Islam And The Martial Arts. Part 3: " Shomen "

"In The Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful" 

While I always endeavor to go beyond the discussion of the permissible; Halaal, and the impermissible; Haraam , in my research into the field of Islam and the martial arts by focusing my attention to the deeper self development lessons that Muslims can take from their martial arts training. There are times when these issues need to be addressed so that our disciplined practice of our chosen arts do not transgress the limits of our faith.  

One such area that needs to be addressed is the practice of bowing or showing some form of respect to the Dojo shrine which would be found mostly in traditional martial arts schools.

This shrine which is commonly referred to as the Shomen, Shinzen or Kamiza finds its roots within Shintoism. The Kamiza ( spiritual seat )   itself often contains a miniature replica of a Shinto shrine called the Kamidana ( God shelf )

An example of a Kamiza or Shomen

An example of a Kamidana 

It is also not uncommon to see the Shomen dicorated with a picture of the founder of the art being practiced or with other artifacts such a sword set.

Shomen or Kamiza with a picture of a senior teacher, Katana set and scrolls.

The original intent of the Shomen was to serve as a spiritual anchor within the Dojo, the spiritual heart of the Dojo to which a great deal of respect and veneration was shown.

The bows , both before and after practice, to the Shomen was intended to show respect to the art, the founder of the art being practiced  but also to the spirits of the Shinto deities believed to be enshrined within the Kamidana. 

Today; many schools which still keep Shomen in whichever form do not ascribe any religious significance to it and maintain Shomen out of a sense of tradition.

However, as Muslims the idea of bowing or offering a gesture of respect to an inaminate object sharply  contradicts with our faith, especially when the object in question contains artifacts of a religious nature ,the core function of which Islam is radically opposed to.

Thus, I have deduced through research and analysis that bowing before or showing any other gesture of respect to the Shomen is impermissible and should not be practiced by Muslims.

This does not mean , however, that we cannot display the traditional name scrolls or the emblems of our martial art traditions on the walls of our Dojo,  except that we should not attach any undue significance to them.

I can hear the critics though, asking ; "how do we show respect to our art, the place in which we train and the founders of our art? " The answer to this is rather simple and lies in the attitude and behavior that we bring into the Dojo, our practice and the life lessons that we take from our art.

Islam is free of superstition and it's adherents only bow their heads to what made man and not to what man made.

Wallahu Alam.

Egyptian female martial artists break norms and reap the benefit: Self-defense and confidence

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Thu, 14/03/2013 - 00:34

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e DeAngelo

Mira Nassif, former Egyptian judo champion, master’s student and small-business owner, credits judo for her current success.

“The courage to start my own design company and take all the necessary risks, starting from scratch and believing how big it could become, was totally because of the judo,” says Nassif.

Like Nassif, a growing number of Egyptian women are now joining the ranks of Tae kwon do, judo and karate classes and acknowledging the positive impact that training has on their lives. Indeed, such training provides not only excellent exercise but gives trainees real self-defense skills that can be applied in situations of physical or sexual assault.

Beyond this significant benefit, martial arts can also be life-changing, with benefits including increased self-confidence, discipline, focus and general character building.

It may surprise some that martial arts are popular in Egypt with both male and female athletes. These sports became widespread at private studios and sporting clubs from the 1970's onwards.

Today, there are more than 300,000 registered with the Egyptian Karate Federation, not including thousands of judo and tae kwon do athletes, and those who take private lessons.

Most martial arts are seen as appropriate for Muslim women, as the uniforms are conservative and allow women to wear hijabs. In January, the World Karate Federation approved of the use of hijabs in competition.

Egyptian women have a legacy of excellence in martial arts. They have been training and competing alongside their male counterparts on the National Karate Team since its founding in 1971, for example. Egyptian female athletes also competed in judo and tae kwon do at the Olympic Games in the first years they became medal-earning events for women, in 1992 and 2000, respectively.

Two athletes are now leading the front in changing prevailing gender stereotypes — world champion Heba Mohamed and former Africa and Mediterranean champion Shayma Magdy. They are the first female athletes in Egypt to continue intensive training on the national team after getting married.

Even more groundbreaking, Magdy is a new mother. Her father accompanies her on the training sessions, watching his granddaughter while Magdy practices attack techniques comprising powerful combination punches and kicks across the training floor.

Of course, there are often challenges that come with stepping into such traditionally male-dominated arenas. Many women and girls have been criticized but they don’t let this stop them from training and fighting.

Parents of female martial artists are assured that their daughters can respond quickly to a threatening situation and use their training to defend themselves if necessary. At the age of 9, Sarah Ahmed, a student at Helwan University, came home from school crying one day because another student had hit her.

Shortly afterward, her mother signed her up for karate classes at a sporting club. Eleven years later, Ahmed’s mother still goes to tournaments to support her daughter and emphasizes the importance of self-defense skills for girls.

