Games, Recreation, and Life
_(An excerpt recalling Jaʿfar Masʿūd Ḥasanī)_
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13/3/2026
There was a time when, on the horizon of Muslim life, swordsmanship, archery, and horsemanship shone like brilliant stars. In their light flourished an entire world of courage, skill, and manliness. It was an age when the battlefield itself was the playing field, and every young man tested the strength of his arms and the courage of his heart there. But when the turning of time brought forth new horizons, new colours also appeared in the world of games and sports.
Dār al-ʿUlūm Nadwat al-ʿUlamāʾ, by its very nature, is a beautiful blend of the old and the new, where the dignified seriousness of the past and the fresh liveliness of the present appear side by side. Thus, while the lamps of thought and reflection remain lit in scholarly gatherings, the grounds also bustle with the activity of cricket, football, volleyball, and badminton. In other words, this settlement of knowledge and action resembles a garden in which the cypress trees of wisdom stand alongside the flowers of joy. As the poet says: “The age of Majnūn has passed; now it is our turn.”
Within Nadwah’s atmosphere, alongside the gravity of knowledge flows the freshness of life. The students’ steps are not buried merely beneath piles of books. Rather, when they step onto the open fields, it seems as if birds freed from a cage are soaring towards the blue sky. The redness of enthusiasm on their faces and the sparkle of determination in their eyes resemble the first rays of the morning sun glistening upon drops of dew.
When the lines of young runners spread across the field in racing competitions, the scene appears as though waves are surging upon the shoulders of a fierce wind, or as if a swift caravan is cutting through the silent vastness of a desert. Each step certainly touches the ground, yet it feels as though speed itself has freed it from the captivity of dust.
On the football field, the ball sometimes shines like a star that has fallen from the hem of the sky, and sometimes runs across the green grass like a playful deer leaping joyfully along forest paths. The players’ passes connect with one another like pearls of a story strung upon a single thread. If the ball slips from someone’s foot, the spectators’ laughter rises like thunder shaking the silent sky; and when a magnificent goal is scored, applause rains down like the monsoon showers descending as mercy upon thirsty earth.
The scenes on the hockey and cricket fields are no less captivating. They resemble the canvas of a master painter upon which the movements of the players appear like colourful strokes in motion. The sound of the bat striking the ball feels as though a fine flash of lightning has darted through the silent air. Every shot is a story, every pass a tale, and every movement opens a new chapter of skill and courage.
Yet the true charm of these fields is not limited to the players alone. The spectators have their own world, giving warmth and life to the spectacle. Some students release light-hearted arrows of satire with the sharp edge of their tongues; others burst into simple laughter like flowers scattering across the walls of a garden in spring. At times a student suddenly recites a verse, and it seems as though the playing field has momentarily transformed into a literary gathering. Sometimes a witty remark floats through the air, followed by waves of laughter rising like river tides striking the shore and returning again.
Moments of competition themselves bring storms of emotion. If, in a cricket match, the ball slips from a fielder’s hands, the spectators’ laughter echoes like thunder rolling through the valleys of mountains. When a splendid goal is scored in football, a storm of applause erupts, and even the losing side hides its defeat behind the colourful veil of humour and smiles. In this way, defeat becomes a delicate anecdote and victory a living memory.
The truth is that games are not merely tests of physical strength; they are also a silent school of moral and social training. Here friendships are formed, lamps of affection are lit in hearts, and alongside the seriousness of formal education there emerges a lively spirit that brings balance to one’s character. Sports plant within students the seeds of freedom, creativity, and joy—seeds that later grow into towering trees in the vast fields of life.
Thus, the scenes of sport on the grounds of Nadwah are not merely moments of passing recreation; they are a living cultural experience. Here every game is a lesson, every laugh a story, and every moment a memorable image that continues to shine upon the horizons of the heart and mind—just like stars shimmering on a distant horizon in the darkness of night.
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