by fasting.
For some of the dozens of Muslim players on Algeria, France, and Germany, this will pose a problem: having to play world-class soccer after having abstained from food and water since sunup.

As part of the Ramadan fast, all food and drink is prohibited between sunrise and sunset for the entire 30-day month. Although some players are reportedly going to forgo the fast during the tournament, others are going to adhere to it. This is the first time the World Cup and Ramadan have overlapped since 1986.

To people who don't fast, it probably seems inconceivable to play a whole game after many hours without food, let alone water — but there's evidence that the Muslim players who are used to fasting are capable of effectively coping with it and maintaining their performance.

Here's what research has to say about how fasting affects the body — and how these players cope with it.

How fasting affects players' performance

For people who've never gone a full day without food or water, it might seem impossible to make it through a grueling 90-plus minute soccer match in this condition. But the evidence on whether fasting affects players' performance is surprisingly mixed.

Some research has found that performance does indeed deteriorate slightly during Ramadan — because of fasting, but also decreased sleep. (Because people have to do all their eating at night, they generally get less sleep during Ramadan.)

Studies have found that during Ramadan, fasting soccer players show more muscle fatigue, have less muscle power, and demonstrate reduced speed, agility, dribbling, and endurance.

But on the other hand, there's evidence that players can use strategies to cope with the strain of fasting and adjust their bodies to deal with it. A study of 85 professional Tunisian soccer players, for instance, found that over the course of Ramadan, their performance on speed, agility, passing, and dribbling tests gradually improved, eventually reaching their pre-Ramadan levels as they continued their training regimen. Other work has found similar results in youth soccer players.


How the players will cope with fasting

So how do players manage to play an endurance-based game effectively while fasting?

One strategy isn't surprising: drinking and eating as much as possible at night. Research has shown that if players maintain their overall calorie and fluid intake during Ramadan, their performance in aerobic activities can remain constant.

At the same time, humans aren't camels: drinking a ton of water at 6 am doesn't mean you'll be fully hydrated at 4 pm. That's why the time of a match or practice is key. The researchers who've studied athletic performance during Ramadan recommend trying to schedule athletic events during the evening (after the sun has set, and people can eat and drink) or right before it (when they can at least replenish themselves after it ends.)

Of course, World Cup teams don't have any control over their schedules. But one thing that helps is that it's winter in Brazil, so the sun will set at 5:34 in Porto Alegre — towards the end of Algeria's first game, which is at 4 p.m.

Another key for players, research shows, is simply to keep training just as much during Ramadan as they did beforehand, and let the body gradually adjust. During Ramadan last year, Kolo Touré, a defender for Côte d'Ivoire who is Muslim, explained that "The first five days are difficult. After that, the body just starts to adapt." Unfortunately, the remaining Muslim players (Côte d'Ivoire was eliminated) won't have much time to adapt so it's possible that they'll be more heavily affected.

Meanwhile, other work shows that getting enough sleep is especially important for fasting athletes. If the World Cup were being played in the northern hemisphere — so days were longer — then fasting might cut into sleeping time, because of the need to eat at night. But the early sunsets and late sunrises in Brazil make it seem less likely that this would be a problem.

So will Ramadan affect the World Cup?

On the whole, it seems like fasting will affect the games less than you might think. These are world-class athletes who have gone their whole lives fasting during daylight for a month a year and getting through it fine.

The research shows that if players eat and drink enough during nighttime — and train sufficiently — they can roughly maintain their levels of performance. Moreover, unlike track or swimming, this is a team sport with many variables that have more to do with technique and experience than raw physical ability.


http://www.vox.com/2014/6/28/5849314...ld-cup-players

[ardianto]

I was a swimmer when I was in elementary school. Since my country is a Muslim majority country, there's no swimming competition during Ramadan. But I still did regular training during Ramadan although lighter, and more to technical training than physical training. I was fasting when I did these training.

When I was teenager I became a motocross racer. In Ramadan I reduce my training intensity although I still did training on the race track. Did I fast during training?. May Allah forgive me. Actually I was strong enough for technical training. But because I was a naughty boy in that time, I did not fast, although I pretend I was fasting in front of my parents. Frankly, I've ever 'scolded' by a senior racer who still fast when he did training.

My naughtiness when I was young. May Allah forgive me. So, do Muslim athletes still fast in Ramadan?. The answer is, depend on their level of piousness.

About athletes and Ramadan fasting. Training for athletes consist of physical, technical, and mental training. Physical training indeed, spend much energy. But the main problem actually is dehydration (*). If an athlete ate enough food during suhr, then he would have sufficient energy for training or even match at the day. But his body could not store enough water to overcome the dehidration problem. He may drink much water at suhr, but then he would lost mostly of this water due to urinating before training or match.

Technical training does not spend much energy or water. And from what I have noticed, Muslim athletes in Muslim majority countries are more focus to technical training in Ramadan. So Ramadan is not a big problem for their sport activities, especially for those who compete in amateur level. But for professional Muslim athletes in non-Muslim countries?. I think it's very hard because they must do physical training too, especially if the coach is non-Muslim who don't care about Muslim athletes who are in fasting.


(*)In swimming, dehydration is not as bad as sport that out of water. But hard training like swimming in 'racing speed' will spend much energy.

[Chase]

I don't think there is an exception for athelete in Ramadan, they have to fast the same way every other Muslim does, there are only few main exceptions and those are sickness, pregnancy, period for women and travelling. People don't take the travelling pass seriously and most of them will fast even if they've travelled for 20 hours.

[Zabel]

Speaking of exceptions, I understand that someone who needs food or water for medicine may be excused. Is this only to the extent that a doctor or pharmacist tells them they need to eat something?

What is if someone has a tendency to be underweight? Must this person still maintain a full Ramadan fast?

[Zabel]

What is if someone has a tendency to be underweight? Must this person still maintain a full Ramadan fast?

And what advice would you give this person?

[Muhammad]

It may sound surprising, but some people actually gain weight in Ramadhan! There is a tendency to make special dishes and over-eat upon breaking the fast and during the pre-dawn meal, so this can cause weight gain. For someone who is concerned about being underweight, perhaps their diet can be managed such that they have a high calorie intake during the meal times - just a thought. Anyone who is worried about their health can always consult with a doctor as well as an Imam and reach a decision after that. And Allaah :swt: knows best.