Ahmed, after several rounds of sparring, says karate has given her tremendous confidence and helped her become more outspoken.

Similarly, Asma Abdallah, who has been a judo student for more than 18 years, says judo boosted her self-confidence. “I’m not afraid to speak for myself and express my opinions — it’s my right,” Abdallah says. “Judo has helped me feel strong and find my voice.”

Researchers have conducted several studies in the US and Canada that aim to quantify the benefits of self-defense training for women. Results have shown increased perceptions of self-worth, awareness and mobility.

Although no such quantitative study has been carried out in Egypt, members of the martial arts community here are eager to affirm similar benefits. Some coaches feel that the most important reason for girls and women to train in martial arts is the inner confidence they gain from their ability to defend themselves.

Athletes say their training has helped give them self-confidence, and could empower more girls and women to go out on their own rather than stay in their homes.

Many female martial artists also point to how their experiences encouraged them to work to achieve their goals outside of the dojo, or training studio. Martial arts trainers say the fighting spirit can help both in the streets and in the classroom, with one karate instructor saying her training helped her decide to study for her master degree in Islamic history.

Many of the athletes say martial arts have positively impacted their lives and helped develop their character.

Female martial artists are not necessarily confined by gender barriers, but instead fill multiple roles. They are wives, mothers, students and professionals — all while also being accomplished athletes.

This piece was originally published in Egypt Independent's weekly print edition.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MUSLIM MARTIAL ARTIST?

IN THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MUSLIM MARTIAL ARTIST?

PART 1

Essential requisites for self development through the martial arts.

This is the first in a series of articles in which I will explain what I believe, in my opinion, are the necessary requisites and actions needed for the development of an Islamic personality through the practice of the martial arts.

However it is necessary to first understand the concept of self development, its place in the Islamic paradigm and its relationship with the martial arts.

Self development is the process of improving one’s self in order to realise dreams, actualise visions and attain goals. It is not limited to any one field or area of life but encompasses ones entire being, from ones personal, social and professional life. Common examples of self development are; improving one’s health, pursuing an education, improving ones work skills or developing ones talents or trying to enhance ones spirituality.

Tazkiyah includes both the ideas of self purification and self development. The Qur’an affirms the importance of Tazkiyah when Allah says
“But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart.” (Surah Ash-Shu'araa Ayah 89)
  As can be seen the ultimate aim of Tazkiyah is the purification of one’s soul for the pleasure of God. Islam being a Way of Life in the broadest sense places importance on all areas of an individual’s life. This is true; be they the physical, mental and spiritual dimensions, as well as ones personal and public life. All are inter-related and all have an effect on the soul. Therefore it is only logical that we should strive to improve and develop ourselves holistically.    

The martial arts, be they from the East or the West, ancient or modern, have for centuries been used as a tool to enable man to develop the necessary qualities to reach his full human potential. This is true so long as the training process is balanced by giving attention to the physical, mental and spiritual realms equally.

‘The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit.’ Morihei Ueshiba 

ISLAM AND THE MARTIAL ARTS.

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL

The exact history of the martial arts is unknown but what is certain is that man has from his earliest times engaged in armed and unarmed combat. The methods that the earliest warriors used formed the basis of many systemized traditions of those martial arts that are still practised today. Over a period of many hundreds and sometimes thousands of year’s one martial art gave rise to the practise of various derivative forms. This was a worldwide trend and not something unique to the Asian cultures as is popularly thought.  Early Muslim civilization was no different as the first Muslims practised the combative methods of their time and geographic location. Later as Islam spread to places like China, Muslims practised the local martial arts as well as developing their own unique styles and traditions such  ‘Ali’s stick’, a stick fighting art named after Sayyidina Ali R.A and ‘Tan Tui’ meaning Springing or Snapping Legs’ which is based entirely on the letters of the Arabic alphabet.

 The benefits of practising a martial art are numerous but can be categorised into three broad categories for easy reference; physical, mental and spiritual.

On the physical level the various arts offer the practitioner the benefits of increased fitness and self defence training. While mentally the practice can become a source of stress relief and a way of learning to enhance focus and concentration. Spiritually the arts can offer the trainee a sense of balance and harmony and even purpose in life.

Islam is the ultimate Way of life and the practice of the martial arts brings the inner Jihad to a practical level where we can strive towards the perfection of character that Islam demands of us in a balanced way that is in keeping with the limits set by Allah S.W.T  in the Qur’an and as exemplified by Muhammed S.A.W in his Sunnah.

Just as Islam offers man a direct experience of life through its various obligatory acts such as Salaah, Hajj and Sawm. The martial arts highlight the lessons of those experiences and can offer Muslims an opportunity to expand those lessons to everyday life.