As Muslims, we should heed this advice of our Prophet and give ourselves time for leisure and time for work, moreover, we should try and invest our leisure time in activities and hobbies that not only help us relax, but develop ourselves by pursuing interests and passions that stimulate our creativity hence making us ‘sharper’ more ‘active’ Muslims.
Here are 10 hobbies Muslims can engage in as suggested by Productive Muslim; some are a bit outside the box, (not the typical Muslim hobby I would say)… others are more ‘traditional’. It’s not an exhaustive list, there are millions of other halal hobbies.
1. Reading
Unfortunately, Muslims today just don’t read. Reading is one of the few relaxing pursuits that truly inspire you, and helps stretch yourself to new heights. If you need some ideas on what to read, here are some book suggestions for you.
2. Traveling
Taking the time-out to travel and really take a “break” from the day to day tornado of life – This can be a hobby you can pursue! Although it might seem like an expensive hobby, but if you think about it, traveling does not necessarily mean a flight ticket and 5 star hotels, it can be as simple as cycling to the outskirts of the city or driving to a nearby village.
Anything that gets you out of your comfort zone/area, can be constituted as traveling and a hobby worth pursuing. Seriously, when I think about it, how many of us know the cities/villages/valleys nearby our homes? How many breath-taking sceneries that are not far off from where we live that we haven’t explored yet?
3. Journal Writing
Go to your local stationary shop, find a beautiful journal (Pocket sized or A4) and a mechanical pencil or comfortable pen, find a nice spot to sit (at home or outside), and start writing. A hobby that will teach you more about yourself and what goes inside your mind, than 10 hours with a psychiatrist. Write anything, absolutely anything that crosses your mind and heart, and watch ideas, emotions and new understanding surface from nowhere.
4. Graphic/Web Designing
Maybe playing with computer codes isn’t your thing. How about graphic/web designing? Although you’ll need to know a bit of code, but with today’s “drag and drop” graphic designing software, it shouldn’t be too technical… The biggest challenge of this hobby though is to develop an artistic eye and match that with your computer skills, so that what you have in mind can be translated to what you see on the screen.
The pressure of doing well, will force you to learn, and if your stuck, there are lots of free online tutorials that will teach you cool techniques.
5. Self-Defense classes
The art of self-Defense has great benefits. Not only do you learn how to self-defend yourself, but it builds your discipline, improves your health, and helps you focus. Find out self-defence classes nearby that’s right for you, and try them out. Look for ones that observe Islamic etiquette (no bowing, single sex classes, no bad language used…etc).
Even better, get into a sport or team sport (football, basketball, volley..etc) so you keep the momentum with your friends!
6. Gardening
Ok, slightly outside the box, but a great hobby. Grow your own food! You don’t need a massive plot to start getting in touch with the land; just a small square in your backyard will suffice. It’s a great hobby to get some exercise, sunlight, and fresh air. If you’re looking to get started with gardening, check online.
7. Archery
Archery is cool now. The ancient art of archery is having a bit of a moment. You can thank the popularity of dystopian hits like The Hunger Games, The Avengers, The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. The Prophet (peace be on him) said, “
However, word of warning, don’t go around torturing birds and animals with your new hobby. The Prophet (peace be on him) warned archers against using chickens and the like as targets for practice, as the Arabs of jahiliyyah used to do.
8. Learn a foreign language (Arabic)
There are few hobbies as useful as learning a foreign language. And I know many non-Arabic speaking Muslims who especially want to learn Arabic. But even if you know Arabic, learning a new language can only benefit you: How many times have you been in a situation where you wished you could speak the native language of a country you’re visiting but couldn’t?
Learning Arabic or any other language is not easy, but with a good school (evening classes) and a couple try at-home softwares like Rosetta Stone it shouldn’t be too hard. The key is to commit, continually practice or you’ll never get better and retain what you’ve learned.
9. Amateur Astronomy
Ever wondered what those sparkly dots in the sky are? It’s one thing being told what it is, or watching it on TV, but another to sit and actually observe them. How about we make this a hobby? You’d be surprised what sorts of things you can see in space with a small telescope or even a pair of high powered binoculars. (If you really want to see deep into space, you’ll need to get a high powered telescope which of course will set you back thousands of Naira or so).
10. Cooking/Bakery
Every Muslim should know how to cook. The benefits of knowing your way around a kitchen is numerous -it gives you independence (no more relying on others to feed you), it saves you money over having to go out to eat or buy pre-packaged foods, it helps you stay healthy, and it’s just plain enjoyable. Plus it’s a cheap and accessible hobby to take up. say Goodbye to that Mama put fried rice with yesterday’s salad!
I hope I’ve inspired you to start a new hobby from any of the list above, these are always fun and exciting to start with, but remember consistency is key. That’s where your hobby becomes a “serious hobby”.