Join us for an author evening with Nisar Shaikh to discuss his book Prophetic Grappling, an eye-opening text looking at the art of wrestling as practised by early Muslims and Companions of the Prophet.
Purchase Prophetic Grappling from the IHRC Bookshop.
WHEN: Friday, 23 September 2022, 6.30pm BST (GMT+1)
WHERE: IHRC Bookshop (202 Preston Road, Wembley, HA9 8PA) or watch live on www.ihrc.tv, Facebook or YouTube
Prayer and wudu facilities available
Refreshments provided
For any enquiries, please email events@ihrc.org
About the book:
Sport has been a hallmark of every culture throughout history, and Islamic civilisation was no exception. At the time of the Messenger of God ﷺ, noble arts such as Archery, Swordsmanship, Equitation and Wrestling were the established sports of the day. But how were these sports practised and what purpose did they serve? What emphasis does Islam place on martial arts?
Drawing on hadith literature and classical texts, this short work looks at the art of wrestling as practised by early Muslims, including:
– A brief history of wrestling in Arabia and amongst the Companions
– A translation and commentary on the short treatise by the great 9th century Imam Jalaluddin as-Suyuti’s al-Musārʿah ila al-Muṣārʿah (‘Swiftly to Wrestling’).
– A discussion on the objectives of sports in Islam with excerpts from Silat al-Riyādati bil-Dīn wa-Dawruha (‘The Relation Between Exercise and Religion’) by the late Shaykh Muhammad ibn Alawi al-Māliki (1944-2004).
In a time when sport is heavily commercialised, Prophetic Grappling hopes to inspire a new generation to turn to the noble example of the Messenger of God ﷺ and use traditional martial arts as a means of spiritual, as well as physical, growth.
About the author:
Nisar Ahmed Shaikh is an avid grappler having trained extensively in Jiu-jitsu and cross trained in freestyle and Greco-style Wrestling, Judo and Sambo. He holds a black belt in Jiu-jitsu under the Carlson Gracie Team London. His passion for the grappling arts has taken him abroad, seeking out instruction from some of the best grapplers in the world, visiting Brazil, Japan, USA and Canada. He is a deeply passionate and active teacher with over fifteen years’ experience,instructing all levels, from professional MMA fighters to young children. He currently serves as a Muslim Chaplain at Royal Holloway University in London, where he lives with his family.
